Nvidia RTX 5090 Leak: What to Expect from the Upcoming GPU

Tech enthusiasts, get your VR headsets ready because Nvidia is kicking off an early holiday frenzy with jaw-dropping leaks of its upcoming flagship GPU, the RTX 5090. These PCB (Printed Circuit Board) photos, surfacing just weeks ahead of CES 2025, give us a tantalizing glimpse into the next-gen hardware. Let's break down what this reveal means for Nvidia’s Blackwell lineup and the broader computing world.

What’s the Big Deal About the RTX 5090 PCB Leak?​

Imagine seeing the skeleton of a beast before it roars—the RTX 5090’s PCB is just that. The leaked photos offer a stripped-down look at the internals of Nvidia's powerhouse GPU. From the compact PCB layout to the rumored tech specs, every nugget of information here is like getting into Willy Wonka’s factory before the chocolate starts flowing.

Short PCB Design: Compact Powerhouse​

The first detail catching everyone’s eye is the short PCB design. Nvidia seems to be sticking with its pass-through vapor chamber cooling system, similar to what we've seen in the Ampere and Ada Lovelace generations of GPUs. This cooling method essentially exhausts heat more efficiently by allowing airflow to pass all the way through the GPU. This design approach keeps high-powered components cool, which might explain why Nvidia pushed the envelope here.
If you're reading this and wondering, "Why does cooling even matter for gamers?" imagine playing Cyberpunk 2077 at 4K with ray tracing turned all the way up. The GPU gets hot—like, fry-an-egg-on-it hot. A thermally efficient design equals smoother gaming and better long-term performance.

Power Hungry, But Efficient?​

Here’s a juicy bit: the RTX 5090 will reportedly use the 12V-2×6 power standard, capable of delivering a whopping 600W of power. Yes, 600 watts. This power delivery system comes from Nvidia’s adoption of PCIe 5.0 power connectors, replacing the older 8-pin connectors while offering higher efficiency and tighter power regulation.
However, many in the PC-building community are gnashing their teeth over potential reliability issues. Power-hungry GPUs of this ilk have faced criticism (think RTX 4090’s melting cable fiascos). Only time—and Nvidia’s engineers—will tell whether these new power connectors can stand the heat.

VRAM That Means Serious Business​

Let’s get to the heart of every GPU's performance: the VRAM. The RTX 5090 is set to launch with a staggering 32GB of VRAM. For context, that’s double what the RTX 4090 offered. This amount of memory will be a game-changer for professionals and gamers alike, allowing high-resolution textures, AI-powered rendering, and simulation workloads to perform at blistering speeds.
If you’re thinking, “32GB of VRAM on a gaming card? Is that even necessary?”—absolutely! With technologies like DLSS 3.5 and path tracing pushing hardware limits in AAA games, GPUs like the RTX 5090 will redefine what’s possible on consumer systems. Also, for video editors and 3D modelers dealing with 8K textures or simulations, this level of memory headroom is nothing short of a godsend.

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Launch Timeline and Details: What We Know​

Mark your calendars: CES 2025 is when Nvidia’s Blackwell lineup will debut, with the RTX 5090 taking center stage. Alongside the flagship model, the RTX 5080 and RTX 5070 Ti will also make their entrances.
Expect a staggered release schedule:

• The RTX 5080 is expected to launch first in Q1 2025.
• The RTX 5090 will make its retail debut shortly thereafter.

With Nvidia's release pattern following a top-down approach, enthusiasts and mainstream PC gamers alike will have something to look forward to next year.

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What Does This Mean for Gamers, Professionals, and the Industry?​

For Gamers​

The RTX 5090 is poised to obliterate the performance chart in 2025. From harnessing real-time path tracing to achieving seamless gameplay at 8K resolution, this GPU might mark the beginning of a new gaming era. If game developers fully embrace its tech specs—like they are just starting to do with DLSS—gamers will see unparalleled visual fidelity and performance.
However, the 600W power requirement may make upgrading to this behemoth a logistical nightmare. New cases, power supplies, and even cooling setups may be necessary, so don’t plan on slotting this into your 2018-era build.

