Asus TUF GeForce RTX 4090 OC Review – A Whiny Graphics Card

Asus’ TUF Gaming graphics cards look like one of the more popular cards in the market. Luckily, I was able to spot a good offer from the second-hand market and purchased a slightly used Asus TUF RTX 4090. Today, I will share what I found about this graphics card after testing and playing with it for several weeks. Thankfully, its connector didn’t melt! The TUF Gaming RTX 4090 features an all-metal design, turning it into a solid, heavy graphics card. It’s currently priced above NVIDIA’s starting price but has premium aesthetics and build quality. If you plan to pick Asus’ TUF RTX 4090 graphics card or any of the best RTX 4090 cards in general, please continue reading our review below.

Asus GeForce RTX 4090 TUF OC Graphics Card Review

The GeForce RTX 4090, available since October 2022, remains unrivaled in the gaming GPU market even after a year of its release. As of now, no competitor or successor, such as the rumored “RTX 4090 Ti,” has emerged to challenge its dominance. It’s important to note that the existence of the RTX 4090 Ti is based on unconfirmed rumors.

In contrast, AMD’s fastest GPU, the Radeon RX 7900XTX, falls short of competing with the RTX 4090. Instead, it directly competes with the RTX 4080. The RX 7900XTX serves as AMD’s flagship GPU for this generation, and any potential release of a “7950 XT/X” remains uncertain.

NVIDIA Ada Lovelace Architecture

The RTX 4090 features NVIDIA’s Ada Lovelace architecture, equipped with 16,384 CUDA cores, 512 Tensor cores, and 128 RT cores. NVIDIA proudly claims the RTX 4090 to be the most advanced GPU, delivering impressive performance metrics of 83 Shader-TFLOPS, 191 RT-TFLOPS, and 1.3 Tensor petaFLOPS. With a massive 24GB of GDDR6X memory, the RTX 4090 achieves memory bandwidth exceeding 1 TB/s, complemented by a substantial 72MB L2 cache, a 12-fold improvement over the RTX 3090 Ti.

In simpler terms, the RTX 4090 outperforms the RTX 3090 by almost 70% and surpasses the RTX 3090 Ti by nearly 50%. The RTX 3090 Ti entered the market with a retail price of $2,000, and fortunately, the RTX 4090 launched at a slightly lower price point of $1,600. While it remains relatively expensive, NVIDIA did not exceed the $2,000 threshold with this GPU. Notably, the RTX 4090 extends its utility beyond gaming. It is also an excellent GPU for machine learning, deep learning, and AI applications due to its 24GB of GDDR6X memory.

Other Technological Innovations of RTX 40 Series GPUs

• New Streaming Multiprocessors (SM) – The new SM delivers up to 2x performance and power efficiency;
• 4th Generation Tensor Cores and Optical Flow – Enable and accelerate transformative AI technologies, including NVIDIA DLSS and the new frame rate multiplying NVIDIA DLSS 3;
• 3rd Generation RT Cores – Up to 2x ray tracing performance, delivering incredibly detailed virtual worlds like never before;
• Shader Execution Reordering (SER) – SER improves ray tracing operations by 2x, boosting FPS up to 44% in Cyberpunk with RT: Overdrive Mode;
• DLSS 3 – A revolutionary breakthrough in AI-powered graphics that massively boosts performance using AI to generate additional high-quality frames;
• NVIDIA Studio – Unmatched performance in 3D rendering, video editing, and livestreaming;
• AV1 Encoders – The 8th generation NVIDIA Encoder (NVENC) with AV1 is 40% more efficient than H.264, enabling new possibilities for streamers, broadcasters, and video callers.

Asus TUF Gaming RTX 4090 Features

Every GeForce RTX 4090 graphics card on the market includes the features of the Ada Lovelace architecture. After all, they have the same AD102-300 GPU inside. What sets these custom graphics cards apart is their unique cooler designs. Certain manufacturers opt for custom PCBs and, in some cases, include unnecessary levels of engineering and components. However, the performance of all RTX 4090 cards will be similar, as NVIDIA sets the limit and maintains control over these graphics cards.

Here are some highlighted features of the Asus TUF RTX 40 series graphics card:

• Larger Axial-tech Fans
• Dual Ball Fan Bearings
• Massive Heatsinks
• Vapor Chamber
• Military-grade 20K Capacitors
• Compact PCB
• Vented Metal Exoskeleton
• 3.65-Slot Design
• Graphics card holder and a screwdriver.

I’ll discuss more of its features as we take a closer look at the TUF Graphics card.

GeForce RTX 4090 Specifications

Check the latest pricing and availability: (#ad)
Asus TUF GeForce RTX 4090 OC is available on Amazon here.
Asus ROG Strix RTX 4090 OC Edition is available on Amazon here.

