Asus GeForce RTX 5090 TUF Gaming OC Review: Power Without Compromise

Asus GeForce RTX 5090 TUF Gaming OC is a top model on the Blackwell architecture with 32 GB of GDDR7. The video card is equipped with an improved cooling system and is designed for high loads in 4K. In the review, we will consider its behavior at different values Power Target.

This section of our review highlights the main aspects of the Asus GeForce RTX 5090 TUF Gaming OC, such as its appearance and hardware configuration.

In front of us is the ASUS TUF Gaming branded box in black and green tones. The front side shows the video card itself, as well as the main characteristics: 32 GB GDDR7, support DLSS 4, Ray Tracing, Reflex and Studio, as well as the proprietary TUF cooling system. In the lower right corner you can see the NVIDIA logo and the model name. The box has a stylish minimalist design, without unnecessary elements, emphasizing the premium status of the video card.

When opening the package, we are greeted by a neatly laid video card in a protective film, securely fixed in a foam niche. In addition to the video card itself, there are also accessories inside: power cables, metal support to reduce stress on the PCIe slot, as well as ASUS documentation. All packaging is of a high standard, providing maximum protection for the device during transportation.

In the kit we see all the necessary accessories: TUF Gaming signature metal bandage, designed to prevent the heavy card from sagging, power cables, documentation and a branded ASUS envelope. I would like to separately note the quality of the materials - all accessories look solid and reliable.

The Asus GeForce RTX 5090 TUF Gaming OC has a massive three-fan cooling system. The fans are black, and the central one is decorated with the ASUS logo, while the two side ones carry the TUF series logo. The metal shroud adds strength to the structure and gives it a stylish brutal look. The design is clearly focused on effective cooling even under maximum loads.

On the back of the card is installed metal backplate, which not only protects the printed circuit board, but also participates in heat dissipation. The central part has a large ventilation window for better cooling. The backplate has the TUF Gaming logo, as well as the GeForce RTX model name. The overall design looks strict, without frills, but very reliable.

You can see it on the side of the map huge radiator, which occupies the entire length of the printed circuit board. The aluminum fins of the cooling system are clearly visible through the ventilation grilles, which indicates high efficiency of heat dissipation. In addition, a 12-pin power connector can be seen here.

The connection panel contains three DisplayPort 2.1 ports and two HDMI 2.1, providing support for modern monitors with resolutions up to 8K. Also visible are vents that allow hot air to escape outside the case, minimizing the heating of other system components.

On one of the edges of the map is located BIOS switch, which allows you to choose between P Mode (Performance Mode) и Q Mode (silent mode)This is convenient for users who want to balance between maximum performance and noise level.

Asus GeForce RTX 5090 TUF Gaming OC takes 3,5 expansion slots, making it one of the most massive cards on the market. Its impressive dimensions require a spacious case and a powerful cooling system in the PC. Visually, the card looks impressive, and its design inspires confidence.

RTX 5090 TUF Gaming OC clearly superior RTX 4090 TUF Gaming OC in terms of dimensions and massiveness of the design. The card has become longer and wider, and its casing has received an updated design with more expressive metal elements. Visually, it looks more monumental, and three large fans occupying the entire front panel emphasize the serious approach to cooling. In comparison with RTX 4090, the new model seems even more massive, which requires a spacious case for comfortable installation.

When comparing the sides, it is noticeable that the cooling system of the RTX 5090 TUF Gaming OC has been significantly enlarged. Its radiator has become thicker, and the ventilation slots have been widened, which contributes to better heat dissipation. Unlike RTX 4090 TUF Gaming OC, the new model has improved air circulation, which should have a positive effect on operating temperatures. This solution is especially important for users working with high levels Power Target, as the cooling system now copes better with heat dissipation.

The video output connectors on both cards are identical - three DisplayPort 2.1 and two HDMI 2.1. However, on the back panel of the RTX 5090 TUF Gaming OC, the ventilation holes have been redesigned. Unlike RTX 4090, the air is now distributed more evenly, which should reduce the temperature inside the case. This improvement will allow the system to work more stably during long gaming sessions and under maximum loads.

The Blackwell architecture, introduced by Nvidia in 2024, was a significant step forward in graphics technology, replacing the previous Hopper and Ada Lovelace architectures. Named after renowned mathematician and statistician David Blackwell, the architecture was officially announced at Nvidia's GTC 2024 keynote on March 18, 2024.