For Professionals​

With 32GB of VRAM, the RTX 5090 is a productivity goldmine. Designers working with AI, simulation data, or heavy video workloads will find this card a cure for bottlenecks. NVIDIA may once again blur the line between professional-grade GPUs (like Quadro) and consumer GPUs.

For the Industry​

Nvidia is making a bold statement: power efficiency alone isn’t the future—it’s raw power with a hint of efficiency. If the Blackwell architecture continues the path set by Ada Lovelace, we might see unprecedented integration of AI processors, tensor cores, and ray tracing capabilities in desktop GPUs.

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The Bottom Line: What to Expect Next​

The Nvidia RTX 5090’s leaked PCB is a mouthwatering preview of what’s to come. It encapsulates Nvidia’s strategy of always being one step ahead in the GPU arms race. But with great power comes great cooling—and power supply demands. While the hardware is clearly shaping up to be a beast, we need to cross our fingers that Nvidia's design excellence keeps this beast cool and consistent.
As we await CES 2025, here are a few questions to keep in mind:

• Will Nvidia iron out reliability concerns surrounding new power connectors?
• Could AMD’s RDNA 4 series provide serious competition?
• How will consumers balance the increasing demands of GPUs on electricity and systems?

Stay tuned for more updates in the coming weeks, and let’s hope Nvidia can take our expectations and push them to the moon (or at least to 8K gaming with buttery-smooth frame rates).

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Source: NoMusica Early Nvidia RTX 5090 PCB Leaks Reveal Key Details Ahead of CES 2025 Launch

 

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Holy silicon breakthroughs, Batman! The rumor mill just churned out a big one: the alleged PCB (Printed Circuit Board) of NVIDIA’s next-gen flagship GPU—the GeForce RTX 5090—might’ve just leaked, splashing the internet with tantalizing details. Let’s buckle up and unpack every detail of this explosive news that’s bound to send waves through the tech community.

The Leak in Question: A Silent Whistleblower on Chiphell​

The popular hardware discussion forum Chiphell has become ground zero for what many suspect is a leaked image of the RTX 5090's PCB. Tech-savvy sleuths quickly dissected the image, and what they found was nothing short of a tantalizing blueprint for power and performance.
Here’s the juicy part: the photo showcases two interconnected boards, lending immediate credence to the possibility that this GPU might be packing some severe heat under the hood. Even more eyebrow-raising is the spot for 16 VRAM chips surrounding the GPU, suggesting the RTX 5090 could swing a whopping 32GB of cutting-edge memory. (Yes, that’s 2GB per chip for the mathematically inclined out there).
While the VRAM alone raises our collective geek eyebrows, one interesting feature hints at a broader philosophy at work: despite the large power draw expected of a machine like this, the board appears to rely on a single 12V power connector—a hallmark of design focus on efficiency and minimalism. Could this be NVIDIA’s shot at reining in power-hungry demons, even for high-performance setups? Only time will tell.
Oh, and there's more: a ZOTAC website temporarily leaked specs implying the 32GB VRAM configuration, which lines up neatly with this PCB’s architecture.

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Nerding Out on the Technicals: Decode This, Sherlocks​

Let’s talk about what this PCB leak tells us—concrete facts and well-educated guesses.

1. Memory Configuration​

As mentioned, the PCB sports 16 discrete spaces for VRAM chips. This is typical of high-end GPUs, such as the RTX 4090, but the sheer capacity—32GB—sets a new standard. If you’re thinking, "Do I really need that much video memory?" the answer largely lies in how deep your gaming, rendering, or machine-learning pockets (both literal and figurative) go.

• Gamers: Ultra settings? Ray tracing? 8K gaming? You’ll finally have the tech to future-proof your rig.
• Creatives: Blender, DaVinci Resolve, and 3D graphics rendering often eat VRAM for breakfast. This is their dream buffet.
• AI Researchers: NVIDIA’s GPUs have become foundational in training large-scale AI models. 32GB onboard eradicates many bottlenecks developers currently face.

2. Power Play: The Single Connector​

Instead of relying on multiple cables like some power-hungry beasts (cough 4090 cough), the PCB opts for a single 12V connector. This means:

• Efficiency Gains: Consolidated power could (in theory) lead to fewer electronics failures or reduced overheating issues—problems some RTX 4090 users faced with melted cables.
• Aesthetic Simplicity: Fewer connectors mean a cleaner cable management setup.

