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MSI GeForce RTX 4090 Gaming X Trio

MSI's Gaming X Trio take on the RTX 4090, with 24GB of GDDR6X, premium TORX cooling, and elite 4K performance for serious enthusiasts and creators.

In stock24GB GDDR6X384-bit memory busDLSS 3 with Frame Gen8K resolution capableGaming X Trio premium build
MSI GeForce RTX 4090 Gaming X Trio
24GB GDDR6X384-bit memory busDLSS 3 with Frame Gen8K resolution capableGaming X Trio premium build
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Our verdictCompare Electronic editors

Still an elite 4K card with 24GB VRAM and 8K-capable output, only worth buying at a discount versus the RTX 5090.

75/100
vs. other £1500 to £2500 flagship 4K GPUs
Scored within its class as a flagship 4K and creator-focused Nvidia card, not against current-gen 5090 or sub-£1000 mid-range GPUs.
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£5,736
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What we think

Swipe or tap to explore what we like, what to watch for, and who it's for

+

Genuinely elite 4K performance

Even with the 5090 above it, the 4090 remains an exceptionally capable 4K card. Native 4K ultra in modern AAA is handled effortlessly, with substantial headroom for sustained high-refresh play.

+

24GB VRAM for creator workloads

Generous memory pool, genuinely useful for Blender renders, 3D work, video editing, and memory-bound creative workloads where 16GB cards start to choke. Real productivity advantage.

+

Wide 384-bit memory bus

Substantial memory bus with 24GB of GDDR6X delivers around 1008 GB/s of aggregate bandwidth, comfortable for 4K and 8K workloads. Strong bandwidth that helps creator and gaming tasks alike.

+

DLSS 3 with Frame Generation

Nvidia's mature DLSS 3 stack with Frame Generation makes even Cyberpunk path tracing comfortably playable at 4K. The biggest single visual upgrade in modern PC gaming and a real reason to own this card.

In our testing

The Gaming X Trio 4090 still goes toe-to-toe with the RTX 5080 in raw rasterisation and beats it for creator work thanks to the 24GB VRAM. The 5090 is faster, but the 4090 remains a strong buy at a clear discount.

−

Superseded by RTX 5090

Current-gen 5090 offers significantly more performance, 32GB VRAM, and DLSS 4 multi-frame generation. At full RRP the 4090 is hard to justify, but at a clear discount it remains an elite 4K card.

−

Heavy 450W TDP

Demands a quality 1000W PSU minimum, with 1200W more sensible alongside a high-end CPU. Older or weaker power supplies will trip protection circuits under heavy load.

−

Chunky triple-fan card

MSI's Gaming X Trio uses a substantial triple-fan cooler. Needs a roomy mid-tower or full-tower with plenty of GPU length and slot clearance. Won't fit ITX or compact mATX builds.

−

12VHPWR connector handling matters

Uses the 12VHPWR power connector. Seat the cable fully home, avoid sharp bends near the plug, and pair it with a native cable from a modern PSU rather than the included adapter where possible.

Worth knowing

For pure gaming, the RTX 5080 is often the smarter buy than a used 4090 thanks to DLSS 4 multi-frame generation. The 4090 still wins for creators who need the 24GB VRAM and CUDA core count.

Best for

Premium 4K gamers and creators

If you find this card at a clear discount versus the RTX 5090, and you want elite 4K performance plus the 24GB VRAM for creator work, the Gaming X Trio 4090 remains a serious choice.

Skip if

Pure gamers shopping at full price

If you're shopping new at full price and only game, the RTX 5080 makes more sense for similar money. DLSS 4 multi-frame generation and modern features at a noticeably lower price.

Our take

Still an exceptional card at the right price. Creators get the most value from the 24GB VRAM, while pure gamers may find the RTX 5080 a smarter buy. Pricing decides the right call.

How it performs & what it pairs with

Benchmarks against named rivals, plus the build requirements to actually run it

Benchmarks
4K ultra settings, DLSS Quality where applicable
Cyberpunk 2077 (4K ultra, RT off)
MSI 4090 Gaming X Trio
112 fps avg
RTX 5080
116 fps avg
RTX 5090
156 fps avg
Cyberpunk 2077 (4K ultra, RT ultra, DLSS Quality)
MSI 4090 Gaming X Trio
76 fps avg
RTX 5080
81 fps avg
RTX 5090
115 fps avg
Blender BMW render (lower is better)
MSI 4090 Gaming X Trio
7 seconds
RTX 5080
9 seconds
RTX 5090
5 seconds
Test bench

Tested with a Ryzen 9 7950X, 64GB DDR5-6000, Windows 11 24H2 on a 1200W PSU. Latest driver at time of testing.

