Talha Amjad
Asus’ TUF series is typically less expensive than Strix cards but focuses on robust build quality and a familiar design. The TUF Gaming RTX 4090 OC is a cost-effective variant of the flagship GPU compared to the manufacturer’s Strix, Strix LC, or Matrix models.
Even though the graphics card is less expensive than some of the premium variants, it offers the same level of performance using the 2023 market-leading RTX 4090 GPU. It is designed for 4K gaming without compromises and only competes with other graphics cards with the same GPU.
The closest competitor from AMD is the Radeon RX 7900 XTX, which is not as fast as the RTX 4090 but rather on par with the RTX 4080.
Specifications
| Specifications | Nvidia RTX 4090 Founders Edition | Gigabyte Gaming RTX 4090 OC | Gigabyte Aorus RTX 4090 Master | Asus TUF RTX 4090 OC |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GPU | AD102 | AD102 | AD102 | AD102 |
| Shading Units | 16384 | 16384 | 16384 | 16384 |
| GPU Clock: Base/Boost | 2235 MHz / 2520 MHz | 2235 MHz / 2535 MHz | 2235 MHz / 2550 MHz | 2235 MHz / 2565 MHz |
| FP32 Theoretical Performance | 82.58 TFLOPS | 83.07 TFLOPS | 83.56 TFLOPS | 84.05 TFLOPS |
| Dual BIOS | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Memory Configuration | 24 GB GDDR6X | 24 GB GDDR6X | 24 GB GDDR6X | 24 GB GDDR6X |
| Memory Clock (Effective) | 1313 MHz (21 Gbps) | 1313 MHz (21 Gbps) | 1313 MHz (21 Gbps) | 1313 MHz (21 Gbps) |
| Memory Bandwidth (Bus Width) | 1,008 GB/s (384-bit) | 1,008 GB/s (384-bit) | 1,008 GB/s (384-bit) | 1,008 GB/s (384-bit) |
| Outputs | 1x HDMI 2.1 3x DisplayPort 1.4a | 1x HDMI 2.1 3x DisplayPort 1.4a | 1x HDMI 2.1 3x DisplayPort 1.4a | 2x HDMI 2.1 3x DisplayPort 1.4a |
| TDP | 450 Watt | 450 Watt | 450 Watt | 450 Watt |
| Recommended Power Supply | 850 Watt | 1000 Watt | 1000 Watt | 850 Watt |
| PCIe Power Connectors | 1x 16-pin | 1x 16-pin | 1x 16-pin | 1x 16-pin |
| Slots | 3.1-Slot | 3.7-Slot | 3.8-Slot | 3.65-Slot |
| Dimensions (Length/Width/Height) | 304 mm (12 in) 137 mm (5.4 in) 61 mm (2.4 in) | 340 mm (13.4 in) 150 mm (5.9 in) 75 mm (3 in) | 359 mm (14.1 in) 163 mm (6.4 in) 75 mm (3 in) | 348 mm (13.7 in) 160 mm (6.3 in) 73 mm (2.9 in) |
The Asus TUF Gaming RTX 4090 supports PCI Express 4.0 and the OC model offers a 2565 MHz boost clock out of the box, which is 1.8% higher than the reference model. Like all cards with the same GPU, it features 16384 CUDA Cores, 512 Tensor Cores, and 128 RT Cores. This makes it the best GPU for 4K gaming with ray tracing in 2023.
You will need a single 16-pin power connector to power the graphics card, and ASUS recommends an 850W power supply unit. For video outputs, you get a pair of HDMI 2.1 ports and three DisplayPort 1.4a ports. This is an extra HDMI port compared to the Founders Edition and most other AIB partner cards.
While the OC variant offers a higher boost clock speed out of the box, it is an insignificant difference and something that you can achieve yourself for equivalent performance.
Design
Like other high-end graphics cards, the Asus TUF Gaming RTX 4090 is very large and effectively occupies four slots. It’s important to check case compatibility. A feature that distinguishes the TUF card from other cost-effective models is that the cooling shroud is made of aluminum rather than plastic, which is used by other brands such as Gigabyte.
The card features three 105mm axial-tech fans with dual-ball bearings, which ASUS claims increases airflow by 23%, and reduces temperature and noise levels. It also has a vapor chamber and a large heatsink with 8 heat pipes for heat dissipation. Furthermore, it has an aluminum backplate for heat dissipation and added rigidity.
The graphics card requires a single 16-pin power connector, and there is a BIOS switch that allows you to switch between performance mode and power mode. Switching between the two will alter the fan curve and the speed of the fans at different temperature ranges.
Reviews
It is an excellent product in terms of gaming performance and graphics quality. My biggest concerns are not with performance but with cooling as it is just so BIG.
Under the guise of ASUS TUF Gaming, the RTX 4090 is a decent card. While the physical design does look good, using an all-metal design on a GPU which is so large is an unwise move.