Speculative Highlight: Does this mean NVIDIA is planning to enhance power delivery directly through PCIe 5.0 slots? This would perfectly align with next-gen mobo designs coming our way.

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AMD: Not Sitting Idle Either​

Competition always breeds brilliance. While NVIDIA preps its RTX 5090 for potential CES 2025 glory (more on that in a minute), their rival AMD is gearing up for a bold entrance into next-gen GPUs. AMD’s upcoming monster, tentatively named the Radeon RX 9070 XT, has already teased its triple-fan cooling setup and implied power draw beastliness.

RDNA 4 vs. Ada-Next?​

Interestingly, AMD’s move toward RDNA 4 architecture for early 2025 aligns head-to-head with what we expect from NVIDIA’s obsession with pushing GPU architecture under its Ada Lovelace successor (tentatively named Ada-Next).
The question becomes: where will these architectures clash? Memory bandwidth, AI processing, ray-tracing power, or raw frame-per-second performance? Either way, consumers are the ultimate winners.

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RTX 5090: Hypotheticals Based On Trends​

Let’s extrapolate: based on NVIDIA’s historical trajectory (and understanding that Jensen Huang remains a "one-more-thing" wizard at product reveals), here’s what’s likely coming alongside or within the RTX 5090:

A. Die Shrinks & Performance Efficiency​

The growing consensus suggests NVIDIA is planning its GPUs towards processes involving 5nm or smaller fabrication nodes. Smaller dies enable higher transistor counts (read: POWER) while lowering heat output and power consumption—a win all around.

B. AI Integration: Tensor and RT Core Upgrades​

• Expect even more robust Tensor Core architecture for AI-enhanced upscaling (like DLSS 3.0), improving real-time gameplay richness without taxing the core frames-per-second performance.
• Ray tracing is now the golden child of high-end consumer graphics, meaning NVIDIA will likely double down on RT Core tech optimizations.

C. PCIe 5.0 and Beyond​

Given the bandwidth thresholds required to truly harness RTX 5090-level speeds, PCIe 5.0 (or even newer, futuristic standards?) integration is all but guaranteed.

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NVIDIA at CES 2025: What We Know​

Mark your calendars, put those soft drinks aside, and get ready: NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang is slated to take the stage at CES 2025 on January 7, 2025, at 11:30 AM JST. This date all but ensures the RTX 5090 will grace the spotlight in full glory. If not, NVIDIA might at least tease its impending release as a mic-drop moment.

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What Does This Mean for Windows Users?​

As Windows aficionados eagerly await the game's hottest hardware, let’s not forget: GPUs like these aren’t just for bragging rights—they bring a practical twist for the whole ecosystem.

• Windows 11 Integration: Hardware acceleration could push DirectStorage 1.2 and further optimizations—you’re looking at insanely faster game load times.
• AI-Powered Apps: NVIDIA’s CUDA platforms already assist in apps like Adobe Premiere or AI tools running on Windows. GPUs like the 5090 will turbocharge these processes.
• Gaming Evolution: Higher resolutions, AI-based enhancements—and no bottlenecks for the foreseeable future.

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Conclusion: Is the Hype Justified?​

Absolutely, yes.
The alleged RTX 5090 PCB leak is lighting up imaginations. While we must tread cautiously until official NVIDIA announcements land, all the specs we’re piecing together point to a GPU primed to shatter our expectations. Whether it stands alone in its power or dukes it out with AMD's RDNA 4 tech remains to be seen.
And the icing on this already magnificent cake? Jensen Huang’s CES keynote. Whatever happens on January 7, it’s a safe bet NVIDIA’s RTX 50 series (led by the purported 5090) is about to set the GPU world ablaze. Are you ready for it, Windows warriors?

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What are your thoughts on the potential power of the RTX 5090? Is 32GB VRAM overkill, or is this just preparing for the future? Let’s discuss below!

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Source: GIGAZINE NVIDIA's next-generation graphics board 'RTX 5090' photo leaked, revealing a glimpse of its performance