How the GeForce RTX 3090 performs at 1080p, 1440p and 4K
At 1080p the GeForce RTX 3090 averages about 160 fps on High across the 14 games people check most. That suits a 144 Hz monitor in most games.
At 1440p the typical result drops to 115 fps. 1440p is comfortable, even on a high refresh rate monitor. At 4K it is about 64 fps. 4K holds 60 fps in most games, with upscaling for the heaviest.
The heaviest game we checked is ELDEN RING, at 60 fps on High at 1080p. The lightest is Fortnite, which the card handles at 300+ fps. If your own games are somewhere in between, the table above shows where.
Memory and power
24 GB of video memory is more than any game uses today, so memory will not be what limits this card.
The GeForce RTX 3090 is rated at 350 W. With a mid-range processor, plan on a 750 W power supply (650 W is the minimum). At this power draw the case matters: choose one with good front airflow, and expect the fans to be audible under load.
Where it sits
Released in 2020, the GeForce RTX 3090 is 6 years old, and the newest games already treat it as an entry level card. The next card up in our list is the Radeon RX 9070, about 7% faster (launch price $549). The next card down is the GeForce RTX 3080 Ti, about 2% slower.
It launched at $1,499, which works out to 3.7 points of performance per $100. Prices on the used and discount market are different, so treat this as a way to compare cards, not as today's price.
Which processor to pair it with, and who it suits
To keep a processor from holding it back at 1080p, you want something like a Ryzen 7 5700, and at 1440p a Core i7-11800H or similar. Slower processors will still work, but you give up some of the card's speed. The best CPU list for this card shows the options for all three resolutions.
The GeForce RTX 3090 suits 1440p at Ultra and entry level 4K. It is a strong choice for a 1440p monitor, and it has headroom for the next few years.