The Best RTX 4090 GPUs

The Nvidia RTX 4090 continues to hold an ironclad grip over the top-tier GPU market in the absence of any real competition from both AMD and Intel. The former has no direct GPU competition that trades blows with the RTX 4090; the RX 7900XTX trades blows with the RTX 4080 at best. The latter has its sights set firmly on the mid-range GPU market, where it continues to deliver excellent value, but it has no BFGPU offers to date to field against its considerably more entrenched competitors.

The RTX 4090 is also available in both prebuilt options for gamers unwilling to build their own rig and in a portable form. The powerful RTX 4090-based gaming laptops take center stage as some of the most powerful PCs money can buy.

Picking The Best RTX 4090

While Nvidia has consistently been improving its Founders Edition GPUs over time (and the RTX 4090 FE is nothing to scoff at), multiple AIBs offer their variants of Nvidia GPUs. Some go for a low-profile approach, as opposed to the standard stock unit. This allows for more case options and to cater to ITX builds.

Others, however, pack in as many aesthetic gains and cooling solutions as possible to bolster higher sustained clock speeds, as well as to allow gamers to build custom PC themes that suit their needs. This means that there is a wide playing field regarding RTX 4090 variants available for those who are willing to splurge and pick up the latest and greatest GPU available, even if it sets them back as much as $2,000 in some cases.

At the end of the day, picking an RTX 4090 GPU that works for gamers, enthusiasts and power users boils down to the following:

Overclockability: Most RTX 4090 SKUs currently come at a factory overclock compared to the Founders Edition. This does not mean that they had no overclocking headroom beyond that. Some of the higher-end models can be pushed considerably higher and tend to boost well beyond their rated boost clocks. This is due to a mix of ‘binning’ a better chip, better power delivery, and better cooling from the get-go for end-users.

Form Factor: The RTX 4090 draws immense amounts of power under load and generates a substantial amount of heat as a result. This requires excellent cooling as part of the package, but also essentially means that the GPU is considerably larger than most of its predecessors. Not all gaming PCs or cases are equipped to deal with most of the RTX 4090 SKUs in the market, which are tri-slot or larger cards, sometimes long enough to rival small cases.

Smaller form factor RTX 4090s are available but generally come in liquid-cooled alternatives, which can cost considerably more and require a 240mm or 360mm mounting area. However, these can be crucial to space-limited PCs looking to pack the best GPU in the business. Gamers and enthusiasts alike need to look into the maximum size and form factor their current PC cases allow and pick a GPU accordingly.

Price: The RTX 4090 is one of the most expensive GPUs intended for consumer-grade markets. That doesn’t mean that it can’t cost even more when it comes to third-party AIBs, many of which have high-end SKUs priced at as much as $2500 at times. On the extreme end, GPUs like the limited edition ROG Matrix RTX 4090 can cost as much as $3200 a pop if users can get their hands on them.

This means that despite the high initial cost, finding an RTX 4090 GPU that works for end users can be a journey that can have further increased costs. Finding the right GPU that offers the right tier of performance and build quality while matching one’s budget is a key factor when picking the right RTX 4090 SKU.

Availability: Due to an ongoing US government ban on China and other countries, a gold rush that began in October for RTX 4090 GPUs at any price has disrupted supply and redoubled demand overnight. The effects linger with many retail RTX 4090 SKUs, especially at the premium end of the spectrum, which is much harder to find at retailers in 2023.

This does, in a nutshell, mean that users might not find their preferred SKU and have to settle for a different variant in many cases. Likewise, prices and availability will remain in flux until the dust settles, meaning that much of the ability to reserve, price match, or otherwise procure the RTX 4090 may no longer apply to Nvidia’s flagship GPUs at many retailers.

The Best RTX 4090 GPUs

The ASUS TUF GeForce RTX 4090 OC Edition offers a top-of-the-line RTX 4090 experience, sans the premium that comes with its more expensive RTX 4090 Strix SKU. Most TUF-branded OC variants clock in within spitting distance of their more expensive Strix alternatives, making it a great GPU to get for those looking for a middle ground between the founder’s edition MSRP and that of the ROG Strix OC.

It comes with a tri-fan air cooler housed over a vapor chamber that rivals most of its competition with ease, running cool even under full load while exhibiting some of the best boost clocks a non-binned RTX 4090 can muster. This is due to the TUF also using high-end VRMs which, while they are not the overkill 24+4 power phases its more expensive variant offers, holds its own.

The ASUS TUF GeForce RTX 4090 OC uses a die-cast unibody shroud to fuse with its backplate, not only reinforcing its PCB significantly but also making for a great professional-grade look that is rivaled in part only by the Founder’s Edition’s aesthetic. While it isn’t the fastest clocked RTX 4090 out of the box, it does hold its own with ease against many high-end RTX 4090 SKUs without running into thermal or power issues even when running at a significantly high boost clock.

