Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Computing
  3. News

Nvidia RTX 4090 could shatter GPU speed records — but at a big cost

Add as a preferred source on Google

It’s a foregone conclusion that Nvidia’s next-gen RTX 40-series will be the most exciting upgrade we’ve seen thus far for its GPUs.

Rumors have already pointed toward the massive performance boost the upcoming boards will deliver, but a new report suggests that the GPU lineup will be even better than previously believed.

Graphics card inside the Maingear Vybe.
Jacob Roach / Digital Trends

As reported by TechRadar, credible technology insider Kopite7kimi — who has been at the forefront of next-gen GPU rumors — recently stated that it should be “easy to reach 2.8GHz, at least not very hard” for Team Green’s AD102 GPU die, which is said to be the chip powering the RTX 4090.

Recommended Videos

Comparatively, the GeForce RTX 3090 sports a 1.79GHz base clock speed. In any case, it seems the aforementioned 2.8GHz figure and the assumption that it’s not difficult to hit that clock speed is actually an understatement, according to a new message from Kopite.

He has now provided a follow-up to his original tweet by stating that: “I must say we can expect a much higher frequency.”

Naturally, the presumption will now fuel rumors of a base clock speed of at least 3GHz for the RTX 4090. Hardware Times also highlights how custom liquid-cooled models will obviously push that number further.

Even with such unprecedented clock speeds for standard models, the website still believes the peak power draw will remain in the 400 to 450 watts range.

Elsewhere, Hardware Times points out how clock speeds of 3GHz could therefore theoretically see the RTX 4090 variant surpass the 100 TFLOPs limit. We’ve already heard rumors earlier this year regarding this GPU approaching that unheard-of TFLOP mark.

Still, “significant heat generation and an unreasonable power draw” are the drawbacks with such a high TFLOPs count, according to the website. It also reiterates how the RTX 4080 should hit the 50 TFLOPs mark, while the RTX 4070 should exceed 30 TFLOPs.

Either way, Nvidia is reportedly working on a GPU that will require a massive 900 watts of power, so you can only imagine what kind of TFLOP performance that particular video card will offer.

So how does a base boost clock of 3GHz compare with AMD’s own next-gen Radeon 7000-series? We’ll still have to wait and see until both companies officially introduce their new graphics cards. That said, rumors circulating around Team Red’s offerings suggest they may ultimately beat Nvidia in both efficiency and performance. Only time will tell who comes out on top.

Zak Islam
Former Contributor
Zak covers the latest news in the technology world, particularly the computing field. A fan of anything pertaining to tech…
Googlebook finally gets a launch date, and it’s sooner than you would expect
Googlebook gets a September 15 showcase with Gemini, Android and new laptops
GoogleBook Featured Image Official

Google has finally put a date on the next major step for Googlebook, its upcoming premium laptop platform designed around Gemini and a native Android codebase. The company will host an in-person media showcase in New York City on September 15, 2026, where it plans to reveal more about the software and hardware behind the platform.

Google first introduced Googlebook alongside Android 17 at The Android Show earlier this year. Details were limited at the time, but the company demonstrated Gemini-powered features including custom widgets, Magic Pointer and deeper connections between Googlebooks and Android phones.

Read more
Viture Pro 2 review: Affordable glasses that I loved more for work than play
One of the lightest and brightest XR glasses you will find for the price.
Viture Pro 2 smart glasses

Quick summary

Two years ago, I had the chance to test out the Viture Pro smart glasses. I was impressed by the chic design and the stunning display units, but there were a few minor hiccups that kept them from becoming an instant buy for XR fans. The asking price of $459, ultimately, made them a tough recommendation for anyone who is not a diehard enthusiast or doesn't have the spare cash to spend. The successor, however, is an altogether different beast.

Read more
Your Mac might have a screen sharing problem, and hackers already know about it
A patch is only useful once you install it.
macOS Tahoe 26 public beta running on the M4 MacBook Air 15

If you've been putting off that macOS update sitting in your notifications, this is the week to stop and install it. 

Apple quietly patched a serious screen sharing flaw in macOS earlier this month. While that usually means the issue is resolved, new evidence shows hackers already broke into unpatched Macs, hijacked them, and used them for cryptocurrency mining before the fix shipped.

Read more