Skip to main content

I’m no longer dreading the launch of the RTX 5090

All the rumors about the RTX 5090 were pointing toward another ridiculous, three or four-slot GPU. But a recent rumor states that Nvidia is moving in the opposite direction with its upcoming Founders Edition card.

The comment comes from known leaker @kopite7kimi on X (formerly Twitter) as a reply to a post by Overclock3D. According to the leaker, the 5090 Founders Edition is leaning toward a more practical dual-slot design.

Recommended Videos

No, RTX 5090 FE has a 2-slot cooler.

— kopite7kimi (@kopite7kimi) May 29, 2024

Get your weekly teardown of the tech behind PC gaming
Check your inbox!

It was initially thought that the RTX 5090 would use an abandoned RTX 4090 Ti design, but if the new rumor turns out to be true, Nvidia has something newer and more efficient in mind.

The leaker answers some additional questions in the replies and indicates that the 5090 FE will have two fans instead of three. The question of power draw is the most relevant in this conversation, as the RTX 4090 sat at an unprecedented 450 watts.

When asked in the replies if the RTX 5090 will be lower-powered, the leaker responded with, “I don’t know. But I am sure the cooling design is more efficient.”

That might sound obvious, but it’ll be the most pressing question to answer going into the launch of the next-gen, flagship GPU that will lead off the RTX 50-series.

The RTX 4090 was known for being obtuse, often not fitting well in conventional cases, cracking circuit boards, and even melting power adapters. If Nvidia can make the RTX 5090 a bit more practical while still representing a major step forward in performance, that will be a big deal.

Other rumors about the video card include that it will use GDDR7 memory and may have have 24,576 CUDA cores. The release window right now will either be this fall or in early 2025. Initial reports said the RTX 5080 and 5090 will launch together in 2024, but the latest rumors say that the RTX 5080 will launch first on its own as a “return to form” for Nvidia’s launch cycles. Some were hoping Nvidia would give up on the idea of the RTX 5090 entirely, and while that’s unlikely, a more contained GPU is certainly a good alternative.

Luke Larsen
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Luke Larsen is the Senior Editor of Computing, managing all content covering laptops, monitors, PC hardware, Macs, and more.
I’m loving the Lenovo Legion Go S, but there’s one problem I can’t get over
A hand holding the Lenovo Legion Go S handheld.

It's becoming clear how spoiled I've been with handheld gaming PCs. I've handled most of them, from the original Steam Deck up to the ROG Ally X, and I've learned to love, hate, but mostly tolerate the different pain points of each device. The new Lenovo Legion Go S immediately felt like an upgrade with its rapid-fire triggers, large 8-inch display, and cozy design that nestled into my hands perfectly. There's just one problem -- Windows is awful.

There, I said it. Windows on a handheld is a horrible experience and the Lenovo Legion Go S made that abundantly clear after just a couple of days. I'm still knee-deep in benchmarking the device and the Ryzen Z2 Go chip inside of it -- don't worry, I have a few early comparisons for you here -- but I need to say my piece on Windows.

Read more
Nvidia RTX 5090 ‘lottery’ reportedly ends in screams and chaos
rtx 5090 lottery chaos gihqqgxaiaajarv

Nvidia is launching its RTX 5090 and RTX 5080 graphics cards today -- read our RTX 5090 review and RTX 5080 review -- and the anticipation is clear. In Japan, multiple stores held a lottery to give attendees an equal chance at scoring one of Nvidia's best graphics cards, but the event ended in chaos, with screaming and the destruction of a sign at a kindergarten, according to VideoCardz.

The report of chaos came via X, where a user shared that "angry shouts were heard" as customers began lining up, and that "some people even climbed over the fence of the kindergarten next door."

Read more
Where to buy the RTX 5090 and RTX 5080 today
The RTX 5080 sitting on a pink background.

The day is finally upon us -- Nvidia's best graphics cards are here, and you can buy them now. The RTX 5090 and the RTX 5080 are now available at various retailers, both online and in brick-and-mortar stores. There's just one problem: The cards may suffer from limited availability, so the sooner you shop, the better.

While we expect these GPUs to sell out quickly over the next few weeks, it's still possible to buy them today. Find out where to buy the RTX 5090 and the RTX 5080 today.
RTX 5090

Read more