Last night, during the highly anticipated Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2025, Nvidia unveiled its latest foray into the graphics card market with the RTX 50 series. Led by the flamboyant CEO Jensen Huang, whose snakeskin jacket drew plenty of attention, the company’s keynote was awash with innovation promises. However, amidst the excitement, there are more pressing concerns regarding the specifications and pricing of their flagship product, the RTX 5090. With a staggering power consumption of up to 575W and a price tag that could reach £1939 / $1999, many are left questioning the viability and necessity of such a device.
At first glance, the RTX 5090 appears to serve a singular purpose: to elevate the perception of the more moderately priced models within the series. When contrasted with its siblings, the RTX 5080, RTX 5070 Ti, and RTX 5070, the RTX 5090 seems almost excessive. It raises the question of whether the card is a genuine innovation or merely a marketing ploy to upsell the alternatives. The pricing discrepancy is particularly notable, as the entry points for the other models substantiate a more accessible choice for gamers. For instance, the RTX 4080 launched at a significantly lower price of £1269 / $1199, making the disparity with the RTX 5090 glaringly evident.
While the RTX 5090 garners significant attention, amidst the hype, Nvidia also introduced DLSS 4, an advancement over its predecessor, DLSS 3. The new version boasts a ‘Multi-Frame Generation’ feature that enables the creation of up to three AI-generated frames for each original frame rendered. This innovation has an apparent appeal, as it theoretically enhances game performance by increasing frame rates and improving visual smoothness. The commitment of 75 games to support this feature at launch is certainly ambitious, yet it is crucial to evaluate the quality of these enhancements as they are integrated into actual gameplay.
Moreover, Nvidia’s marketing strategy surrounding DLSS 4 raises eyebrows, particularly regarding how it vaguely masks performance discrepancies. By selectively benchmarking the most optimized conditions, Nvidia’s results risk painting an overly favorable picture. For instance, while it may tout substantial improvements in games like Alan Wake 2 and Black Myth: Wukong, genuine assessments of frame rates under varied conditions remain key to understanding the real-world application of this feature.
Another significant point of elaboration within the announcements was the potential for input lag introduced by the new frame generation technology. While DLSS 4 offers impressive numbers, gamers must consider whether the additional processing time for AI-generated frames might create a disconnect between their inputs and on-screen actions. Nvidia hopes to mitigate these concerns with Reflex 2, which promises substantial reductions in latency by streamlining the coordination between the CPU and GPU.
This new tool, Frame Warp, seeks to enhance responsiveness by predicting camera positioning based on mouse input, filling in the gaps and effectively reducing the time players must wait before seeing their actions reflected on screen. However, whether this strategy will genuinely result in a tangible difference in gameplay experience remains to be scrutinized, especially as only a handful of games are confirmed to implement Reflex 2.
As innovation burgeons, Nvidia’s push for generative AI plays a dual role, facilitating breakthroughs while also introducing a warped reality into gaming. One particularly contentious element showcased was the “Co-Playable Character” system, exemplified by PUBG Ally. This creation, built on the Nvidia ACE NPC toolkit, exemplifies a curious intersection between gaming and the notion of ‘dead internet’ theories. Characters designed to be overly subservient raise concerns about creativity and authenticity in gaming narratives. Arguably, the introduction of such features undermines the very essence of interactive entertainment.
In sum, the revelations stemming from CES 2025 signal an ambitious but controversial chapter in Nvidia’s trajectory. While the RTX 5070 and 5080 can be positioned as reasonable advancements over their predecessors, the RTX 5090’s staggering pricing necessitates a critical perspective. The technological innovations such as DLSS 4 and Reflex 2 promise significant enhancements; however, gamers must remain vigilant about the implications of these advancements. As excitement swirls around these announcements, the community must engage in judicious analysis of whether these innovations genuinely enrich gaming experiences or merely elevate Nvidia’s market positioning. As the launch approaches, one thing is certain: the dialogue around these graphics cards is only just beginning.