Manufacturing process and technical characteristics

Blackwell is manufactured using TSMC's advanced 4NP process technology, an improvement on the previous 4N node used for the Hopper and Ada Lovelace architectures. This process enables increased transistor density, which results in higher performance and energy efficiency. For example, the GB100 chip contains 104 billion transistors, which is 30% more than the 80 billion transistors in the previous-generation GH100 chip.

Multi-chip layout

One of the key features of the Blackwell architecture is the use of multi-chip layout. Specifically, Nvidia's B100 accelerator uses two GB100 chips in a single package, connected by a 10 TB/s NV-High Bandwidth Interface (NV-HBI) based on the NVLink 5.0 protocol. The total volume of transistors in such a solution reaches 208 billion. The two GB100 chips are housed on a silicon wafer manufactured using TSMC's CoWoS-L 2.5D packaging technology.

Improved computing units

The Blackwell architecture represents the fifth generation of Tensor Cores for AI computing and floating point operations. For data centers, Blackwell adds support for FP4 and FP6 data types with eight-precision number handling. The previous Hopper architecture introduced the Transformer Engine to split FP32 data into FP8, increasing peak compute performance. In Blackwell, the second-generation Transformer Engine enables even further FP32 partitioning, doubling FP8 compute performance. Using 4-bit data improves efficiency and throughput when training AI models. Nvidia claims to have achieved 20 petaflops of FP4 compute with the B100 accelerator based on two GB100 chips.

NVLink 5.0 Interface and Switching

Blackwell features fifth generation NVLink, which provides connectivity between GPU with a throughput of up to 1,8 TB/s, which is twice as fast as the previous generation. Until 576 GPU can be combined using this technology. The new NV-Link Switch delivers 14,4 TB/s switching throughput, significantly improving performance for parallel computing and big data processing.

Security hardware

The Blackwell architecture incorporates NVIDIA Confidential Computing technology, which provides secure communications based on hardware encryption. This allows you to protect data and computing processes from unauthorized access, which is especially important in today's conditions of increased requirements for information security.

Decompression engine

The new decompression engine in Blackwell is capable of decompressing data at speeds of up to 800 GB/s. Combined with eight stacks of high-speed HBM3e memory and a high-performance bus, this significantly accelerates database queries and analytics workloads, improving overall system efficiency.

Improvements for working with large language models

The second generation of the Transformer Engine in Blackwell delivers improved performance for training and inference of large language models (LLM) and Mixture-of-Experts models with up to 10 trillion parameters. By comparison, GPT-4 has 1,8 trillion parameters. New floating point compute units also support 6-bit and 4-bit data types, making training and inference faster and more efficient.

Reliability, Availability and Serviceability (RAS)

Blackwell has a dedicated RAS (Reliability, Availability, and Serviceability) engine powered by thousands of sensors. This allows for early detection and localization of errors, minimizing downtime and increasing overall system reliability.

Application in data centers

The GB200 NVL72 cluster, which combines 36 GB200 chips, is designed for use in data centers. It supports a memory capacity of up to 13,5 TB and provides data transfer rates of up to 576 TB/s. An improved version called Blackwell is planned for release in 2025. Ultra, which will be used

NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 Architecture

GeForce RTX 5090 is built on the latest architecture Blackwell, which replaced Ada Lovelace. The card is equipped with a powerful graphics processor GB202, which is made according to 5nm process technology. This made it possible to place 92 billion transistors, which significantly exceeds the performance of the previous generation. The new technological process provides not only increased energy efficiencybut higher clock speeds without a significant increase in energy consumption.

RTX 5090 uses 176 ROPs and 680 TMUs, making it one of the most powerful cards for handling complex scenes. The GPU is equipped with 21 CUDA cores, which are responsible for general computing and rendering. In combination with support DLSS 4 and updated Ray Tracing new generation, the video card provides the highest quality graphics with an increased frame rate even in the most resource-intensive projects.

The new architecture also includes 512-bit memory bus, which was a significant improvement over RTX 4090. This allows you to achieve throughput 1792 GB / s, which is 40% more than its predecessor. It is used 32 GB GDDR7 video memory, operating at a frequency 1750 MHz. The new GDDR7 standard provides increased storage density and lower latency, which is extremely important for high resolutions and ray tracing.

