NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 vs NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 Ti 16GB
Head-to-head comparison: specs, benchmarks, ray tracing, and value. Which is right for your build?
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090
Still a beast in 2026. The RTX 4090 remains a genuine 4K monster, especially with DLSS 3 frame generation. It misses out on DLSS 4's multi-frame gen exclusive features, but raw rasterization is still elite. With prices fluctuating since the 5090 launch, it can occasionally be found at attractive discounts.
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NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 Ti 16GB
The budget VRAM hero. With a full 16GB of GDDR7, the 5060 Ti can handle texture-heavy games at 1440p without choking — something the 8GB version can't claim. DLSS 4 makes it punch above its weight in supported titles. The narrow 128-bit bus is the only real compromise.
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| Spec | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 Ti 16GB |
|---|---|---|
| Price (MSRP) | $1,599 | $429 |
| VRAM | 24GB GDDR6X | 16GB GDDR7 |
| Memory Bus | 384-bit | 128-bit |
| Memory Bandwidth | 1008 GB/s | 448 GB/s |
| CUDA / Stream Cores | 16,384 | 4,608 |
| Boost Clock | 2520 MHz | 2572 MHz |
| Ray Tracing Cores | 128 | 36 |
| TDP | 450W | 180W |
| 3DMark Time Spy | 35,200 | 14,200 |
| Rasterization Score | 88/100 | 40/100 |
| Ray Tracing Score | 86/100 | 39/100 |
| Value Score | 70/100 | 80/100 |
The Verdict
Based on raw performance, ray tracing capability, and value, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 comes out ahead in this comparison. That said, the right pick depends on your budget, target resolution, and whether you care more about ray tracing, rasterization, or VRAM capacity. Both cards have their place — read the individual reviews for the full breakdown.