Honestly, it’s probably not surprising to anyone, but according to rumours, Nvidia’s new RTX 50 series will require significantly more power. The cards, which are expected to be unveiled during CES next week—especially the flagship model 5090—are said to have a thermal design power (TDP) of nearly 575W. For comparison, the predecessor, the RTX 4090, was already considered something of a power-hungry card with its 450W TDP.
This increase brings us closer to the limits of what a single 12VHPWR connector can deliver, which is 600W. However, it’s important to note that higher maximum power consumption doesn’t necessarily mean the cards will always draw more power during actual use.
For those of you considering an upgrade to the RTX 5090, it might be necessary to also revaluate your PC’s power supply. Nvidia recommends at least 850W for the RTX 4090, and with the increased power draw, the recommendation for the RTX 5090 is expected to rise to 1,000W. Great news for your electricity bill!
More information about Nvidia’s next-generation graphics cards is expected during their CES keynote, which kicks off tomorrow.
What graphics card do you currently have in your PC, and are you tempted to upgrade?