78

RTX 3090 Graphics Card

Ampere · 24 GB GDDR6X

$1499

MSRP

93

RTX 4090 Graphics Card

Ada Lovelace · 24 GB GDDR6X

$1599

MSRP

Our verdict

The RTX 4090 Graphics Card takes the performance lead with a 19% higher overall score, driven by its 16,384 shader cores, 24 GB of memory, and 82.6 TFLOPS TFLOPS of compute power. In gaming benchmarks at 1440p, it delivers roughly 59% more frames per second across demanding titles like Alan Wake 2 and Black Myth Wukong.

However, the RTX 4090 Graphics Card tells a compelling value story. At $1599 versus the RTX 3090 Graphics Card's $1499 price tag, it costs $100 less while delivering performance that's only 19% behind. Its 24 GB of memory is still more than enough for 1440p and even 4K gaming in most titles.

Our recommendation: for the majority of gamers targeting 1440p or even 4K with upscaling enabled, the RTX 4090 Graphics Card is the smarter purchase. The RTX 3090 Graphics Card only makes sense if you need the absolute maximum performance for native 4K ray tracing, professional 3D rendering, or AI workloads where the extra VRAM and compute power provide a tangible advantage.

Performance winner

RTX 4090 Graphics Card

19% faster overall

Best value for money

RTX 4090 Graphics Card

31% better value per dollar

RTX 3090 Graphics Card best for

Value for money

31% better value per dollar

Memory

Memory
24 GB
24 GB
Memory type
GDDR6X
GDDR6X
Memory bus
384-bit
384-bit
Memory bandwidth
936 GB/s
1,008 GB/s

Performance

CUDA cores
10,496
16,384
Boost clock
1,695 MHz
2,520 MHz
Base clock
1,395 MHz
2,235 MHz
FP32 performance
35.6 TFLOPS
82.6 TFLOPS
RT cores
82
128
Tensor cores
328
512

Physical

Transistors
28.3 billion
76.3 billion
Process
8 nm
4 nm
PCIe
PCIe 4
PCIe 4
Card length
313 mm
336 mm

Power

TDP
350W
450W
Power connector
12-pin
16-pin

Gaming benchmarks (avg FPS at 1440p ultra)

Alan Wake 2
68 fps
118 fps
Black Myth Wukong
77 fps
133 fps
Counter-Strike 2
380 fps
540 fps
Cyberpunk 2077
85 fps
148 fps
Hogwarts Legacy
88 fps
152 fps
Spider-Man 2
90 fps
155 fps

Synthetic & compute benchmarks

Geekbench 6 Compute
165,000 points
270,000 points
3DMark Fire Strike
37,000 points
58,000 points
3DMark Time Spy
22,500 points
36,000 points

Frequently asked questions

Is the RTX 4090 Graphics Card worth $100 more than the RTX 3090 Graphics Card?

It depends on your needs. The RTX 4090 Graphics Card scores 93 overall vs 78 for the RTX 3090 Graphics Card. If you need the extra performance for demanding tasks, the premium is justified. For most users gaming at 1440p or below, the RTX 3090 Graphics Card offers better value.

Which GPU is better for 1440p gaming, the RTX 3090 Graphics Card or RTX 4090 Graphics Card?

The RTX 4090 Graphics Card delivers higher frame rates at 1440p, but both GPUs handle 1440p gaming well. The RTX 4090 Graphics Card provides more headroom for ray tracing and future titles, while the RTX 3090 Graphics Card still maintains smooth gameplay in current games.

Can the RTX 3090 Graphics Card handle 4K gaming?

The RTX 3090 Graphics Card can handle 4K gaming in less demanding titles and with upscaling technologies like DLSS or FSR. For native 4K at ultra settings in demanding games, the RTX 4090 Graphics Card is the better choice with its higher performance ceiling.

Which should I buy, the RTX 3090 Graphics Card or RTX 4090 Graphics Card?

Choose the RTX 3090 Graphics Card if you want the best value for money and primarily game at 1080p or 1440p. Choose the RTX 4090 Graphics Card if you need maximum performance, play at 4K, or do professional workloads like video editing and 3D rendering.

Related comparisons

RTX 3090 Graphics Card VS RX 9070 XT Graphics CardRTX 3090 Graphics Card VS RTX 5070 Graphics CardRTX 3090 Graphics Card VS RTX 4070 Ti SUPER Graphics CardRTX 3090 Graphics Card VS RX 7900 XT Graphics CardRTX 3090 Graphics Card VS RTX 5070 Ti Graphics CardRTX 3090 Graphics Card VS RTX 4070 SUPER Graphics CardRTX 3090 Graphics Card VS RTX 5090 Graphics CardRTX 3090 Graphics Card VS RTX 5080 Graphics CardRTX 3090 Graphics Card VS RX 7900 XTX Graphics CardRTX 3090 Graphics Card VS RTX 4080 SUPER Graphics CardRTX 3090 Graphics Card VS RTX 4080 Graphics CardRTX 4090 Graphics Card VS RX 9070 XT Graphics CardRTX 4090 Graphics Card VS RTX 5070 Graphics CardRTX 4090 Graphics Card VS RTX 4070 Ti SUPER Graphics CardRTX 4090 Graphics Card VS RX 7900 XT Graphics CardRTX 4090 Graphics Card VS RTX 5070 Ti Graphics CardRTX 4090 Graphics Card VS RTX 4070 SUPER Graphics CardRTX 4090 Graphics Card VS RTX 5090 Graphics CardRTX 4090 Graphics Card VS RTX 5080 Graphics CardRTX 4090 Graphics Card VS RX 7900 XTX Graphics CardRTX 4090 Graphics Card VS RTX 4080 SUPER Graphics CardRTX 4090 Graphics Card VS RTX 4080 Graphics Card

RTX 3090 Graphics Card VS RX 9070 XT Graphics Card

Score 78 VS 78

RTX 4090 Graphics Card VS RX 9070 XT Graphics Card

Score 93 VS 78

RTX 3090 Graphics Card VS RTX 5070 Graphics Card

Score 78 VS 77

RTX 4090 Graphics Card VS RTX 5070 Graphics Card

Score 93 VS 77

RTX 3090 Graphics Card VS RTX 4070 Ti SUPER Graphics Card

Score 78 VS 79

RTX 4090 Graphics Card VS RTX 4070 Ti SUPER Graphics Card

Score 93 VS 79

RTX 3090 Graphics Card VS RX 7900 XT Graphics Card

Score 78 VS 80

RTX 4090 Graphics Card VS RX 7900 XT Graphics Card

Score 93 VS 80

Build a complete system

Pairing with a CPU? See our CPU rankings →