The $200 discount on the Strix does not go unnoticed, nor does the $200 premium over the Founder’s Edition. Despite the discount, the TUF clocks well ahead of the Founder’s Edition, earning its recommendation from the Game Rant team.

This model does suffer heavily due to the Chinese RTX 4090 ban, commanding a current price premium of 35% or higher at multiple retailers. It also does come with a complimentary PC Game Pass and GeForce NOW Priority Subscription for three months as part of an Nvidia offer at participating retailers, an offer that might not be available with third-party sellers on the same sites as scalping becomes a factor again for Nvidia’s flagship GPU.

There are no bad choices when it comes to RTX 4090s since all AIB and stock units tested have maintained a certain level of performance while running much cooler than their predecessors. This is partly due to optimizations that have taken place between generations. It also has to do with NVIDIA consistently ramping up the pressure as it ups the ante on its own AIBs to improve product design by releasing increasingly competent Founders Edition designs.

However, the NVIDIA RTX 4090 Founders Edition is an exception, given how close it is in comparison to most AIBs performance-wise. Additionally, it is built to last with performance that does not come at the cost of noise, making it a key benchmark for other RTX 4090 SKUs, which has seen AIB partners follow through. It does run considerably warmer than the competition, however, but it does not impede performance, remaining within respectable bounds, even for an RTX 4000 series GPU thanks to Nvidia’s vapor chamber design.

Considering its feature set and design, Game Rant can wholeheartedly recommend it to PC builders and enthusiasts alike as the best value-for-money RTX 4090 out there – but only if it can be found at MSRP. Unfortunately, the RTX 4090 Founders Edition is currently out of stock at Nvidia.com, and third-party retailers and vendors tend to charge a premium. Currently, the GPU costs more than any of its peers at most retailers that have stock that we track, which means if players want to go about this smartly, they might be forced to consider the better, faster, and cheaper options than the Founders Edition.

This model does, however, suffer heavily due to the Chinese RTX 4090 ban, commanding a current price premium of 50-90% or higher at multiple retailers. It also does come with a complimentary PC Game Pass and GeForce NOW Priority Subscription for 3 months as part of an Nvidia offer at participating retailers, an offer that might not be available with third-party sellers on the same sites as scalping becomes a factor again for Nvidia’s flagship GPU.

The ASUS RTX 4090 Strix OC is currently one of the best when it comes to performance, build quality, and consumer appeal. While the Strix lineup has always been highly sought after, primarily because it is ASUS’s most premium GPU variant and goes well with its ROG lineup of components, the RTX 4090 Strix OC is by far one of the most premium GPUs available to consumers this year. It is notoriously hard to get a hold of near MSRP in white – and for good reason. It is simply the best RTX 4090 money can buy in a market with limited supply, which allows it to command a higher price.

The OC variant can clock extremely high, in some cases easily breaching the 3000 MHz barrier while sporting a patented vapor chamber that keeps temps far lower than the competition. It pairs extremely well with the ASUS ROG Herculx Anti-Sag Holder and is one of the best-looking cards on the market. It looks to retain that achievement for the foreseeable future.

It does come with a considerable cost premium, but it’s one that most enthusiasts will pay simply due to the promise of better overclocking as well as premium build quality. This makes it a fan favorite for many looking for an RTX 4090 this year, which is already an enthusiast-grade GPU to begin with. The Strix’s high-end offering is simply the best of the best on offer for performance alone.

This model comes with a complimentary PC Game Pass and GeForce NOW Priority Subscription for 3 months as part of an Nvidia offer at participating retailers, an offer that might not be available with third-party sellers on the same sites as scalping becomes a factor again for Nvidia’s flagship GPU.

The MSI Suprim Liquid X GPU is a unique card in its own right, given its two-slot plus radiator configuration, which allows it to fit in a lot of cases that some of the beefier four-slot RTX 4090 GPUs would never be an upgrade option for. Overall, this RTX 4090 from MSI is a good-looking minimalist design coupled with the highest base boost clocks available on an RTX 4090. MSI’s proprietary Center software makes it possible to achieve these levels.

The Suprim Liquid X carries the best-in-class VRM solution for an RTX 4090 with a 26+4 phase solution, further enhancing performance. While this card may be a great option for players looking to push the limits and get the most out of their gaming PC, less technically skilled players who want a high-performance GPU may not find this particular style as convenient as others.

Given its hard 530W power limit, there are concerns that the GPU might be limited in terms of overclocking potential for enthusiasts. People have already found ways around it, making it a safe choice for both people wanting a clean, smaller build and enthusiasts looking to eke out more performance from the card.

That being said, $2200 for a premium variant of the RTX 4090 is a well-priced option compared to the alternatives. The extra spending over MSRP for a Founder’s Edition gets users water cooling, a more compact slot solution, and an excellent power delivery mechanism that allows the MSI Suprim X Liquid to upsell itself considerably thanks to a mix of performance, pricing, and availability compared to its peers.

