Size Comparison: NVIDIA RTX 5090 vs. 4090 Founders Editions

After months of speculation and plenty of memes comparing NVIDIA’s upcoming RTX 5090 to oversized cooling fans, I finally have confirmation that the company is taking a different approach with its latest GeForce GPU. The RTX 5090 Founders Edition sports a sleeker design, reducing its width to about half that of the RTX 4090 Founders Edition, yet it maintains the same edge-to-edge silhouette.

One of the most noticeable updates in the design of the RTX 50 Series is NVIDIA’s innovative “Double Flow Through” cooling system. This setup features twin fans situated on one side of the card. The heatsink fins are still a part of the design, but they’ve been trimmed down, and there’s noticeably less branding, with the ‘RTX 5090’ logo discreetly placed on the card’s backside.

Looking at this new design, my main concern is how this slim form will manage the cooling of NVIDIA’s upgraded internals. Unfortunately, I can’t delve into those specifics just yet due to a non-disclosure agreement; today’s reveal is limited to just the unboxing. However, I’m already impressed by the refreshed look of the RTX 5090, especially the sleek metallic finish.

Notably, the new 5090 weighs in at 1.82 kg (4.01 lbs), making it about 16.51% lighter than the previous RTX 4090, which tipped the scales at 2.18 kg (4.80 lbs). Despite the reduction in weight, you’ll still likely need a sag mount to ensure your PC case and motherboard’s PCIe slot aren’t unduly stressed. On the plus side, the power cable connection has been modified to reduce the risk of damage from over-bending by allowing an angled connection.

When you compare the RTX 5090 with its predecessor, the differences are stark. Side by side with the RTX 4090 Founders Edition, the 5090’s two-slot structure makes it look almost entirely different, especially with the angled power connector and flipped video-out ports. There’s also less ventilation around the DisplayPort and HDMI connections—an interesting design choice.

However, two major factors loom large over the RTX 5090: its price and power consumption. The included PCIe adapter is somewhat daunting, as it requires a four-way connection to power supply units, matching the power demands of today’s most robust systems. With a hefty 600W requirement, even my sturdy 450W 12VHPWR setup won’t suffice. Time to sort through my reserve of cables.

Speaking of the packaging, NVIDIA has gone down the eco-friendly route with everything crafted from paper and cardboard, reminiscent of Apple’s approach. While I miss having an extra anti-static bag for my other GPUs during my testing phase, it’s refreshing to see this focus on sustainability. We even honored packaging like this with an award at CES 2025, and it’s great to now see NVIDIA hopping on board.

While I could venture into hypothetical performance forecasts, I’ll refrain from breaking any confidentiality agreements. Let’s just say I’m already a fan of the RTX 50 Series design. Whether or not this card will convince me to upgrade from my trusty RTX 3060 12GB remains undecided, but its sleek design definitely makes it a contender against the less-attractive aftermarket versions.