The Best RTX 4090 GPUs. Nvidia’s 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 (and the recently released $1000 RTX 4080 SUPER) at best.
The latter has its sights set firmly on the mid-range GPU market, where it continues to deliver excellent value. Neither of the two has a BFGPU competitor that exists in the same performance class as Nvidia’s RTX 4090, which as a result, stands as the king of the hill with no consumer-grade competition in sight. The RTX 4090 is also available in many prebuilt options for gamers who are unwilling to build their rig. Alternatively, powerful RTX 4090-based gaming laptops take center stage as some of the most powerful PCs money can buy.
ASUS TUF GeForce RTX® 4090 OG OC Edition
The ASUS TUF GeForce RTX 4090 OG OC Edition offers a top-of-the-line RTX 4090 experience, sans the premium that comes with its more expensive RTX 4090 Strix SKU. The TUF Gaming-branded OG OC variant clocks in within spitting distance of its more expensive Strix alternative, 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 that leverages a large heatsink along with three capable dual ball-bearing fans that allow it to idle when not in use (under 55 degrees). It also has a generous VRM configuration that allows it to stay ahead of the curve, even as it doesn’t match the Strix OC’s 24+4 configuration currently. The ASUS TUF GeForce RTX 4090 OG OC leverages a vented exoskeleton that takes advantage of its design to keep thermals considerably lower than the competition while running considerably quieter than most of its peers.
The RTX 4090 TUF OG OC currently trades for around $1800 to $1900 at most retailers, even as pricing has been on the rise lately for its competitors. This is more than the $1600 the Founder’s Edition commands on paper but lower than most of its high-end competition, which often pushes past $2000. This does, in effect, also make it a relatively solid contender for the best value RTX 4090 currently, due to other SKUs costing considerably more across a variety of retailers while offering lower or equivalent performance.
MSI Suprim Liquid X GeForce RTX 4090
The MSI Suprim Liquid X RTX 4090 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, the liquid-cooled 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 the 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. At ~$1900 for one of the best RTX 4090 SKUs in the market that can fit in a variety of PC cases in addition to running quieter and cooler than most (if not all) of its competition, the MSI Suprim Liquid X RTX 4090 GPU cuts above and beyond most of its peers. Simply put, it delivers better value for enthusiasts, gamers, and power users alike.
ASUS ROG Strix GeForce RTX™ 4090 White OC
The ASUS RTX 4090 Strix White OC is ASUS’s white-themed take on what is widely considered one of the best RTX 4090 GPUs users can get for excellent performance in terms of clocks and thermals out of the box versus its peers. It comes at a significant premium as a result of its excellent 24+4 phase VRM design but ASUS’s ask is one that most enthusiasts will pay due to the promise of better overclocking as well as stellar build quality.
The OC variant can push much higher clocks, in some cases easily breaching the 3000 MHz barrier (in Game Rant’s tests) while sporting a patented vapor chamber that keeps temperatures far lower than the competition. It pairs extremely well with the ASUS ROG Herculx Anti-Sag Holder even as it comes with 2 dedicated PWM FanConnect headers for users looking to allow the GPU more control over chassis fans to keep temperatures low.
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. For collectors, this GPU also comes with a free ROG-themed ring in tow for US consumers, making it a great pickup to join the ROG family with the emblem in tow.
The ASUS ROG Strix GeForce RTX™ 4090 White OC has crept back up in price recently due to supply limitations in general, sending prices of most other RTX 4090 SKUs soaring even as its black-themed sibling seems to be in short supply at a variety of retailers at the time of writing, but the situation might change by the time this article is updated.
For those interested in picking up what is easily one of the most premium gaming GPUs money can buy sans its limited edition ROG Matrix Platinum sibling, we can also recommend checking out Game Rant’s detailed interview of how the ASUS RTX 4090 Strix OC stacks against the competition as one of the most performant RTX 4090 units in the market.
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 Founders Edition
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 partially 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 AIBs to improve product design by releasing increasingly competent Founders Edition designs with each iteration, which does in a way turn up the heat on AIBs to deliver better stock and higher-end options of the same.
Despite this, the NVIDIA RTX 4090 Founders Edition is an exception, given how close it is 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. This does not impede performance, remaining within respectable bounds, even for an RTX 4000 series GPU thanks to Nvidia leveraging a 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.
MSI GeForce RTX™ 4090 GAMING X SLIM 24G
The MSI GeForce RTX™ 4090 GAMING X SLIM 24G is a more compact, yet factory-overclocked take on the RTX 4090 as opposed to MSI’s beefier Gaming X SKUs. It can push even further than its relatively high 2595MHz if MSI Center is turned on even as it offers a mix of features including RGB lighting, a dual BIOS mode (Silent or Gaming), and a design that keeps thermals in check, even when the GPU is being pushed.
The MSI GAMING X SLIM 24G is not MSI’s highest tier RTX 4090 GPU – that would be its Suprim X SKU but it does deliver solid build quality including an expansive cooling mechanism, a metal backplate, and an upgraded set of fans, all of which make it feel comparable to its higher end sibling for the most part, sans the cost.
At ~$1900 for a unit at the time of writing, the MSI GeForce RTX™ 4090 GAMING X SLIM 24G is not the cheapest model on the market but it does offer a solid, relatively budget-friendly option that offers features, higher boost clock speeds and build quality that is normally a hallmark of a higher-end RTX 4090 SKU sans the premium that most GPU manufacturers attach to them.
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