Buying Guide
The Best RTX 4090 Graphics Cards
Five partner RTX 4090 cards compared on cooler design, boost clock and thickness, since every model shares the same GPU and 24GB of memory.
By Alex Morgan, PC Hardware Editor
12 min read5 products evaluated
The RTX 4090 was NVIDIA's flagship of the RTX 40 generation, with 24GB of GDDR6X. Because every partner card uses the same GPU, the choice comes down to cooler size, clock speed and price.
Prices for the RTX 4090 vary widely now that it is out of production, so compare listings before you buy. We compared listed specifications from the card makers and retailer listings; we did not benchmark these cards.
Quick Picks
Which of the 5 picks to look at first. Tap a name for the full analysis.
Lowest Price at Writing
PNY GeForce RTX 4090 Verto Triple FanThe least expensive RTX 4090 here at the time of writing.
Best for: Buyers who want the chip, not the extras.
Check price for PNY GeForce RTX 4090 Verto Triple Fan on Amazon (opens in a new tab)
Best Cooling Value
ASUS TUF Gaming GeForce RTX 4090 OC EditionA 2595MHz OC-mode boost with high-airflow Axial-tech fans.
Best for: Large cases and long gaming sessions.
Check price for ASUS TUF Gaming GeForce RTX 4090 OC Edition on Amazon (opens in a new tab)
Best Slim 4090
MSI GeForce RTX 4090 Gaming Slim 24GA thinner cooler than MSI's Gaming X Trio.
Best for: Cases where the slot below matters.
Check price for MSI GeForce RTX 4090 Gaming Slim 24G on Amazon (opens in a new tab)
Best MSI Triple-Fan
MSI GeForce RTX 4090 Gaming X Trio 24GA TRI FROZR 3 cooler with a copper baseplate.
Best for: Builders who prefer MSI's software and design.
Check price for MSI GeForce RTX 4090 Gaming X Trio 24G on Amazon (opens in a new tab)
Most Premium Cooler
ASUS ROG Strix GeForce RTX 4090 OC EditionA vapor chamber with a milled heatspreader.
Best for: Show builds with room to spare.
Check price for ASUS ROG Strix GeForce RTX 4090 OC Edition on Amazon (opens in a new tab)
Our Picks
Lowest Price at Writing1 of 5
PNY GeForce RTX 4090 Verto Triple Fan
PNY's Verto runs the RTX 4090 at NVIDIA's reference 2520MHz boost with up to 1,008GB/s of memory bandwidth.
Best for
- Buyers who want the chip, not the extras.
Skip if
- Look at the other picks if you need a feature not covered above.
Why we like it
It cost the least of the RTX 4090 cards here at the time of writing. The 24GB of GDDR6X sits on a 384-bit bus with 1008GB/s of bandwidth, and the card runs a 2520MHz boost clock on a triple-fan cooler. You get a 2520MHz boost clock here, which sets it apart from the MSI 4090 Gaming X Trio and its a 2595MHz boost clock.
No dimensions are published for the PNY 4090 Verto; get length and thickness from the maker's page first. Its power connector and recommended PSU are not published, so confirm both for the PNY 4090 Verto with the maker. It undercut the ASUS TUF 4090 and every other pick on price at the time of writing.
Key specs
- GPU
- RTX 4090
- VRAM
- 24GB
- Memory
- GDDR6X
- Boost clock
- 2520MHz
Pros
- 24GB of VRAM, room for large local AI models as well as games
- 16,384 CUDA cores and up to 1,008GB/s of memory bandwidth
- Reference 2520MHz boost clock
- The least expensive RTX 4090 here at the time of writing
Best Cooling Value2 of 5
ASUS TUF Gaming GeForce RTX 4090 OC Edition
The ASUS TUF 4090 offers a 2595MHz boost in OC mode and Axial-tech fans that ASUS rates for 23% more airflow.
Best for
- Large cases and long gaming sessions.
Skip if
- Skip it if price comes first: the PNY 4090 Verto cost less when we checked.
Why we like it
It is a large, conservatively styled card built around cooling rather than lighting. Axial-tech fans move up to 23% more air than the previous design, and the OC mode raises the boost clock to 2595MHz. You get a 2595MHz (OC mode) boost clock here, which sets it apart from the MSI 4090 Gaming X Trio and its a 2595MHz boost clock.
No dimensions are published for the ASUS TUF 4090; get length and thickness from the maker's page first. Its power connector and recommended PSU are not published, so confirm both for the ASUS TUF 4090 with the maker. On price it sat second of 5, between the cheaper PNY 4090 Verto and the pricier MSI 4090 Gaming Slim, at the time of writing.
