NVIDIA’s CES 2025 event kicked off with significant fanfare as the company unveiled its highly anticipated RTX 5000 Series GPUs. CEO Jensen Huang took the stage to reveal the new lineup, which promises to redefine performance standards in gaming and generative AI.
The RTX 5000 Series includes four models: the flagship RTX 5090 and RTX 5080 set to launch on January 30, followed by the RTX 5070 Ti and RTX 5070 arriving later in February. Pricing starts at $549 for the RTX 5070 and scales up to $1,999 for the RTX 5090, reflecting NVIDIA's ambitious plans to maintain its dominance within the competitive GPU market.
According to NVIDIA, the RTX 5090 is equipped with 32GB of GDDR7 memory, 21,760 CUDA cores, and boasts memory bandwidth of 1,792GB/sec. Huang touted the GPU’s capabilities by claiming it can provide twice the performance of its predecessor, the RTX 4090. This leap signifies NVIDIA's commitment to pushing the boundaries of what their technology can achieve.
During the presentation, Huang even showcased the RTX 5090's stellar performance with Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty, illustrating how it could run the game at 4K resolution and 240 frames-per-second (FPS), all with full ray tracing and maximum settings. This impressive feat isn't just about speed; it's also about cutting-edge technology.
The new GPUs are powered by the NVIDIA Blackwell architecture, which brings several technical enhancements including DLSS 4 with Multi Frame Generation. This technology allows the RTX 5000 Series to multiply frame rates dramatically, delivering gaming experiences previously deemed impossible. Initial reports suggest this feature can increase frame rates by up to eight times when compared to traditional rendering methods.
NVIDIA's innovations extend beyond mere performance improvements. The introduction of RTX Neural Shaders is notable, as this technology utilizes machine learning to optimize the performance of graphical textures and other rendering tasks. One feature of RTX Neural Texture Compression, for example, reportedly enables the compression of thousands of textures within just minutes, reducing the VRAM footprint significantly.
Despite some concerns about VRAM capacities mirroring previous models like the RTX 4080, NVIDIA assures consumers these concerns won't hinder performance. Huang explained during the keynote, "Lack of VRAM should not be a problem this time around," thanks to the strides made with AI-enhanced rendering. This strategic focus on utilizing machine learning to mitigate common technical limitations is indicative of NVIDIA's forward-thinking approach.
Another key player within the performance enhancements is the latest Deep Learning Super Sampling (DLSS 4) technology. The leap from previous iterations promises improvements to both speed and image quality, making it more viable for competitive gaming scenarios where every millisecond of latency counts.
The RTX 5080, much like the 5090, is also built to deliver impressive capabilities. With 16GB of GDDR7 memory and up to 960GB/sec bandwidth, it is marketed as being twice as fast as the RTX 4080, aiming to cater to both gamers and creators alike.
The mid-tier RTX 5070 Ti aims for balance, offering 16GB of GDDR7 memory and good efficiency with performance expectations aligned closely with the previous generation's RTX 4070 Ti.
The lower-tier RTX 5070 finds its place as the most affordable entry point at $549, but NVIDIA guarantees it still performs commendably, with expectations of rivaling the RTX 4090 capabilities due to the new advantages conferred by DLSS 4 technology.
NVIDIA also highlighted its plans to extend these technologies to laptops, with models featuring up to 24GB of GDDR7 memory expected to launch shortly after the desktop counterparts. These laptops will offer individuals both the mobility and performance previously thought attainable only through desktop computing.
The anticipated launch of these new GPUs at CES has already begun stirring reactions within the industry, particularly concerning how AMD and Intel will respond to NVIDIA's advancements. Given the increasing performance disparity, industry analysts are keeping a vigilant eye on the competitive dynamics between them.
According to Huang, with "game-changing performance, power transformative AI experiences, and creative workflows completed at record speed," NVIDIA insists its new offering not only sets technical benchmarks but also redefines user expectations across diverse applications.
The response from the gaming community and tech enthusiasts has been overwhelmingly positive, indicating excitement about the prospects these advancements bring. With NVIDIA's RTX 5000 Series soon hitting the market, gamers can start gearing up for some serious upgrades.
Gamers and creators alike are encouraged to monitor release schedules and prepare to invest, as NVIDIA promises these GPUs and AI technologies will be transformative. With the RTX 5000 Series launch, the company continues its legacy of innovation and performance, marking yet another chapter of high expectations and advancements within the gaming graphics industry.