The first batch of RTX 50 series graphics cards was revealed last week at CES 2025. Four GPUs were revealed – namely the RTX 5090, RTX 5080, RTX 5070 Ti, and RTX 5070. Even ahead of the official launch, we more or less knew how big the difference between the two top models would be thanks to early leaks. Even still, it may remain a surprise to see just how different the 5090 and 5080 are.
Whereas the flagship has seen major improvements over the last generation, the 5080 offers a much more modest upgrade. There’s a whopping $1,000 price difference between the two cards, and when asked about the reason for this disparity, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang explained in a recent interview that it comes down to the flagship’s target audience.
| Specification | RTX 5090 | RTX 5080 |
|---|---|---|
| GPU | Blackwell GB202-300-A1 | Blackwell GB203-400-A1 |
| Streaming Multiprocessors (SM) | 170 | 84 |
| CUDA cores | 21,760 | 10,752 |
| VRAM | 32GB GDDR7 | 16GB GDDR7 |
| Memory bus | 512-bit | 256-bit |
| Memory clock | 28 Gbps | 30 Gbps |
| Memory bandwidth | 1,792 GB/s | 896 GB/s |
| Power connectors | 1 x 16-pin (12V-2×6) | 1 x 16-pin (12V-2×6) |
| TDP | 575W | 360W |
| Bus interface | PCIe 5.0 x16 | PCIe 5.0 x16 |
| Price (MSRP) | $1,999 | $999 |
RTX 5090 gives enthusiasts the “best product” without compromises
In a recent interview at CES 2025, posted on Yunze, we got to learn a whole lot about Nvidia’s latest projects – from GeForce graphics cards to outpacing Moore’s Law and smart glasses. When asked about the “significant gap between the RTX 5090 and 5080” and the reason for it, his response was as follows:
“The reason is simple. Once someone wants the best product, they will always choose the best. You know, the market isn’t so segmented. And our enthusiasts, if they want the best, they won’t settle for something slightly better or save $100 by choosing something a bit worse. They just want the best.
Of course, $2,000 is not a small amount, and it’s certainly a high value. But keep in mind that this technology is being used in your home theater-level PC setup. And that PC – where you’ve probably already invested around $10,000 in your monitor and sound system – will definitely need the best GPU. So many of our customers are simply after the absolute best.”
Jensen Huang, Nvidia CEO & Co-founder
As he says, the flagship is all about delivering the best product possible without compromising on the price. Looking at the specs, the 5090 offers over double the CUDA cores and double the video memory of the 5080, but that comes with some hefty power requirements (you may end up needing to upgrade your PSU for the 5090). Despite the massive amount of hype that surrounds the RTX 5090, we imagine that only a small portion of users will be seeking out one.
For PC gamers, the more budget-friendly xx60 series has time and time again proven to be the most popular. Nvidia has yet to reveal any details about the RTX 5060 and RTX 5060 Ti, but we should soon learn more about these cards according to rumors and speculation circulating online.