The rumor mill has been churning for months, and now, leaked images of what appears to be the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 PCB (printed circuit board) have surfaced, sending waves of excitement through the tech community. These images, initially shared on the Chinese tech forum Chiphell, offer tantalizing clues about NVIDIA’s next flagship graphics card, expected to launch at CES 2025. The PCB reveals a massive GPU package, a redesigned memory layout, and support for cutting-edge technologies that promise a significant leap in gaming and professional visualization performance.
What we know so far:
- Massive GB202 GPU: The leaked PCB showcases a large BGA (Ball Grid Array) package, believed to house the GB202 GPU. This behemoth of a chip is rumored to be significantly larger than its predecessor, suggesting a substantial increase in transistor count and processing power.
- GDDR7 Memory and a New Layout: The PCB features 16 GDDR memory modules arranged in a unique “Android” pattern, a departure from previous designs. This configuration could support a whopping 32GB, 48GB, or even 64GB of GDDR7 memory, depending on the module density (2GB, 3GB, or 4GB per module). GDDR7 itself is expected to deliver double the bandwidth of GDDR6X, further boosting performance.
- PCIe 5.0 and 12VHPWR Power: The PCB appears to utilize a PCIe 5.0 interface, offering double the bandwidth of PCIe 4.0, and a single 12VHPWR power connector, capable of delivering up to 600W of power. This suggests the RTX 5090 will be a power-hungry beast, but also capable of incredible performance.
- Custom Design: The leaked PCB is likely from a custom variant, possibly from PNY, given its larger size and lack of NVIDIA branding. However, the PCB markings suggest it’s based on NVIDIA’s PG145 reference design for the GB202.
Why this leak is significant:
This leak provides the most concrete evidence yet of NVIDIA’s plans for its next-generation graphics cards. It confirms previous rumors about the GB202 GPU, GDDR7 memory, and PCIe 5.0 support, painting a picture of a truly high-performance graphics card. The massive GPU and memory capacity suggest the RTX 5090 will be aimed at demanding workloads like 4K and 8K gaming, AI applications, and professional content creation.
My Take:
Having followed NVIDIA’s GPU development for years, I’m genuinely excited about the RTX 5090. The leaked PCB confirms the company is pushing the boundaries of graphics technology. The combination of the massive GB202 GPU, GDDR7 memory, and PCIe 5.0 has the potential to deliver a generational leap in performance. However, I’m also curious about how NVIDIA will manage power consumption and thermals with such a powerful card. It’s going to be interesting to see how cooler manufacturers tackle this challenge.
Deep Dive into the Leaked PCB
Let’s break down the key elements of the leaked PCB and what they tell us about the RTX 5090:
- GPU Package Size: The sheer size of the GB202 GPU package is striking. While exact dimensions aren’t confirmed, it’s clearly larger than the GA102 used in the RTX 3090 and the AD102 found in the RTX 4090. This suggests a significant increase in transistor count, which could translate to more CUDA cores, ray tracing cores, and tensor cores. Rumors suggest the RTX 5090 could boast over 20,000 CUDA cores, a significant jump from the RTX 4090’s 16,384.
- GDDR7 Memory Configuration: The 16 GDDR7 memory modules are arranged in a unique pattern that enthusiasts have dubbed the “Android” layout. This arrangement is likely designed to optimize signal routing and improve memory performance. The use of GDDR7 memory is a major upgrade, promising double the bandwidth of GDDR6X. This will be crucial for handling the massive data throughput required for high-resolution gaming and demanding professional applications.
- PCIe 5.0 Interface: The inclusion of a PCIe 5.0 interface is another significant upgrade. This new standard offers double the bandwidth of PCIe 4.0, ensuring the GPU has ample bandwidth to communicate with the CPU and other system components. This is especially important for tasks like high-resolution gaming and video editing, where large amounts of data need to be transferred quickly.
- 12VHPWR Power Connector: The single 12VHPWR power connector is becoming the standard for high-end graphics cards. This connector can deliver up to 600W of power, which is necessary for the RTX 5090’s expected power consumption. However, it’s worth noting that this connector has faced some controversy due to melting issues in certain cases. Hopefully, NVIDIA and its partners have taken steps to address these concerns in their RTX 5090 designs.
Performance Expectations
Based on the leaked PCB and other rumors, the RTX 5090 is shaping up to be a performance monster. Here’s what we can expect:
- Significant Performance Uplift: The combination of the GB202 GPU, GDDR7 memory, and PCIe 5.0 should deliver a substantial performance increase over the RTX 4090. Early estimates suggest a 50-70% improvement in 4K gaming performance is possible.
- Enhanced Ray Tracing and DLSS: NVIDIA is expected to further enhance its ray tracing and DLSS (Deep Learning Super Sampling) technologies with the RTX 5090. DLSS 4, in particular, is rumored to offer a significant boost in image quality and performance.
- 8K Gaming Ready: With its powerful GPU and ample memory, the RTX 5090 should be capable of handling 8K gaming at reasonable frame rates. This will depend on game optimization and the use of upscaling technologies like DLSS, but the hardware is certainly there to make 8K gaming a reality.
- Professional Workload Powerhouse: The RTX 5090’s massive memory capacity and processing power will make it a formidable tool for professional workloads like 3D rendering, video editing, and AI training. Content creators and professionals will be able to tackle more demanding tasks with greater efficiency.
Looking Ahead
The leaked PCB has certainly fueled anticipation for the RTX 5090. However, it’s important to remember that this is still just a leak. NVIDIA hasn’t officially confirmed any details about the RTX 5090, so we’ll have to wait for the official announcement to get the full picture.
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