The RTX 5090 uses Nvidia's biggest die since the RTX 2080 Ti

The massive chip measures 744mm2

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Highly anticipated: As the unveiling of consumer Blackwells draws near, clear images of Nvidia's next-generation graphics cards are beginning to materialize. The new lineup's flagship product will undoubtedly set new performance benchmarks, but the latest information suggests that it will also use one of the biggest chips in Nvidia's history.

Trusted leaker "MEGAsizeGPU" recently claimed that Nvidia's upcoming GB202 graphics processor, which will power the GeForce RTX 5090, uses a 24mm x 31mm die. If the report is accurate, it might support earlier rumors claiming the graphics card will retail for nearly $2,000.

A 744mm² die would make the GB202 22 percent larger than the RTX 4090's 619mm² AD102 GPU. It would also be the company's largest die since the TU102, which measured 754mm² and served as the core of the RTX 2080 Ti, released in 2018.

Although the RTX 5090 utilizes a larger GPU than the 4090, earlier reports indicated that the final consumer product will be smaller than its predecessor, as it won't use the entire die. The 4090's monstrous profile primarily stems from its triple-slot cooler. In contrast, the Blackwell flagship will have a more typical two-slot design featuring dual fans to fit a broader range of chassis.

However, all other known specs suggest that the 5090 represents a substantial leap forward. With 21,760 CUDA cores and 32GB of 28GB/s GDDR7 VRAM on a 512-bit bus, it should offer an estimated 70 percent performance boost over the 4090. The clock speed remains unclear, but the card features a 600W TBP. Connectivity support includes PCIe 5.0 and DisplayPort 2.1a.

The second Blackwell GPU, GB203, will power the RTX 5080 and 5070 Ti. While the 5080 utilizes the whole die with 10,712 cores, 16GB of VRAM on a 256-bit bus, and a 400W TBP, the 5070 Ti is cut down to 8,690 cores and draws 300W.

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The RTX 5070 will also use the full GB205 die, with 6,400 cores and 12GB of VRAM on a 192-bit bus. Reports indicate that the 5090, 5080, 5070, and 5070 Ti will debut at CES in January, featuring GDDR7 VRAM. The RTX 5060 will likely launch a few weeks later.

AMD is also expected to unveil the Radeon RX 8000, codenamed RDNA4, at CES, while Intel might reveal its Arc Battlemage GPUs next month.