Small PC, Big Graphics Card: RTX 5090 SFF Test

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Small PC, Big Graphics Card: RTX 5090 SFF Test

Sean Hollister, a veteran tech journalist, tests the surprisingly compact Nvidia RTX 5090 Founder’s Edition in a small form factor (SFF) PC. He challenges the notion that modern GPUs are excessively large and power-hungry.

Unlike its predecessors (RTX 3090, 4080, and 4090), the RTX 5090’s two-slot design allows it to fit in smaller cases. Hollister successfully installed it in his 12.7-liter Ncase M1, albeit with some modifications.

The Test Setup

The test involved upgrading Hollister’s mini-desktop with the RTX 5090 and a new 1000-watt power supply. Performance at 4K resolution was significantly higher than with his previous RTX 3080.

While the upgrade dramatically improved gaming performance, Hollister notes the high cost of both the GPU and power supply, along with the substantial power consumption – up to one kilowatt during testing.

He also highlights the need for an SFF-ready case with sufficient clearance due to the GPU’s 12V-2×6 power connector. His own case required modifications, and he couldn’t fully seal it.

Performance Results

Despite the challenges, the RTX 5090 delivered impressive results, allowing Hollister to max out games at 4K with high settings, even with ray tracing enabled (though he notes the best results are when combining ray tracing with upscaling and frame generation technologies).

Interestingly, Hollister’s older AMD 5800X CPU performed comparably to a more modern high-end CPU in many 4K benchmarks, showcasing the effectiveness of Nvidia’s cooler design.

Hollister concludes that while the RTX 5090 is surprisingly compatible with SFF PCs, potential buyers