Quick answer
The RTX 5090 is the faster card: about 23% ahead of the RTX 4090 in our gaming index (score 123 vs 100), or about 19% more FPS at 1440p high. The RTX 5090 has more VRAM (32GB vs 24GB). The RTX 4090 draws less power (450W vs 575W).
A side-by-side look at the GeForce RTX 4090 and the GeForce RTX 5090 using the specs from each maker and ComputingSkill’s gaming scores, the same numbers our calculators and tier list use. Prices change too often to compare here, so check current prices against the performance gap below.
Specs Side by Side
| RTX 4090 | RTX 5090 | |
|---|---|---|
| Architecture | Ada Lovelace | Blackwell |
| VRAM | 24GB GDDR6X | 32GB GDDR7 |
| Memory bus | 384-bit | 512-bit |
| Boost clock | 2520 MHz | 2410 MHz |
| Shaders | 16,384 CUDA Cores | 21,760 CUDA Cores |
| Board power | 450W | 575W |
| Maker’s recommended PSU | 850W | 1000W |
| Upscaling / frame generation | DLSS 4 upscaling and DLSS 3 Frame Generation (2x) | DLSS 4 upscaling and Multi Frame Generation (up to 4x) |
| Released | 2022 | 2025 |
| Gaming score (tier) | 100 (S) | 123 (S) |
Specs: RTX 4090 official page and RTX 5090 official page. Scores are ComputingSkill’s gaming index, positioned from publicly reported review averages, not our own benchmarks (methodology).
Gaming Performance
Estimated average FPS in a typical AAA game, from the FPS Calculator’s formula, with the Ryzen 7 9800X3D so the cards are the limit. * marks a figure held back by the CPU. Ray tracing, upscaling and frame generation are not included.
| Resolution, settings | RTX 4090 | RTX 5090 | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1080p, high | 202* | 202* | about even |
| 1440p, high | 170 | 202* | RTX 5090 +19% |
| 4K, high | 105 | 129 | RTX 5090 +23% |
| 1080p, ultra | 200 | 202* | about even |
| 1440p, ultra | 136 | 167 | RTX 5090 +23% |
| 4K, ultra | 84 | 103 | RTX 5090 +23% |
VRAM
RTX 4090: 24GB of VRAM is enough for ultra textures at 1080p, 1440p and 4K.
RTX 5090: 32GB of VRAM is enough for ultra textures at 1080p, 1440p and 4K.
With Your CPU
A faster card only pays off when your CPU can feed it. Here is each card with common processors in our bottleneck engine (typical AAA game, high settings). “GPU-limited” is normal; a CPU % is how much of the card goes unused.
| CPU | RTX 4090 | RTX 5090 |
|---|---|---|
| Core i3-12100F | CPU ~59% / CPU ~40% | CPU ~60%+ / CPU ~51% |
| Ryzen 5 5600 | CPU ~56% / CPU ~35% | CPU ~60%+ / CPU ~47% |
| Core i5-12400F | CPU ~53% / CPU ~31% | CPU ~60%+ / CPU ~44% |
| Ryzen 5 7600 | CPU ~43% / CPU ~16% | CPU ~54% / CPU ~32% |
| Core i5-14600K | CPU ~39% / CPU ~10% | CPU ~50% / CPU ~27% |
| Ryzen 7 7800X3D | CPU ~26% / GPU-limited | CPU ~40% / CPU ~12% |
Power and PSU
With a Ryzen 5 7600, the PSU Calculator recommends 850W for a PC with the RTX 4090 and 1000W with the RTX 5090. The makers’ own recommendations are 850W and 1000W.
Which Should You Buy?
- Buy the RTX 5090 for more performance: about 23% higher in our index. It is worth it if the price difference is smaller than that.
- The RTX 4090 makes sense when it costs clearly less, or when its other strengths below matter more to you.
- For 1440p, 4K or keeping the card for years, the RTX 5090’s extra VRAM is the safer choice.
- Features differ: the RTX 4090 offers DLSS 4 upscaling and DLSS 3 Frame Generation (2x); the RTX 5090 offers DLSS 4 upscaling and Multi Frame Generation (up to 4x).
- Not sure your CPU keeps up? Check your exact pair in the PC Bottleneck Calculator.
More comparisons: RTX 4090 vs RTX 5080. Every card ranked: GPU tier list.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the RTX 4090 better than the RTX 5090?
For raw gaming performance the RTX 5090 is about 23% faster (score 123 vs 100).
Which is better for 1440p, the RTX 4090 or the RTX 5090?
At 1440p high the RTX 4090 averages about 170 FPS and the RTX 5090 about 202 FPS in a typical AAA game with a fast CPU.
Which uses less power?
The RTX 4090 (450W board power vs 575W).