The RTX 5090's clock speeds have also been significantly increased. The base clock GPU is 2017 MHz, with the possibility of automatic boost up to 2550 MHz. Unlike previous generations, NVIDIA has optimized the work resizable BAR, which allows the processor to work more efficiently with video memory and increases the speed of texture loading.

The innovations also affected the connection interface. The video card uses a new PCIe 5.0, which provides double the bandwidth compared to PCIe 4.0. This is especially important for future games and applications where data processing requires maximum transfer speed.

In the end, the RTX 5090 is flagship graphics card of the new generation, in which NVIDIA significantly increased the power GPU, increased memory bandwidth and optimized power consumption. Blackwell is not just another update, but a real technological leap, providing unprecedented graphics quality in games and professional tasks.

Using proprietary software GPU Tweak III available four modes of operation, which differ in the level of energy consumption, performance and noise of the cooling system. We will consider each of them and analyze how they affect the operation of the video card.

Default Mode

In this mode, the card operates on standard factory frequencies, providing optimal balance between speed, noise and power consumption.

• Power Target: 100%
• GPU Boost: up to 2550 MHz
• Video memory frequency: 28002 MHz

It is a the most balanced profile, in which the card automatically regulates the frequency and speed of fans, adjusting to the load. This mode is ideal for most usersAs does not require intervention and works stably.

Overclocking mode (OC Mode)

This profile should provide additional performance, but in practice the difference with Default Mode is minimal.

• Power Target: 100%
• GPU Boost: 2580 MHz (all +30 MHz to standard mode)
• Video memory frequency: 28002 MHz

There is no real FPS increaseAs 30 MHz is too little change, to make at least some difference. However, the map it heats up a little more and the fans work more activelywhich can lead to slightly higher noise level.

In essence, this mode no sense, as it does not provide any real overclocking or performance gains. It is more of a marketing feature than a useful setting.

Silent Mode

This mode reduces power consumption for quieter operation, without significant loss of performance.

• Power Target: 90%
• GPU Boost: 2520 MHz
• Video memory frequency: 28002 MHz

The difference with Default Mode is total 30 MHz minus that does not affect FPS in any way in games. However the fans are running slower, what makes a map much quieter.

This profile ideal for all-day work and even games, if you don't strive to squeeze out the maximum. Reducing temperature and noise makes Silent Mode is a great choice for those who value comfort.

Manual mode (User Mode – Power Target 67%)

This mode we set it up manuallyTo Minimize energy consumption and heating of the video card.

• Power Target: 67%
• GPU Boost: dynamic frequency reduction depending on load
• Video memory frequency: 28002 MHz

Unlike Silent Mode, here power consumption limitation is more stringent, that leads to core frequency drop under high loads.

• В simple scenes frequencies remain high enough, and there is almost no difference in FPS.
• В heavy games Power Target reduction may lead to a decrease in frequency GPU, because of what FPS will be lower than in other modes.

This mode Suitable for heavy gamesBut with limited productivity. For example, if the card in Default Mode gives 120 FPS, in User Mode (67%) it may be 90-100 FPS.

The mode is perfect for those who want:
✔ Minimize energy consumption and heating.
✔ Make the video card quieter under load.
✔ Use the card in compact cases with limited ventilation.

But it is worth considering that in particularly demanding games, frequencies may drop, reducing FPS more than desired.

  Video cards were tested at resolution 3840x2160 with maximum graphics quality settings.

 

 

 Black Myth Wukong is a true test for any graphics card, and RTX 5090 TUF Gaming OC demonstrates outstanding power. Even with 100% PT The average FPS is 34, and the minimum is 30, which allows you to play the game with good smoothness. When the power limit is reduced to 90% PT, the average frame rate drops to 31 FPS, and the minimum is up to 28, but it's still quite playable. 67% PT the values ​​are reduced to 29 FPS on average and 26 FPS at a minimum, but even in this mode 5090 TUF Gaming OC bypasses RTX 4090, which gives out 22 FPS. Weaker cards such as RTX 4080 Super vs 4080, they show 16 FPS, RX 7900 XTX faces serious problems issuing allgo 6 FPS on average. As a result, RTX 5090 – the only graphics card that can handle this game in 4K.

 

  Video cards were tested at resolution 3840x2160 with maximum graphics quality settings.

