How the GeForce RTX 4090 performs at 1080p, 1440p and 4K
At 1080p the GeForce RTX 4090 averages about 268 fps on High across the 14 games people check most. That is far more than a 144 Hz monitor can show, so you can raise settings or render above 1080p.
At 1440p the typical result drops to 193 fps. 1440p is comfortable, even on a high refresh rate monitor. At 4K it is about 107 fps. 4K is realistic here, even in demanding games.
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 4090 is rated at 450 W. With a mid-range processor, plan on a 1000 W power supply (750 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 2022, the GeForce RTX 4090 is a few years old but still capable. The next card up in our list is the GeForce RTX 5090, about 30% faster (launch price $1,999). The next card down is the GeForce RTX 5080, about 30% slower.
It launched at $1,599, which works out to 6.3 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
No processor in our list is fast enough to fully feed the GeForce RTX 4090 at 1080p, so at that resolution the processor will usually be the limit.
Buy the GeForce RTX 4090 if you play at 4K, or at 1440p on a monitor above 144 Hz. At 1080p it is overkill, and a cheaper card will give you the same picture.