Key specs
- GPU
- RTX 4090
- VRAM
- 24GB
- Memory
- GDDR6X
- Boost clock
- 2595MHz (OC mode)
Pros
- 24GB of VRAM, room for large local AI models as well as games
- Axial-tech fans that ASUS rates for 23% more airflow
- 2595MHz boost clock in OC mode
- A 2595MHz OC-mode boost with high-airflow Axial-tech fans
Cons
- Costs more than the PNY 4090 Verto at the time of writing
Best Slim 40903 of 5
MSI GeForce RTX 4090 Gaming Slim 24G
MSI's Gaming Slim puts the full RTX 4090, with 16,384 CUDA cores and 24GB of GDDR6X, under a thinner cooler than the Gaming X Trio.
Best for
- Cases where the slot below matters.
Skip if
- Skip it if price comes first: the PNY 4090 Verto cost less when we checked.
Why we like it
It suits cases where a four-slot card would block the slot below. No dimensions are published for the MSI 4090 Gaming Slim; get length and thickness from the maker's page first. Its power connector and recommended PSU are not published, so confirm both for the MSI 4090 Gaming Slim with the maker.
Worth noting: 24GB of VRAM, room for large local AI models as well as games. Before buying, weigh one limit: costs more than the PNY 4090 Verto at the time of writing. Its price falls between the ASUS TUF 4090 and the MSI 4090 Gaming X Trio, based on our last check.
Key specs
- GPU
- RTX 4090
- VRAM
- 24GB
- Memory
- GDDR6X
Pros
- 24GB of VRAM, room for large local AI models as well as games
- 16,384 CUDA cores on a 384-bit memory bus
- Slimmer cooler than MSI's Gaming X Trio
Cons
- Costs more than the PNY 4090 Verto at the time of writing
Best MSI Triple-Fan4 of 5
MSI GeForce RTX 4090 Gaming X Trio 24G
The Gaming X Trio pairs a 2595MHz boost with MSI's TRI FROZR 3 cooler, a copper baseplate and TORX Fan 5.0 blades.
Best for
- Builders who prefer MSI's software and design.
Skip if
- Price-first buyers should look at the PNY 4090 Verto, which cost less when we checked.
Why we like it
It is MSI's mainstream large-cooler take on the RTX 4090. It is the only pick here with a 2595MHz boost clock; the PNY 4090 Verto has a 2520MHz boost clock instead. It also comes with TORX Fan 5.0 blades linked by ring arcs.
No dimensions are published for the MSI 4090 Gaming X Trio; get length and thickness from the maker's page first. Its power connector and recommended PSU are not published, so confirm both for the MSI 4090 Gaming X Trio with the maker. When we checked, only the MSI 4090 Gaming Slim and cheaper picks cost less, and the ROG Strix 4090 cost more.
Key specs
- GPU
- RTX 4090
- VRAM
- 24GB
- Memory
- GDDR6X
- Boost clock
- 2595MHz
Pros
- 24GB of VRAM, room for large local AI models as well as games
- TRI FROZR 3 cooler with a copper baseplate
- TORX Fan 5.0 blades linked by ring arcs
- 2595MHz boost clock, the only one here
Cons
- Costs more than the PNY 4090 Verto at the time of writing
Most Premium Cooler5 of 5
ASUS ROG Strix GeForce RTX 4090 OC Edition
ASUS's ROG Strix 4090 uses a vapor chamber with a milled heatspreader and enlarged Axial-tech fans.
Best for
- Show builds with room to spare.
Skip if
- If budget leads, the PNY 4090 Verto was cheaper at our last price check.
Why we like it
It is the most premium of the RTX 4090 listings here, and it was also the priciest at the time of writing. A vapor chamber with a milled heatspreader and scaled-up axial-tech fans cool the chip, which supports DLSS 3. No dimensions are published for the ROG Strix 4090; get length and thickness from the maker's page first.
Its power connector and recommended PSU are not published, so confirm both for the ROG Strix 4090 with the maker. Only the MSI 4090 Gaming X Trio came close to it on price at the time of writing; it cost the most of the 5 picks. It gives ground on video memory, where the PNY 4090 Verto offers 24GB.
Key specs
- GPU
- RTX 4090
- VRAM
- 24GB
- Memory
- GDDR6X
Pros
- 24GB of VRAM, room for large local AI models as well as games
- Vapor chamber with a milled heatspreader
- Axial-tech fans scaled up for more airflow
Cons
- Costs more than the PNY 4090 Verto at the time of writing
How We Chose These RTX 4090 Cards
Alex Morgan compared the manufacturer specifications, connectivity, warranty terms and compatibility of every pick. Figures come from the makers unless a third-party source is named; we did not test these products ourselves.
- The figures behind the order
- We lined up five cards on GPU, video memory, memory and boost clock from manufacturer specifications. We did not test them in-house, and boost clock is missing for at least one pick.
- The shared baseline
- All 5, from the PNY 4090 Verto to the ROG Strix 4090, state GPU, video memory and memory and share RTX 4090 GPU and GDDR6X memory.
- Where the specs have gaps
- The MSI 4090 Gaming Slim and the ROG Strix 4090 give no boost clock.
