NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 is the flagship Ada Lovelace gaming and creator GPU. This record combines the official specification, original launch pricing and practical purchase context. The linked 5000 Series Review is evidence-based: we have not tested this card directly and attribute the independent measurements used in our assessment.
Product overview
Its combination of a very large AD102 configuration and 24GB of memory established the performance ceiling for the RTX 40 generation. It remains exceptionally fast, but size, 450W power and volatile post-launch pricing make the whole system decision important.
Launch pricing was $1,599 in the United States and £1,679 in the United Kingdom. Those are historical launch figures, not a claim about today’s price. Remaining new stock and used listings can vary widely after a newer generation arrives.
Core specifications
- 16,384 CUDA cores and 128 streaming multiprocessors
- 24GB GDDR6X across a 384-bit interface
- 21Gbps memory and 1,008GB/s bandwidth
- 2.23GHz base clock and 2.52GHz reference boost clock
- 450W total graphics power; 850W recommended system power
- three DisplayPort 1.4a and one HDMI 2.1a display connectivity
Gaming position
It was designed for uncompromised 4K and is often limited by the CPU at lower resolutions. Independent launch testing showed a major step over the previous flagship, particularly when a workload could use its scale.
Twenty-four gigabytes gives substantial headroom for high-resolution textures and many creator or local-compute tasks. Capacity alone does not guarantee application speed, but it is one of the model’s enduring advantages.
Ray tracing, DLSS and creator support
The Ada Lovelace architecture supports hardware ray tracing, DLSS Super Resolution, Frame Generation in supported games, Reflex and NVIDIA’s creator stack. Frame generation can improve presentation fluidity but should be judged alongside native frame rate, input latency and image quality.
The card includes two eighth-generation NVENC encoders and a fifth-generation NVDEC decoder, with AV1 capability useful for streaming and modern video workflows. Application support varies, so buyers with a specific render, AI or editing package should check its current compatibility list.
Power and physical compatibility
The Founders Edition is a large three-slot card. A high-quality 850W supply is NVIDIA’s reference recommendation, with more headroom sensible for power-hungry CPUs. The 16-pin connection must be fully seated and routed without severe strain.
The interface is PCI Express Gen 4; outputs are three DisplayPort 1.4a and one HDMI 2.1a. Reference dimensions do not describe every add-in-board card. Check length, thickness, cable bend clearance and support-bracket requirements for the exact model.
Who should consider it?
It suits buyers who need maximum Ada performance, 24GB capacity or strong CUDA application support and who can verify a sensible price. For gaming alone, newer cards or lower tiers may deliver better total-system value.
Its most relevant alternative is the newer RTX 5090, plus high-end Radeon options where CUDA and NVIDIA-specific features are not required. Because this generation is no longer current, condition, warranty and remaining stock can outweigh small benchmark differences.
UK and US price checks
The price-check buttons are plain retailer links and are not affiliate links. 5000 Series receives no commission from them. Live price and availability must be confirmed on the retailer page; any future tracked link will be clearly labelled and kept separate from the editorial score.
Review and source notes
Read the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 Review for the complete evidence-based verdict. Official specifications were checked against NVIDIA’s product information, while the Review links the independent benchmark evidence used.
Before ordering
Confirm whether a listing is new, open-box, refurbished or used; check warranty transferability and return terms; and inspect the exact power connector. Launch MSRP remains useful for historical value analysis, but it should not be mistaken for a guaranteed current price.
