Nvidia has officially unveiled its new GeForce RTX 50-series GPUs, culminating a lengthy wait since the RTX 40-series was released in late 2022. During the CES 2025 keynote, the company introduced the RTX 5090, which is set to succeed the RTX 4090, showcasing its specifications, pricing, and performance capabilities. This new flagship GPU introduces advanced technologies, including DLSS 4, which Nvidia claims will significantly enhance gaming performance and visuals.
The essential specifications of the RTX 5090 suggest it will be a substantial upgrade. With 170 Blackwell Streaming Multiprocessors (SMs) compared to the 128 in the RTX 4090, the newer model offers a projected 33% increase in GPU cores. The memory also sees a major enhancement, boasting 33% more VRAM and a bandwidth increase of approximately 78%, thanks to the adoption of GDDR7 technology. As a result, Nvidia anticipates that the RTX 5090 will outperform its predecessor, although raw computing power may reflect a more modest improvement.
Focusing on artificial intelligence, Nvidia highlights that the new generation will exhibit a 154% increase in AI computational performance, which taps into its DLSS 4 capabilities. This allows for a new form of frame generation called Multi Frame Generation, which predicts and creates additional frames before they are rendered. However, details surrounding user experience and the perception of these AI-generated frames remain to be thoroughly tested.
Additional innovative features include RTX Neural Materials and DLSS Transformer upscaling, with the latter expected to enhance performance while being compatible with older RTX cards. Early assessments indicate that, without the new AI features, the RTX 5090 is likely to deliver up to a 43% increase in performance in comparison to the 4090.
As for the pricing, the RTX 5090 is set to launch at $1,999, accessible to enthusiasts and companies focused on AI workloads. However, gamers without a strong interest in frame generation may want to consider waiting to see how the new features translate into real-world performance.
In summary, the RTX 50-series presents a promising leap in graphics technology, particularly around AI performance. With the anticipated launch in January 2025, Nvidia continues to push the boundaries of GPU capabilities, ensuring that gamers and AI developers alike will have exciting new tools at their disposal. As with any new technology, the final verdict on the value of these advancements will depend on individual use cases and preferences, but optimism surrounds the potential benefits.
Overall, as Nvidia strives to integrate AI more deeply into the gaming experience, this could usher in a new era of smoother and more visually stunning gameplay, benefiting both gamers and developers.