Tom’s Guide at CES
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The Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090 is an enormous GPU that was just announced at CES 2025, and it undoubtedly earns its size and prominence by delivering extraordinary gameplay performance and AI capabilities to introduce the next level of gaming graphics — something I had the opportunity to experience firsthand.
In my hands-on review, I will elaborate on what features accompany this $1,999 graphics card set to launch on January 30, along with the software functionalities (many of which are driven by AI) that the new hardware enables, and exactly what this implies for gameplay.
In simple terms, I’m about to demonstrate why Nvidia’s RTX 50-series GPUs were an obvious choice to claim our best of CES 2025 award!
What information do we have regarding the RTX 5090?
Let’s analyze the RTX 5090 — undoubtedly the most potent gaming graphics card available today with nearly double the performance of the previous 4090. Internally, every component has been enhanced thanks to Nvidia’s new Blackwell Architecture:
- 680 5th Gen Tensor Cores that optimize AI performance to facilitate DLSS 4.
- New Streaming Multiprocessors tailored for RTX Neural Shaders capable of producing highly realistic textures.
- 170 4th Gen Ray Tracing Cores to support RTX Mega Geometry.
Combine all these features with 32GB of GDDR7 video memory operating at an astonishing total bandwidth of 1,792 GB/sec, alongside an incredible 3,352 TOPS of AI power and 21,760 CUDA Cores (a core engineered specifically for executing parallel computing tasks efficiently), the RTX 5090 is designed to achieve that new 4K 240 frames per second benchmark found in gaming displays like the new Asus ROG Swift OLED PG27UCDM.
Having played two incredibly resource-intensive games, I can attest that Nvidia is not joking around here. The assertions are valid, and my expectations have been genuinely astonished.
Black Myth: Wukong
Black Myth: Wukong is an exceptionally stunning game that can challenge any GPU to render due to its high demands for on-board graphics memory. This poses no difficulty for the RTX 5090, and as evidenced, I was effortlessly achieving well over 200 FPS with DLSS active and all settings maximized at 4K resolution.
This was the sole demonstration that included a frame rate counter. From the graphical fidelity to the negligible latency associated with DLSS, this represents a significant advancement for PC gaming.
And speaking of DLSS — for those who may not be familiar, Deep Learning Super Sampling essentially utilizes AI to analyze and predict what will occur in the next frame of gameplay based on the current frame.
That guarantees significantly smoother gameplay and quicker frame rates, yet sometimes with the existing iteration of DLSS 3.5, you may observe that predictive loop of the subsequent frame causing occasional issues. This phenomenon is referred to as ghosting, where you might notice the outline of a swiftly shifting object lingering for a few frames longer than it ought to.
With DLSS 4, not only does it produce the following frame, it also creates multiple frames ahead of schedule employing a new AI model that utilizes 30% less video memory. Additionally, I observed no ghosting or artifacts.
Black State
This is also my initial experience with Black State — a third-person shooter from developer Motion Blur that narrates the tale of an agent tasked with rescuing the globe from a catastrophic event.
Once again, this was a demonstration utilizing RTX 5090, 4K maximum settings with DLSS 4 multi-frame generation (15 out of every 16 pixels are fully constructed using this AI method). In addition, it includes the next-generation Nvidia Reflex to significantly diminish latency. Combined with the lifelike style that the creators are aiming for with their visual appeal, there is no denying it: this is the most visually impressive game I have ever encountered.
Sans any frame rate counter visible, I can merely rely on the overall feeling conveyed by the fluidity. I hold a quiet assurance that you’re achieving over 120 FPS, and with all the ray tracing, path tracing, and neural rendering of light tracing involved, this is a truly astounding experience.
Moreover, that latency appears virtually non-existent, enhancing those incredibly captivating third-person shooter mechanics (including bullet time) featuring satisfyingly hefty weapons — such as a plasma blaster that can genuinely obliterate your adversaries.
Employing slow motion during one of these plasma bullet hits is a wild thrill: a pinata of blood and innards that expands and diminishes in response to your shot before detonating. Yet, every single pixel in this scene seems to be ray traced, creating an immersive light spectacle.
Prospect
Nvidia RTX 5090 is undeniably a revolutionary product (pardon the pun) — a powerful card with even more formidable performance enhancements that are going to pave the way for the upcoming generation of graphical fidelity.
CES 2025 has been a monumental showcase for gaming, featuring significant advancements in integrated graphics courtesy of the AMD Ryzen AI Max chipset that is driving RTX 4060-level framerates and fidelity within the ROG Flow Z13.
Nonetheless, Nvidia aimed not just to demonstrate that dedicated graphics continue to be significant; team green sought to utterly obliterate the competition. The $1,999 RTX 5090 accomplishes this without a doubt, and I eagerly anticipate diving back into more gaming!