 

 

 

В Dragon Age: The Veilguard RTX 5090 TUF Gaming OC shows stable performance in all power modes. 100% PT average FPS reaches 88, and the minimum is 79, which makes the game incredibly smooth even in dynamic scenes. 90% PT the indicators are decreasing to 86 FPS on average and 76 FPS at a minimum, which has virtually no effect on gameplay. Even in 67% PT the card gives out 81 FPS on average and 72 FPS at a minimum, which is significantly higher than that of RTX 4090, which is limited 65 FPS. Difference with RTX 5080 и RTX 4080 Super even more - they show 59-49 FPS. Thus, the RTX 5090 remains the top choice for Dragon Age fans.

 

  Video cards were tested at resolution 3840x2160 with maximum graphics quality settings.

 

 

 

Ghost of Tsushima in 4K is a challenge for any video card, but RTX 5090 TUF Gaming OC copes with it with ease. In 100% PT The average FPS is 111, and the minimum is 89, which ensures stunningly smooth animations. 90% PT the indicators are slightly decreasing to 107 FPS on average and 87 FPS at a minimum. In 67% PT the game remains completely comfortable with 94 FPS on average and 76 FPS at a minimum. RTX 4090 in this test it is noticeably weaker – it gives out 81 FPS, RX 7900 XTX reaches 73 FPS. Thus, the RTX 5090 is the ideal graphics card for Ghost of Tsushima in 4K.

 

  Video cards were tested at resolution 2560x1440 and 3840x2160 with maximum graphics quality settings.

 

 

In God of War: Ragnarok RTX 5090 TUF Gaming OC shows incredible results. In 100% PT average FPS reaches 135, and the minimum is 121, which makes the game as smooth as possible. 90% PT the indicators are slightly decreasing to 131 FPS on average and 115 FPS at a minimum. Even with 67% PT frame rate remains high – 118 FPS on average and 106 FPS at a minimum. RTX 4090 significantly lags behind 101 FPS, RTX 5080 and 4080 Super show 91-75 FPS. Thus, the RTX 5090 – the best choice for maximum quality in God of War: Ragnarok.

 

  Video cards were tested at resolution 3840x2160 with maximum graphics quality settings.

 

 

Horizon Forbidden West loads the video card to the limit, but RTX 5090 TUF Gaming OC withstands the load. In 100% PT The average FPS is 111, and the minimum is 97. In 90% PT the frame rate drops slightly to 108 FPS on average and 93 FPS at a minimum. In 67% PT the card remains powerful with 105 FPS on average and 89 FPS at a minimum. RTX 4090 in this test is limited 90 FPS, RTX 5080 shows 77 FPS. Difference with RX 7900 XTX is also noticeable - it gives out 78 FPS. This confirms that RTX 5090 is the best choice for playing Horizon Forbidden West.

 

  Video cards were tested at resolution 3840x2160 with maximum graphics quality settings.

 

Indiana Jones and the Great Circle in 4K is a serious test for video cards, but RTX 5090 TUF Gaming OC copes even with this challenge. In 100% PT the map shows 37 FPS on average and 34 FPS at a minimum, which makes the game quite playable. 90% PT performance only drops slightly to 35 FPS on average and 32 FPS at a minimum. In 67% PT the indicators are 31 FPS on average and 29 FPS at a minimum, but even in this case 5090 faster RTX 4090, which is limited 29 FPS. However, the inclusion MFG significantly improves the situation, increasing FPS to 130 on average. In this mode RTX 5090 Outperforms all its analogues, making the game smoother.

 

  Video cards were tested at resolution 3840x2160 with maximum graphics quality settings.

 

 

 

STALKER 2 is one of the most anticipated games, using advanced lighting and texture detailing technologies, making it extremely challenging even for top-end graphics cards. RTX 5090 TUF Gaming OC in 100% PT gives out 77 FPS average и 67 FPS minimum, providing smooth 4K gaming. In the mode 90% PT the decrease in productivity is almost imperceptible – 75 FPS average и 65 FPS minimum, whereas at 67% PT a more noticeable decline is already observed 73 FPS on average and 62 FPS minimum. RTX 4090 in this game it gives out 60 FPS average и 53 FPS minimum, which clearly indicates a serious advantage for the new generation. AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX shows even weaker results – 49 FPS average и 45 FPS minimum, making it a less suitable choice for this game. The RTX 5090 remains the best solution for ultra settings in STALKER 2.

 

  Video cards were tested at resolution 3840x2160 with maximum graphics quality settings.

