Meanwhile, the reviews for the RTX 3090 have officially been released. The tests agree: The graphics card is Nvidia’s strongest GeForce card, and for most gamers, the high price of the RTX 3090 simply isn’t worth it. They should rather opt for the currently sold-out 3080 model. In our article, we explain why this is the case.
As of today, September 24, 2020, the Nvidia GeForce RTX 3090 is officially available, and the review embargo has also been lifted at 3 PM. However, some leaks had already occurred before the sales launch and Nvidia had warned of few available units.
In our article, we want to introduce you to how Nvidia’s high-end model performs in tests and for whom the model priced at 1500 euros is worthwhile.
What is the GeForce RTX 3090?
The GeForce RTX 3090 is a model from the GeForce 30 series. It officially launches on September 24, 2020. Nvidia announced the series on September 1.
This is what the Nvidia RTX 3090 offers: Besides very fast and exclusive GDDR6X memory, the RTX 3090 offers features such as HDMI 2.1 and PCI-Express 4.0 and is particularly suitable for resolutions of up to 8K. The graphics card is based on the Ampere architecture, which is significantly faster and more powerful than the previous Turing generation.
GeForce RTX 3090 at a glance
| GeForce RTX 3090 | |
|---|---|
| Interface | PCIe 4.0 |
| Base Clock | 1,400 MHz |
| Boost Clock | 1,700 MHz |
| Memory Size | 24 GB GDDR6X |
| Memory Speed | 19.5 GB/s |
| Bandwidth | 936 GB/s |
| TDP (Power Consumption) | 350 Watts |
What do testers say about the GeForce RTX 3090?
Here we want to present you the most important tests regarding the new Nvidia GeForce RTX 3090:
GameStar: Is it really the first 8K graphics card for gamers?
The RTX 3090 is ahead of its time. At least when it comes to gaming in 8K resolution, because in my opinion that is likely still many years away from being truly mainstream. That aside, the performance of the RTX 3090 isn’t enough in my eyes to be called the first fully 8K-capable card. The RTX 3090 is undoubtedly the fastest card on the market and I would love to own it, but the gap to the RTX 3080 seems too small to really recommend it without ray tracing.
Alexander Köpf, GameStar.de
ComputerBase: “The largest GeForce for a small target group”
For those who want to own the fastest graphics card for games, there is indeed no way around the GeForce RTX 3090. (…) If you’re looking for an extremely fast GeForce to play current games at high details in Ultra HD, you should ultimately rather look for a GeForce RTX 3080. For players up to UHD, the GeForce RTX 3090 simply provides no tangible benefits that justify the additional 800 euros. The GeForce RTX 3090 is more intended for those who have always opted for the Titan model.
Wolfgang Andermahr, ComputerBase.de
HardwareLuxx: “Little GeForce for a high price: Gigabyte GeForce RTX 3090”
The comparison of the GeForce RTX 3080 with the GeForce RTX 3090 should not be based purely on gaming performance, as the GeForce RTX 3090 clearly falls short here when budget is taken into account. (…) 8K gaming plays no role in practice and won’t for the foreseeable future either. The number of PC monitors with this resolution can be counted on one hand, and corresponding TV devices are likely to be found in the hands of very few players. Here, NVIDIA is trying to create a justification that simply doesn’t exist.
Andreas Schilling, HardwareLuxx.de
PC World: “Nvidia opens new gaming worlds”
Compared to the RTX 2080 Ti, you get at least 50 percent more performance in creative applications such as video editing or 3D rendering with the RTX 3090, and in some cases, a doubling of performance is even possible. (…) Hardware enthusiasts have to bite the bullet and accept a high price for relatively little extra performance. Price-conscious gamers who still need a very fast GPU should definitely opt for the RTX 3080.
Sebastian Schenzinger, PC World.de
What can be concluded from the tests? Compared to the tests of the RTX 3080, the testers find it more difficult to make a clear recommendation for the graphics card. After all, the RTX 3080 simply performs better on average. However, it should also be noted that the graphics card is primarily aimed at professional users and not purely gamers.
Otherwise, the RTX 3090 has the same pros and cons as the RTX 3080: The card is significantly faster than the Turing architecture and delivers strong performance, especially with ray tracing enabled. But the power consumption of at least 350 watts is also very high. The GeForce RTX 3090 is also hardly overclockable as Nvidia already pushes the base product hard.
In one aspect, the testers agree: For average gamers, the graphics card simply isn’t worth it. The price, well over 1000 euros, is way too high and offers no added value at resolutions like Full HD and WQHD compared to the GeForce RTX 3080. For around 15% more performance, you pay more than double (700 euros compared to 1500 euros).
RTX 3090 benchmark: How does the graphics card perform in games?
Where does the benchmark originate? The benchmark originates from the official test conducted by our colleagues at GameStar. It is a performance rating: This means that the average FPS of all games is calculated. The graphics card is tested with Anno 1800, Assassins’s Creed: Odyssey, Battlefield 5, Metro: Exodus, Shadow of the Tomb Raider, and Wolfenstein Youngblood.
The tests were conducted by our colleagues on the GIGABYTE GeForce RTX 3090 Eagle. This and other graphics cards are available at Alternate:
GIGABYTE GeForce RTX 3090 Eagle OC 24G on Alternate for 1789 euros*
This is what the benchmarks show: The benchmarks of the RTX 3090 clearly indicate that the graphics card is not suitable for gamers who primarily play in Full HD or WQHD.
Only in 4K does the RTX 3090 achieve an average performance of around twelve percent higher compared to the RTX 3080.
Also, because many game engines cannot utilize so much power or are limited by the processor, the RTX 3090 is just as fast as the RTX 3080 in Full HD. For players, the GeForce 3090 provides no real advantages that would justify the double price.
24 GB are certainly more future-proof, but the RTX 3080 is also speculated to get a 20GB upgrade. With that, the memory advantage of the RTX 3090 over the 3080 would hardly be relevant. In the WQHD range, there are better and, above all, cheaper alternatives.
GeForce RTX 3090 purchase? Who is it worth buying for
Who is it worth buying for? For users from the professional field, the purchase can be quite worthwhile, as compared to the RTX Titan, the RTX 3090 offers a significantly better price-performance ratio. However, the purchase is not necessarily worth it here either, as the RTX 3080 offers hardly less performance. The only added value the RTX 3090 offers compared to the RTX 3080 is in terms of video memory (24 GB compared to 10 GB on the RTX 3080).
Who is it not worth buying for? For gamers who primarily play in Full HD or occasionally in higher resolutions, the investment is not worthwhile. Moreover, the graphics card, with a starting price of at least 1500 euros, is not intended for the mass market, but rather for users using it for professional video applications or data sciences like AI.
Gamers should rather opt for the RTX 3080, which offers only around 15% less performance but costs less than half with a starting price of around 700 euros: Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 & 3090 purchase: Order here now.
