NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 vs NVIDIA RTX A4000 Laptop GPU vs NVIDIA RTX A5500 Laptop GPU

The Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090 is a high-end desktop graphics card utilizing the GB202 chip based on the Blackwell architecture. The model offers 170 SMs out of 192 (21,760 CUDA cores), and 32 GB GDDR7 graphics memory with a 512-bit memory bus (1,792 GB/s). The base clock of the GPU (reference model) is specified at 2.01 GHz, while the boost clock can reach 2.41 GHz. RTX 5090 offers 170 RT cores (+42 cores compared to the previous RTX 4090) and 680 5th Gen. Tensor cores.  

Architecture

The Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090 features a new Tensor (5th Gen) and RT-cores (4th Gen), with 3352 AI TOPS and 318 TFLOPS respectively. Blackwell architecture is the first to feature the new DLSS 4 Multi Frame generation, which, thanks to enhanced AI capabilities can generate more frames per second while using less memory and delivering better picture quality. Nvidia also improved the performance and output quality of DLSS, Frame Generation, and Ray Reconstruction features (also available for the previous RTX 4000 series). Additionally, the new models now support Reflex 2 low latency mode with Frame Warp.

Performance

Thanks to the new Tensor and RT-cores, as well as a massive bump in CUDA cores, the card is promised (by Nvidia) to offer as much as 2x better performance compared to the previous RTX 4090 (thanks to the new DLSS 4 MFG feature). The RTX 5090 is expected to be the fastest graphics card of 2025 and, presumably will deliver good performance even at 8K.

According to our own benchmarks, the RTX 5090 is 27% faster than the previous RTX 4090 in applications and games (without accounting for RT and DLSS). With the Ray Tracing (Cyberpunk 2077 2.1, DLSS Transformer), gaming performance can be 25% higher compared to the previous flagship model, and DLSS Frame Generation (2x) can deliver even 28% higher FPS. Thanks to the MFG 4x mode the frame counter can be even 2x-4x higher.  

Power consumption

According to Nvidia, the GB202 chip is manufactured using the modern 4N FinFET process at TSMC and is specified with a TGP (Total Graphics Power) of 575 Watt (175W higher than RTX 4090). Nvidia now also specifies maximum GPU temperature, which is stated at 90 ℃ for RTX 5090. The model also requires at least 1000 W PSU.

The NVIDIA RTX A4000 Laptop GPU or A4000 Mobile is a professional graphics card for mobile workstations. It is based on the GA104 Ampere chip and similar to the consumer GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU. It offers the same 5.120 graphics cores, 40 RT cores, 160 Tensor cores and 8 GB GDDR6 graphics memory with a 256 Bit memory bus. It supports PCIe 4.0 and will be available in different variants from 80 - 140 Watt (TGP) with different clock speeds (and performance). The GPU supports eDP 1.4b to connect the internal monitor and DisplayPort 1.4 and HDMI 2.1 for external connections.

There is no more Max-Q variant (formerly used for the low power variants) but every OEM can choose to implement Max-Q technologies (Dynamic Boost, WhisperMode).

The raw performance should be similar to the GeForce RTX 3070 for laptops at the same TGP level. Both GPUs depend heavily on good cooling and a high TGP for good performance. At a similar power consumption level the RTX A4000 should be clearly faster than the old Quadro RTX 4000 and 4000 Max-Q. The desktop variant of the A4000 however, is a lot faster.

The GA104 chip offers 6,144 FP32 ALUs of which half can also execute INT32 instructions (i.e. 3,072 INT32 ALUs). With Turing all shaders could still execute FP32 or INT32 instructions. The raytracing and tensor cores on the chip were also improved according to Nvidia. The A4000 only uses 5,120 of the 6,144 CUDA cores. The Ampere chips also include an improved 5th generation video encoder (NVENC for H.264 and H.265) and a 7th generation decoder (for various formats now including AV1).

The GA104 chip is manufactured by Samsung in 8nm (8N), which is not quite able to keep up with the 7nm node at TSMC (e.g. used by AMD and also for the professional GA100 Ampere chip).

The NVIDIA RTX A5500 Laptop GPU or A5500 Mobile is a professional graphics card for mobile workstations. It is based on the GA103S Ampere chip and similar to the consumer GeForce RTX 3080 Ti Laptop GPU. It offers the same 7424 graphics cores, 58 RT cores, 232 Tensor cores, and 16 GB GDDR6 graphics memory with a 256 Bit memory bus. It supports PCIe 4.0 and will be available in different variants from 80 - 165 Watt (TGP) with different clock speeds (and performance). The GPU supports eDP 1.4b to connect the internal monitor and DisplayPort 1.4 and HDMI 2.1 for external connections.

There is no more Max-Q variant (formerly used for the low power variants) but every OEM can choose to implement Max-Q technologies (Dynamic Boost, Whispermode).

The raw performance should be similar to the GeForce RTX 3080 Ti laptop at the same TGP level. Both GPUs depend heavily on good cooling and a high TGP for good performance. At a similar power consumption level, the RTX A5500 should be clearly faster than the old RTX A5000 и Quadro RTX 5000. The desktop variant of the A5500 however, is a lot faster.

The GA103S chip offers 7424 FP32 ALUs of which half can also execute INT32 instructions (i.e. 3712 INT32 ALUs). With Ampere, all shaders could still execute FP32 or INT32 instructions. The raytracing and tensor cores on the chip were also improved according to Nvidia. The Ampere chips also include an improved 5th generation video encoder (NVENC for H.264 and H.265) and a 7th generation decoder (for various formats now including AV1).

The GA103S chip is manufactured by Samsung in 8nm (8N), which is not quite able to keep up with the 7nm node at TSMC (e.g. used by AMD and also for the professional GA100 Ampere chip).