The Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090 has been out for quite a while now and sure enough, it made waves– and those waves are from the tears of the collective lamentation of gaming PC owners since it’s by far one of the most expensive consumer-grade GPUs to date.
Still, if you’re intent on getting the best gaming and graphics tech, then the RTX 4090 is the clear winner.
If you’re looking to spend that much on a GPU, then at least the very least, you ought to pick the best RTX 4090 there is. Right now, there’s quite a handful of them and some have prices that are rather unjust or bloated.
We’ve compiled the most “just” and most reasonable among these RTX 4090 models based on certain categories such as:
- Raw performance/frequency
- Cooling performance
- Size
- Current price range
Everything else is more or less the same since they’re all RTX 4090 models, just from different OEM manufacturers and Nvidia partners. Also, take note that due to scalper behavior or scarcity, don’t expect the price to be close to the actual MSRP of the RTX 4090 ($1,599 USD); they’re naturally more expensive right now.
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MSI GeForce RTX 4090 SUPRIM X 24G
PROS
- Possibly has the highest boost clock and OC performance
- Stylish metallic shroud and design
- Symmetrical fans
- Looks professional and mature
CONS
- Bulky and big
- Expensive compared to MSRP
- Only slightly less noisy or hot compared to Founder's Edition
Source:
- Boost Clock: 2805 MHz
- Dimensions: 336 x 142 x 78 mm
- Weight: 2413g
- Power Consumption: 430W
For a great combination of price, reliability, aesthetics, and performance, the MSI RTX 4090 Suprim X reigns, well, supreme. At least that’s according to some of the most popular benchmarks available right now. However, this thing is air-cooled, meaning it might not be the most silent nor the literal coolest, that’s something to keep in mind.
Still, benchmark tests have shown that it performs better than the default or reference Founder’s Edition card straight from Nvidia’s factory, so that should be more than enough for most people. One of the highest boost numbers has been measured at 2805 MHz instead of the one shown on MSI’s page though your mileage might vary depending on the silicone lottery and other factors such as ambient temperature.
In certain cases, the Suprim X even pulls ahead of a more premium card like the Asus Strix but the difference in performance is negligible.
MSI GeForce RTX 4090 SUPRIM X 24G
MSI GeForce RTX 4090 SUPRIM Liquid X
PROS
- Excellent cooling and noise levels
- High boost clock and OC performance
- Somewhat sleek and minimalistic
- Actual GPU is more compact thanks to the separate fans
CONS
- Considerably more expensive compared to the air-cooled models
- There's always a risk of leakage, alebit very low
- Installation can get more complicated
Source:
- Boost Clock: 2739 MHz
- Dimensions: Card: 280 x 140 x 43 mm, Radiator + fan: 274 x 121 x 55 mm, Tube length: L470 ± 10 x D11.2 mm
- Weight: 2353 g
- Power Consumption: 450W
MSI is killing it with the RTX 4090 models. Apart from creating the one with the highest boost clock, they also manufactured the quietest and the coolest among these flagship GPUs. The Suprim Liquid X is a liquid-cooled GPU that comes with its own radiator block, tubes, and fans.
So it’s quite trickier to install compared to the usual air-cooled cards. You will need to be more well-versed in computer building or research a lot before using this card, especially if you’re a beginner. Because as with all liquid-cooled electronics, the risk of leakage is never zero.
Still, leakages are very rare these days. And the Suprim Liquid X is the ideal option if you want the most silent yet most powerful GPU right now. Its performance is not as great compared to the air-cooled version, apparently, but at least it won’t make some somewhat alarming fan noises and it also won’t heat your room as much.
