- Expectation for Nvidia RTX 5090 is a 60% to 70% gen-on-gen uplift
- RTX 5070 might be way behind that on 20% to 30% faster than 4070
- With RTX 5080 landing in-between at 30% to 40% quicker than 4080
Nvidia’s RTX 5000 GPUs are just around the corner – Team Green has now officially teased new GeForce graphics cards for CES 2025 – and we’ve just heard some more buzz on the potential performance levels these Blackwell products might achieve.
This is a rumor that you need to load up on the seasoning with, because as the source – regular leaker on X, OneRaichu – points out, these are just their expectations.
In the post which was flagged up by Digital Trends, OneRaichu believes that the flagship (RTX 5090) will be 60% to 70% faster for the GPU’s generational uplift.
The prediction is that ‘high-level’ Blackwell GPUs – which we’d take to mean the RTX 5080 – will be 30% to 40% faster, and for mid-range, that tapers down to 20% to 30% quicker than Nvidia’s predecessor graphics cards. In that latter case, we presume this refers to the RTX 5070 – and maybe to a lesser extent the RTX 5060, although this GPU is likely to be a lot further out, going by the lack of rumored specs (and any performance forecasts) around it.
Analysis: Great news for PC enthusiasts, in theory – not so much for the mainstream
As noted, these are just expectations, but of course those expectations are built on a bedrock of leaks which OneRaichu has been hearing for some time.
What’s interesting is that regarding the RTX 5090, in past rumors, we’ve been hearing about the next-gen flagship being anything from 50% to 70% faster than the RTX 4090. So, this leaker’s assertion is that it’ll be towards the top-end of those previous estimates, a hint – taken with plenty of skepticism – that this is going to be a mighty graphics card from Nvidia. Likely with an equally mighty price tag (as in you ‘might’ not be able to afford it unless you take out a second mortgage).
On the other hand, the RTX 5070 may be a much more modest gen-on-gen uplift, which is disappointing to me – and all mainstream gamers with more typical gaming PC budgets – and this also fits with some of the rumors that we’ve heard about that graphics card. (Notably the purported 12GB of VRAM which, even if it is much nippier GDDR7, could be a real sticking point for many).
At least we don’t have long to wait to find out how accurate this forecast – and the other speculation from the grapevine – will be, as Nvidia is almost certainly going to reveal RTX 5000 graphics cards at CES 2025, given that fresh teaser. (And the fact that the new Witcher 4 trailer also used an unannounced RTX GPU, likely the 5090).