Packaging and Closer Look

The Asus TUF RTX 4090’s packaging is quite unique as it is housed in an elongated octagon. You can feel a different unboxing experience with the TUF graphics card. It feels like a military or industrial tool that you are unboxing. A photo of the RTX 4090 TUF card can be seen at the front, and you can read most of its highlighted features at the back.

The packaging includes the TUF RTX 4090 card itself, some reading materials, a 16-pin 12VHPWR to 8-pin (x4) adapter cable, a TUF graphics card holder with a screwdriver, and a Velcro hook and loop.

The TUF Gaming GeForce RTX 4090 features a durable and rugged design. It has a die-cast unibody shroud directly connected to an aluminum backplate to reinforce the structure and protect the PCB from sagging. There’s also a huge cutout at the back for airflow, and the sides of the cards have plenty of room for hot air to escape.

Compared to the previous TUF RTX 30 series card, the newer TUF RTX 40 series features larger Axial-tech fans. Asus claims a 20% boost in increased airflow. The cooling system has also been upgraded with a new vapor chamber, similar to the Strix RTX 4090.

Eight heat pipes, 5x 8mm and 3x 6mm, significantly improve cooling capacity with 35% more contact area than the previous TUF RTX 3090. The TUF RTX 4090 also features an 18+4 power phase design and uses “military-grade” capacitors rated for 20K hours.

Ports and Switch

At the output ports, it has 2x HDMI 2.1a and 3x DisplayPort 1.4a and supports HDCP 2.3. There’s also an onboard Dual BIOS switch where users can select between Quiet and Performance modes. But, personally, I just stick it to Performance mode. Even in performance mode, the fans still run silently.

Overall, the build quality on the Asus TUF is excellent and feels premium. While it doesn’t feel as premium as the Strix model, the TUF is simply on a different level compared to other graphics cards with plastic shrouds.

The only thing I am nit-picky about is the “GeForce RTX” logo, which NVIDIA requires. It looks off and doesn’t blend well with the overall aesthetics of the card. It feels and looks like the GeForce RTX logo was just “slapped” there at the last minute before shipping it out.

Anyway, let’s see how this graphics card performs.

Asus TUF RTX 4090 Review Test Setup

In testing the Asus TUF RTX 4090 for this review, I’m using an X670E motherboard with an AMD Ryzen 7 7700X. For the memory, a DDR5-6000MHz kit was used (AMD EXPO). Resizable BAR was also enabled from the BIOS settings. Below are the rest of the specifications of the system:

Operating System	Windows 11 Pro
Processor	AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D
Motherboard	MSI MPG X670E Carbon WiFi
Memory	Corsair Vengeance RGB DDR5-6000MHz CL30 AMD EXPO
Graphics Card	Asus TUF Gaming GeForce RTX 4090
OS Drive	MSI Spatium M480 Play
Game Drive	SanDisk Extreme PRO Portable SSD V2 and Extreme Portable SSD V2
Power Supply	MSI MPG A1000G PCIE5
Chassis	MSI MPG Velox 100P Airflow
Monitor	MSI Optix MPG321UR-QD 4K 144Hz

I used NVIDIA driver version 536.67, and the graphics card was tested in three resolutions – 1920×1080 FHD, 2560×1440 WQHD, and 3840×2160 4K UHD.

Asus TUF GeForce RTX 4090 Benchmarks

Synthetic Benchmark Results

Here are the results that I got with 3D Mark’s benchmark suite.

Based on 3DMark’s synthetic benchmarks, the TUF RTX 4090 performed noticeably faster than the RTX 4080 and Radeon RX 7900 XTX. The performance difference is more prominent in tests with higher resolution or more demanding graphics like Speed Way or Time Spy Extreme. Next, let’s check the results I got with real games.

GeForce RTX 4090 Ray Tracing and DLSS Benchmark Results

Before I show you the rasterization performance, let’s first start with ray tracing and DLSS performance. Some of you may not be interested in ray tracing. But with the help of DLSS 2 and DLSS 3 Frame Generation, even an X60-class GPU can offer playable frame rates while ray tracing is enabled.

Cyberpunk 2077

Notice that at 1080p, the TUF RTX 4090 card is bottlenecked by the resolution. As a result, it performed slightly slower than the RTX 4080, which should not be. That’s one reason why you should not get a fast GPU for 1080p gaming.

Meanwhile, at 1440, the RTX 4090 outperformed all the GPUs. And finally, at 4K, the RTX 4090 performed around 28% faster than the RTX 4080.

The Witcher 3

We can see the same scenario in The Witcher 3 when ray tracing and DLSS quality are enabled. The RTX 4090 doesn’t perform well in 1080, but it gets better at 1440p and got around 33% lead than the RTX 4080 at 4K.

Watch Dogs: Legion

While the TUF RTX 4090 was the “fastest” GPU at 1080p in Watch Dogs Legion, the performance difference is not that far from the other GPUs. It’s only at 4K that the RTX 4090 could perform well, with a lead of about 30%.