This model does, however, suffer heavily due to the Chinese RTX 4090 ban, commanding a current price premium of 25% or higher at multiple retailers. It also does come with a complimentary PC Game Pass and GeForce NOW Priority Subscription for 3 months as part of an Nvidia offer at participating retailers, an offer that might not be available with third-party sellers on the same sites as scalping becomes a factor again for Nvidia’s flagship GPU.

The ZOTAC GeForce RTX 4090 Trinity OC Edition is Game Rant’s pick for the best budget RTX 4090 GPU thanks to its better-than-stock cooling option, a slight overclock on offer, decent RGB lighting (but the software can be a bit quirky at times), and silent operation. All of this makes it an excellent GPU to have, especially for the MSRP it is currently offered, which brings it within spitting distance of the Founders Edition.

As one of the few models available at MSRP and one that can be handled by an 850W PSU, this is a great, albeit larger pick than we are used to from prior generations. Players may want to check their casing’s size and max GPU fit before they splurge on just about any RTX 4090. One could argue that the boost clocks are somewhat low compared to the competition, and many competing products have better build quality. However, the ZOTAC GeForce RTX 4090 Trinity OC Edition is, in essence, an entry-level RTX 4090, and it does well, though users can upgrade to its faster version, the AMP Extreme AIRO for the same price at some retailers for higher boost clocks and more RGB lighting.

This model does, however, suffer heavily due to the Chinese RTX 4090 ban, commanding a current price premium of 35% or higher at multiple retailers. It also does come with a complimentary PC Game Pass and GeForce NOW Priority Subscription for 3 months as part of an Nvidia offer at participating retailers, an offer that might not be available with third-party sellers on the same sites as scalping becomes a factor again for Nvidia’s flagship GPU.

The Gigabyte Aorus lineup tends to compete directly with MSI’s Suprim and Asus’s Strix GPU lineups. The Aorus RTX 4090 Xtreme Waterforce is a worthy competitor that builds on its popular offerings from the last generation, shipping Nvidia’s latest in a shell that seems to be a newer iteration of its RTX 3090TI Xtreme Waterforce GPU. It does sport the same configuration too. Three full-sized 120 mm fans cool its full-length 360 mm aluminum radiator.

While a stellar offering from Gigabyte, the company does need to have a more competent software suite. Gigabyte’s control center still requires work to get to the same tier of offerings that its competitors already deliver for their products. This is a relatively minor complaint, however.

With a three-slot design and a triple radiator to go with it, the Waterforce Xtreme is not a small GPU and has more than adequate cooling. Despite this, its max boost clock (without end-user tweaks) seems to be somewhat limited. Users are raising concerns about build decisions (and, subsequently, quality) on multiple platforms, including Reddit with detailed information about how the design could be potentially improved.

All in all, there seems to be plenty Gigabyte can do to narrow the performance gap further while assuaging consumer concerns about their most premium RTX 4090 offering, which is also currently the most expensive RTX 4090 offering on our list. With the RTX 4090 Series, there are no wrong choices. All RTX 4090 cards, while not created equal, do perform exceptionally well and deliver a very consistent experience. That being said, the RTX 4090 is Nvidia’s, and ultimately, the consumer’s top-of-the-line GPU to game on. The premium paid to get an RTX 4090 means that users would want to eke out as much performance as possible from the GPU.

This model does, however, suffer heavily due to the Chinese RTX 4090 ban, commanding a current price premium of 30% or higher at multiple retailers. It also does come with a complimentary PC Game Pass and GeForce NOW Priority Subscription for 3 months as part of an Nvidia offer at participating retailers, an offer that might not be available with third-party sellers on the same sites as scalping becomes a factor again for Nvidia’s flagship GPU.

More: Best CPU For Gaming: AMD Ryzen 9 7950X3D vs Intel Core i9 13900KS

FAQ

Q: Is the RTX 4090 the fastest Nvidia card so far?

Yes, as of today, the RTX 4090 is by far the fastest GPU on the market. Some variants, such as the ASUS ROG Strix, are simply better and faster third-party versions of the RTX 4090 itself.

Q: Are there any RTX 4090s that do not perform well?

No, all RTX 4090s perform at least as well as the Founders Edition. This is because of how Nvidia requires partners to provide SKUs that perform at a minimum tier of performance with their provided GPU chips.

Q: What is the fastest Nvidia RTX 4090?

The fastest available consumer-grade GPU available right now is the Asus ROG Strix 4090 OC or the MSI Suprim X Liquid. Both are listed above. In terms of raw overclockability, the ROG Matrix Platinum GeForce RTX 4090 is the fastest consumer-grade GPU, but it is currently out of stock at multiple retailers, making the former options an ideal choice.

Q: How much VRAM does an RTX 4090 have?

All RTX 4090 cards are uniform in memory specification and come with 24GB of GDDR6X VRAM.