NVIDIA’s Blackwell GB202 GPU for Flagship GeForce RTX 5090: 22% Larger Than 4090’s AD102 at Approximately 744mm²

NVIDIA is gearing up to expand its GeForce RTX family with the new flagship in the RTX 50 series, the RTX 5090. This powerhouse will feature a significant increase in die size compared to its predecessor, the RTX 4090. Utilizing TSMC’s 5nm process node, NVIDIA aims to bring substantial improvements not only in performance but also in sheer scale.

The upcoming NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 is set to command the spotlight with its considerable enhancements. The heart of this beast, the GB202 GPU, will be notably larger—a whopping 744 mm² in die size, which marks a 22% growth from the RTX 4090’s AD102 GPU. Its packaging area is even more astounding, with a 57% increase to 4095 mm² compared to the previous 2601 mm².

Despite this increase, a larger die size doesn’t necessarily equate to more power consumption or heat issues. It’s important to remember that this new GPU still falls short of the colossal 754 mm² Turing TU102 chip, which debuted as the first RTX 20 gaming card, introducing Tensor and RT cores. Over time, NVIDIA has consistently refined its flagship chips, shrinking their size with each process node advancement.

In terms of specifications, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 showcases an impressive design. It adopts the PG144/145-SKU30 PCB layout and a GB202-300-A1 core, with 170 Streaming Multiprocessors (SMs) activated out of 192, leading to 21,760 cores—an 11.4% decrease compared to the full die. This reduction is somewhat notable given the 11.1% decrease observed in the RTX 4090.

On the memory front, the RTX 5090 is packed with 32 GB of GDDR7 VRAM, operating on a broad 512-bit interface. This setup promises speeds of 28 Gbps, translating to a remarkable 1792 GB/s bandwidth. Enhanced by a more extensive L3 cache and innovative memory compression techniques, the GPU will enjoy improved bandwidth availability. Additionally, the card supports a 600W Total Board Power (TBP), with real-world consumption likely being less taxing. There’s speculation about a 2-slot cooler featuring in the Founders Edition model.

With its debut anticipated at CES 2025, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 is eagerly awaited by enthusiasts, promising more revelations in the months ahead.

Preliminary NVIDIA GeForce RTX 50 Series Specifications:

• RTX 5090

  • GPU: Blackwell GB202-300
  • SMs: 170 / 192
  • Cores: 21,760 (+33%)
  • VRAM: 32 GB GDDR7 (+33%), 512-bit
  • Speed: 28 Gbps
  • Bandwidth: 1792 GB/s
  • Power: 600W (+33%)
• RTX 5080
  • GPU: Blackwell GB203-400
  • SMs: 84
  • Cores: 10,752 (+11%)
  • VRAM: 16 GB GDDR7, 256-bit
  • Speed: 32 Gbps
  • Bandwidth: 1024 GB/s
  • Power: 400W (+25%)

As NVIDIA’s latest venture into GPU technology looms closer, gamers and tech enthusiasts alike are buzzing with anticipation. Which model are you most looking forward to? Feel free to share your thoughts and stay connected for the latest updates.