RTX 4090 vs RX 7900 XTX
The RTX 4090 is about 26% faster than the RX 7900 XTX at 4K and 19% faster at 1440p.
Quick verdict: the RTX 4090 is the faster card. The RX 7900 XTX is only the smarter buy if you can get it for at least 16% less than the RTX 4090; any smaller discount and you are paying more per frame.
RTX 4090 vs RX 7900 XTX: Specs and Performance
| Spec | GeForce RTX 4090 | Radeon RX 7900 XTX |
|---|---|---|
| 3DMark Time Spy (graphics) | 35,519 | 28,195 |
| Estimated FPS · 1080p | 190 | 165 |
| Estimated FPS · 1440p | 160 | 134 |
| Estimated FPS · 4K | 108 | 86 |
| Video memory | 24 GB | 24 GB |
| Board power | 450 W | 355 W |
| Launch price (MSRP) | $1,599 | $999 |
| PCI Express | 4.0 ×16 | 4.0 ×16 |
| Release year | 2022 | 2022 |
| Series | NVIDIA RTX 40 Series | AMD RX 7000 Series (RDNA 3) |
Estimated FPS at 1080p, 1440p and 4K
1080p: the RTX 4090 leads by 15%. 1440p: the RTX 4090 leads by 19%. 4K: the RTX 4090 leads by 26%. These figures come from our performance model, calibrated against published benchmark averages. They are estimates for comparing the two cards, not results measured on your PC.
Estimated FPS in Popular Games at 1440p
| Game (settings) | RTX 4090 | RX 7900 XTX |
|---|---|---|
| Cyberpunk 2077 (High, no ray tracing) | ~130 | ~105 |
| Fortnite (High, DirectX 12) | ~210 | ~175 |
| Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 (High) | ~185 | ~155 |
| Counter-Strike 2 (High) | ~385 | ~320 |
Per-game figures scale each card's modelled 1440p average by how demanding the game is relative to our test blend, rounded to the nearest 5 FPS. Counter-Strike 2 is usually limited by the processor well before these numbers.
Verdict: RTX 4090 or RX 7900 XTX?
The RTX 4090 is clearly faster than the RX 7900 XTX: about 15% at 1080p, 19% at 1440p and 26% at 4K in our model. The gap narrows at 1080p because both cards are closer to what a typical processor can feed them, so the higher your resolution, the more of the difference you actually get.
Both cards have 24GB of video memory, so memory is not a reason to choose one over the other.
At launch the RTX 4090 was $1,599 and the RX 7900 XTX $999, which works out to $10 and $7.5 per frame at 1440p. On those prices the RX 7900 XTX is the better value, but street prices move every week, so check before you buy. The RTX 4090 is rated for 95W more board power, which means more heat, more fan noise and possibly a bigger power supply.
Beyond raw speed, the RTX 4090 brings DLSS 3 Frame Generation, while the RX 7900 XTX offers FSR 3 frame generation and AV1 encoding.
Bottom line: the RTX 4090 is the faster card. The RX 7900 XTX is only the smarter buy if you can get it for at least 16% less than the RTX 4090; any smaller discount and you are paying more per frame.
Pairing Either Card With a Processor
A faster graphics card only helps if the processor can keep up. Each card's own page lists the slowest CPU that will not hold it back at every resolution:
- GeForce RTX 4090: best CPU pairing and bottleneck
- Radeon RX 7900 XTX: best CPU pairing and bottleneck
- Check your own processor in the bottleneck calculator
Power supply: a common rule of thumb is the card's board power plus about 150W for the rest of a gaming PC, with 30% headroom. That points to roughly 800W for the RTX 4090 and 700W for the RX 7900 XTX. Check the card maker's own recommendation too.
Related GPU Comparisons
RTX 4090 vs RX 7900 XTX: Common Questions
Is the RTX 4090 better than the RX 7900 XTX?
The RTX 4090 is the faster card. The RX 7900 XTX is only the smarter buy if you can get it for at least 16% less than the RTX 4090; any smaller discount and you are paying more per frame. The RTX 4090 is about 26% faster than the RX 7900 XTX at 4K and 19% faster at 1440p.
Which is better for 1440p, the RTX 4090 or the RX 7900 XTX?
The GeForce RTX 4090, by about 19% (160 vs 134 FPS on high settings in our model).
Which is better for 4K, the RTX 4090 or the RX 7900 XTX?
The GeForce RTX 4090, by about 26% (108 vs 86 FPS on high settings in our model).
Does the RTX 4090 have more VRAM than the RX 7900 XTX?
No, both have 24GB of video memory.
Data last reviewed October 15, 2026. Launch prices are US MSRPs; board power is the reference design's rating. See the methodology for how every figure is produced.