Now, let’s see some rasterization performance.

1080p Game Benchmark Results

Full HD or 1920×1080 is not the target resolution for the TUF RTX 4090. Purchasing an RTX 4090 for use with a 1080p monitor is not recommended for gaming. The display resolution and, potentially, the CPU may act as bottlenecks, severely constraining the RTX 4090’s capabilities and leaving a significant portion of its performance untapped. However, for this TUF RTX 4090 review, here are my benchmark results when testing the card in a 1080p resolution.

As expected, the RTX 4090 didn’t perform well in 1080p. There are some games where it was at the top of the chart, but mostly, it was behind the other GPUs. For example, in The Division 2, it performed so poorly that even an RTX 4070 Ti outperformed it. However, this may be case-to-case, depending on the game. But generally speaking, avoid picking an RTX 4090 for 1080p gaming.

1440p Game Benchmark Results

The performance of the TUF RTX 4090 in 1440p resolution shows a slight improvement over the 1080p setting. At 1440p, the TUF RTX 4090 has a bit more room to “stretch its legs”. However, the same cannot be said in all games, as it lags in games like Call of Duty MW II and The Division 2.

The RTX 4090 is still overkill for a 2560×1440 resolution, depending on the game. However, it’s a different case if the monitor is 3440×1440, especially the super ultrawide 5120×1440, which is almost a 4K resolution in terms of pixel count.

2160p Game Benchmark Results

Finally, at 3840×2160 (4K), it is where the TUF RTX 4090 truly shined, as the performance difference between the TUF RTX 4090 and the other GPUs became significant. It looks like the 4090s left the other cards to dust.

Pricing and Availability

NVIDIA’s official pricing for the GeForce RTX 4090 starts at $1,599. Sadly, even after almost a year, with no competition in sight, the RTX 4090 still starts at $1,599. Asus’ graphics cards are usually the more expensive cards in the market (“Asus tax”). Currently, the TUF Gaming RTX 4090 retails for around $1,799.99. Prices change, and it may have changed by the time you landed here. You can check the updated prices via the links below.

Check the latest pricing and availability: (#ad)
Asus TUF GeForce RTX 4090 OC is available on Amazon here.
Asus ROG Strix RTX 4090 OC Edition is available on Amazon here.

Asus TUF GeForce RTX 4090 OC Review Conclusion

You have seen the benchmark results above, and even without using one of the best gaming CPUs, the TUF GeForce RTX 4090 still stands above the rest in higher resolutions. Its ray tracing and pure rasterization performance are better than the other GPUs. The RTX 4090 can handle any games you can throw at it, even at 4K resolution. Well, it should be. It’s a flagship GPU, and it’s not cheap, especially these custom cards from AIC partners.

I haven’t included DLSS 3 Frame Generation in this TUF RTX 4090 review since it’s not the same as measuring frames per second. However, expect that it will further improve the smoothness of the gameplay. However, I consider Frame Generation still in its early stages.

Outside of gaming, the RTX 4090 can be used in productive workloads, too. Its generous 24GB GDDR6X memory proves useful for machine learning, deep learning, and various AI applications. Its dual NVIDIA encoders make it a valuable choice for streaming, video encoding, and media file processing that would benefit content creators.

Power and Temperature

When it comes to power consumption, Asus’ TUF RTX 4090 draws about 317W on average, with a peak draw of around 437W. Generally, it drew lesser power at FHD but consumed more at 4K, since it can maximize its potential at higher display resolution.

One thing I like about the TUF RTX 4090 is that it runs silently, and its temperature is just around 68°C on average. Its peak temperature was about 80°C, which is still very acceptable. The fans do not spin while the GPU is idle or at a low load, so the GPU is passively cooled; thus, expect a slightly higher idle temperature.

What I Didn’t Like About the TUF RTX 4090

Aside from its current price, there’s one thing that I also didn’t like about the TUF RTX 4090. The card that I got emits a coil whine noise. When I first tried it on my Thermaltake Core P3 TG Pro, I noticed some coil whine noise during full load. When I tested it in my test system, inside an MSI MPG Velox 100P Airflow case, the coil whine noise was no longer noticeable when the tempered glass side panel was closed.

My MSI RTX 4090 SUPRIM X had no coil whine noise, though. Unfortunately, it depends from one card to another. But many TUF RTX 4090 cards emit some level of coil whine noise, as reported by users in various forums.

Finally

At the end of the day, Asus’ TUF Gaming RTX 4090 is one heck of a graphics card. Minus the price and the coil whine noise, it’s a solid graphics card, built with premium materials. If you like its rugged or industrial look and prefer a graphics card with a metal shroud and backplate, consider the Asus TUF RTX 4090 at the top of your list.