- Price range
- From the PNY 4090 Verto to the ROG Strix 4090, all sat in the over $1500 tier when we checked.
What to Look for in an RTX 4090 Card
Key buying criteria so you get the right fit the first time.
What to check at home
No dimensions are published for the PNY 4090 Verto; get length and thickness from the maker's page first.
Features beyond the spec table
The MSI 4090 Gaming Slim: a slimmer cooler than MSI's Gaming X Trio. The MSI 4090 Gaming X Trio: TORX Fan 5.0 blades linked by ring arcs. The ROG Strix 4090: Axial-tech fans scaled up for more airflow.
The circuit board on the back of a graphics card Budget
Price does little to separate these 5: the PNY 4090 Verto through the ROG Strix 4090 all landed in the over $1500 tier, which leaves features to decide it.
Match the pick to your priority
Buyers who want the chip, not the extras: the PNY 4090 Verto. Large cases and long gaming sessions: the ASUS TUF 4090. Cases where the slot below matters: the MSI 4090 Gaming Slim.
Plan the power connector and PSU
Cards use one or two 8-pin PCIe plugs or a single 16-pin 12V-2x6 plug. Confirm your power supply has the right cables and meets the maker's recommended wattage.
How to Choose an RTX 4090 Card
By priority
| Priority | Consider | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Buyers who want the chip, not the extras | PNY 4090 Verto | The least expensive RTX 4090 here at the time of writing |
| Large cases and long gaming sessions | ASUS TUF 4090 | A 2595MHz OC-mode boost with high-airflow Axial-tech fans |
| Cases where the slot below matters | MSI 4090 Gaming Slim | A thinner cooler than MSI's Gaming X Trio |
| Builders who prefer MSI's software and design | MSI 4090 Gaming X Trio | A TRI FROZR 3 cooler with a copper baseplate |
| Show builds with room to spare | ROG Strix 4090 | A vapor chamber with a milled heatspreader |
Scroll sideways to see every column.
Key specs side by side
The PNY 4090 Verto, the ASUS TUF 4090 and the rest, as their makers list them.
| Card | GPU | VRAM | Memory | Boost clock |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PNY 4090 Verto | RTX 4090 | 24GB | GDDR6X | 2520MHz |
| ASUS TUF 4090 | RTX 4090 | 24GB | GDDR6X | 2595MHz (OC mode) |
| MSI 4090 Gaming Slim | RTX 4090 | 24GB | GDDR6X | Not listed |
| MSI 4090 Gaming X Trio | RTX 4090 | 24GB | GDDR6X | 2595MHz |
| ROG Strix 4090 | RTX 4090 | 24GB | GDDR6X | Not listed |
Scroll sideways to see every column.
Frequently Asked Questions
What makes the MSI 4090 Gaming Slim the Best Slim 4090?
The label rests on a thinner cooler than MSI's Gaming X Trio. It suits cases where the slot below matters.
Do the PNY 4090 Verto and the ASUS TUF 4090 differ on boost clock?
The PNY 4090 Verto uses 2520MHz; the ASUS TUF 4090 uses 2595MHz (OC mode); the MSI 4090 Gaming X Trio uses 2595MHz. The makers of the MSI 4090 Gaming Slim and the ROG Strix 4090 don't state boost clock, so 3 of 5 picks are covered here.
What should I check before buying the PNY 4090 Verto?
No dimensions are published for the PNY 4090 Verto; get length and thickness from the maker's page first. Its power connector and recommended PSU are not published, so confirm both for the PNY 4090 Verto with the maker. In this guide it ranks first of 5, as our Lowest Price at Writing pick.
Beyond the specs, what sets the PNY 4090 Verto and the ASUS TUF 4090 apart?
The PNY 4090 Verto: 16,384 CUDA cores and up to 1,008GB/s of memory bandwidth. The ASUS TUF 4090: Axial-tech fans that ASUS rates for 23% more airflow. The MSI 4090 Gaming Slim: 16,384 CUDA cores on a 384-bit memory bus.
Who should choose the PNY 4090 Verto?
The PNY 4090 Verto carries our Lowest Price at Writing label for the least expensive RTX 4090 here at the time of writing. It ranks first of 5 here and sat in the over $1500 tier at our last price check; it suits anyone who wants the chip, not the extras.
Bottom Line
The PNY Verto is the most affordable way into an RTX 4090 here, and the ASUS TUF adds a stronger cooler. Choose MSI's Gaming Slim for a thinner card, and the ROG Strix only if you want the most elaborate cooler.
Related Guides
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About the author
PC Hardware Editor
Alex covers PC hardware, monitors, components, upgrades and peripherals for The PC Journal, with a focus on helping readers understand specifications, compatibility and meaningful product trade-offs.
Covers: Monitors, Graphics cards, Processors, PC components, Peripherals, Upgrades and compatibility
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