MSI GeForce RTX 4090 SUPRIM Liquid X
Gigabyte GeForce RTX 4090 Gaming OC
PROS
- High clock speed and OC performance
- Neat RGB right under the fans
- Impressive air-cooling performance
- Decent noise levels
CONS
- Bulky and big
- Still expensive compared to MSRP
- Looks a little too industrial
Source:
- Boost Clock: 2768 MHz
- Dimensions: L=340 W=150.2 H=75.2 mm
- Weight: Unspecified
- Power Consumption: 450W
Gigabyte’s cards are no slouch and when it comes to performance, its RTX 4090 Gaming OC is pretty close to the MSI Suprim X though it does consume a bit more wattage (negligible amounts, though). The highest clock boost recorded isn’t as amazing compared to MSI’s options, but Gigabyte’s card pulls ahead in its price.
It’s at a slightly more affordable price point compared to MSI’s top-tier options. Moreover, Gigabyte is quite generous to its customers since it offers a four-year warranty for those who will register their GPUs. That level of confidence in their products is certainly reassuring, given the cost of the RTX 4090.
Gigabyte GeForce RTX 4090 Gaming OC
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 Founders Edition
PROS
- Smaller and more compact
- Minimalist design
- Good overclocking performance
CONS
- Exorbitant pricing due to scalpers or scarcity
- Unimpressive cooling performance and noise level
Source:
- Boost Clock: 2685 MHz
- Dimensions: 304 x 137 x 61 mm
- Weight: Unspecified
- Power Consumption: 425W
If you want the RTX 4090 as Nvidia intended, then you’re mostly just limited to the Founder’s Edition or the so-called reference card. It has no default overclock, but the attached cooler is typically industrial-grade, meaning it is a heavy overclocker despite having no default overclock boost.
The cooling performance, however, is merely decent and some might consider it sub-par compared to the partner or OEM cards. Still, it has other advantages, such as the more compact size, letting it fit a vast majority of older PC cases and smaller setups compared to the bulkier partner cards.
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 Founders Edition
ZOTAC Gaming GeForce RTX 4090 Trinity OC
PROS
- More reasonable pricing
- Good boost and OC performance
- Unique design
CONS
- Not much better than Founder's Edition performance
Source:
- Boost Clock: 2685 MHz
- Dimensions: 356.1mm x 150.1mm x 71.4mm
- Weight: 3202 g
- Power Consumption: 450W
“Budget” is an intended misnomer when it comes to designating an RTX 4090, but Zotac’s offering is by far the closest in price to Nvidia’s intended MSRP ($1,600). It’s still about a hundred or so dollars more expensive (at the time of writing), but that’s to be expected of partner cards.
For its performance, most Zotac cards at this price tier or point are usually similar to only slightly better compared to Founder’s Edition cards. In some cases, their cooler might even perform marginally worse but for the price, it’s still hard to beat.
ZOTAC Gaming GeForce RTX 4090 Trinity OC
Should You Wait For Lower Prices?
Due to scalpers and generally higher pricing for the RTX 4090, some customers might be more reluctant about buying early. Because experience taught them that prices could go lower, especially during the quarantine period of the pandemic.
But since the RTX 4090 is a flagship GPU, the wait could be long, and there’s no guarantee that prices will drop at all. After all, the price for partner RTX 3000 flagship cards only started dropping when the RTX 4000 cards were near their release. Besides, what happened to the GPU market during the quarantine period of the pandemic likely won’t happen again.
So if you want our verdict, buy an RTX 4090 now if you want it or if you need it. No better cards are coming, and significant sales might still be a couple of years away.
Frequently Asked Questions
-
Does the RTX 4090 have issues?
The most glaring issue right now would be the burning connectors due to the immense power draw and consumption. However, those cases seem to be rare, and should it happen, you could make a warranty claim since it's quite an urgent issue that Nvidia is trying to fix. -
Why is the RTX 4090 more expensive?
Apparently, it's due to Nvidia's refusal to embrace Moore's Law 2.0 or the technological approach that's all about scaling down while doubling the transistor count for processors. This means prices generally remain the same while processors continue to improve. Nvidia has refused to abide by this approach.