 

 

Senua's Saga: Hellblade II features outstanding graphics and cinematic presentation, making it one of the most resource-intensive games on the market. Graphics Card Asus GeForce RTX 5090 TUF Gaming OC at full power (100% PT) shows 68 FPS average и 60 FPS minimum in 4K resolution. Reduced power consumption up to 90% PT has virtually no impact on performance - the frame rate remains at the same level 67 FPS on average and 59 FPS minimum. In 67% PT there is a slight drop to 66 FPS on average and 58 FPS minimum, which is still an excellent result. In comparison, RTX 4090 in the same game it gives out 55 FPS average и 49 FPS minimum, and the closest competitor RX 7900 XTX It lags significantly behind AMD, providing 52 FPS average и 44 FPS minimum. This game clearly demonstrates that the RTX 5090 copes well with even the most demanding projects, especially in the maximum power consumption mode.

Kingdom Come Deliverance II

  Video cards were tested at resolution 3840x2160 with maximum graphics quality settings.

 

 

Kingdom Come Deliverance II in 4K requires a lot of power, but RTX 5090 TUF Gaming OC copes at all levels. 100% PT the card gives out 96 FPS on average and 80 FPS at a minimum, providing stunning detail of the world. 90% PT the indicators are decreasing to 95 FPS on average and 79 FPS at a minimum, and in 67% PT - Up 86 FPS on average and 73 FPS at a minimum. RTX 4090 noticeably weaker, giving out 68 FPS, RTX 5080 and 4080 Super show 59-53 FPS. As a result, RTX 5090 remains the undisputed leader.

Avowed

  Video cards were tested at resolution 3840x2160 with maximum graphics quality settings.

 

 

В Avowed video card Asus GeForce RTX 5090 TUF Gaming OC delivers outstanding performance even in the most demanding scenes. In standard mode 100% PT the graphic adapter gives out 63 FPS on average and 56 FPS at a minimum, making the gameplay incredibly smooth even in 4K resolution. The transition to 90% PT has virtually no impact on the gameplay - the frame rate only drops slightly to 62 FPS on average and 55 FPS at a minimum. But when the power limit is reduced to 67% PT average FPS decreases to 60, and the minimum is up to 50, that all still remains more than comfortable to play. Compared to RTX 4090 TUF Gaming OC, which in this test produces 47 FPS, the new graphics card demonstrates an impressive increase in performance. The difference with the RTX 5080 and RTX 4080 Super, which are only 41-37 FPS, and Radeon RX 7900 XTX and all turns out to be the weak link 33 FPS. Thus, the RTX 5090 – the best choice for maximum graphics quality in Avowed.

CONCLUSION

Asus GeForce RTX 5090 TUF Gaming OC — is the true embodiment of a new generation flagship video card. Based on the architecture Blackwell, it offers unprecedented performance, confidently outperforming all previous generations, including RTX 4090. The card demonstrates outstanding results in all modern games, providing stable 4K 120+ FPS where the previous generation could only dream of such indicators. Particularly impressive is the level energy efficiency: even in mode 67% Power Target the card remains more powerful RTX 4090, and in maximum mode 100% PT unconditionally dominates over all competitors.

В performance tests The video card shows outstanding results. In Senua's Saga: Hellblade II и STALKER 2 she holds it confidently 60-80 FPS in 4K even at maximum settings, while its closest competitors, such as RTX 4090 и RX 7900 XTX, are lagging behind 15-30%. In Cyberpunk 2077, thanks to the support of the latest technologies DLSS 4.0 and MFG, the map shows from above 120 FPS, which is unattainable for previous generation cards.

But The most problematic point remains the price and availability of the RTX 5090. The video card is out January 6 2025 years, but even after several months remains extremely expensive и limited availability on the market. Recommended price $1999, but in reality, due to the excitement and shortage, the cost reaches $ 4000 – 5000, which makes it extremely an expensive solution even for enthusiasts. In addition, demand significantly exceeds supply, which is why it is difficult to find the card in stock in large stores. extremely difficult - many lots sell out within hours.

Generally Asus GeForce RTX 5090 TUF Gaming OC - this is a real technological monster that shows the highest possible gaming performance. However, this level of power comes at a price not only money, but also potential issues with market availability. For those willing to make these compromises, RTX 5090 Is The Best You Can Buy In 2025.