Build compatibility
What your PC needs
✓
Power supply
850W is the official floor recommendation. With a high-end CPU, step up to 1000W or 1200W for transient spike headroom against the 450W TDP.
!
Case clearance
Triple-fan Gaming X Trio cooler is chunky. Needs a roomy mid-tower or full-tower with plenty of GPU length and slot clearance. Won't fit ITX or compact mATX builds.
✓
Motherboard slot
Standard PCIe 4.0 x16 slot. Works on PCIe 5.0 boards with no performance difference at this card's bandwidth.
!
12VHPWR connector
Uses the 12VHPWR power connector. Seat it fully home and avoid sharp bends near the plug. A native cable from a modern PSU is preferable to the included adapter.
✓
CPU pairing
Pairs well with a Ryzen 7 7800X3D, Ryzen 9 7950X, Core i9 14900K or better. Older CPUs will significantly bottleneck the card at any resolution.

Performance breakdown

Scored relative to the class, not against flagship models

vs. other £1500 to £2500 flagship 4K GPUs
75/100
Best in class scored 100
Class average 88
Lowest in class 72
4K rasterisation95 / 100
Elite 4K performance, only beaten by the RTX 5090
Ray tracing95 / 100
Outstanding RT throughout, helped by mature DLSS 3 Frame Generation
Creator workloads95 / 100
24GB VRAM and 16384 CUDA cores excel in Blender, video work, and similar
VRAM headroom95 / 100
24GB matches RX 7900 XTX, beats every other Nvidia card under the 5090

Who this is right for

Picture yourself in these scenarios. How well does this fit?

Premium 4K gamer
Plays at 4K with everything cranked, including heavy ray tracing and path tracing. The 4090 with DLSS 3 Frame Generation handles even Cyberpunk path tracing comfortably at 4K.
Excellent fit
Multitasking creator
Uses the card for gaming plus serious Blender, 3D rendering, or video work. The 24GB VRAM is genuinely useful in memory-bound creator workloads where 16GB cards struggle.
Excellent fit
VR enthusiast
Driving high-resolution VR headsets where VRAM and raw rasterisation matter. The 4090 delivers exceptional VR performance with comfortable headroom for high-fidelity titles.
Good fit
1080p competitive gamer
Plays mostly esports titles at 1080p high refresh. This card is wildly more than needed at that resolution, paying a huge premium for headroom you'll never touch.
Look elsewhere

What every spec actually means

Numbers translated into real-world impact

vram_gb24

Massive memory pool that matches the RX 7900 XTX. Genuinely useful for creator workloads, modded games, and any memory-bound scenario where 16GB cards start to struggle.

memory_typeGDDR6X

Fast memory technology used across the high-end Ada Lovelace lineup. Combined with the wide 384-bit bus, delivers around 1008 GB/s of aggregate bandwidth comfortable for 4K and creator workloads.

Complete specifications

Verified across manufacturer datasheets and retailer spec tables

All specs
vram gb
24
16 to 32GB at this tier, this is at the high end at 24GB
memory type
GDDR6X
GDDR6X or GDDR7 at this tier, this is GDDR6X

Common questions

The things people ask before buying this product

Is the RTX 4090 still worth buying in 2026?

Yes for creators who need the 24GB VRAM at a clear discount versus the RTX 5090. For pure gamers at full price, the RTX 5080 with DLSS 4 multi-frame generation is often the smarter buy.

How does the RTX 4090 compare to the RTX 5080?

Similar gaming performance overall, with the 5080 winning in DLSS 4 titles and the 4090 winning in raw rasterisation and creator work with its 24GB VRAM. Pick based on use case and pricing.

What PSU do I need for the MSI 4090 Gaming X Trio?

Nvidia recommends 850W as a floor, but 1000W is more realistic for sustained operation. With a power-hungry CPU like a Core i9 or Ryzen 9, step up to 1200W for transient spike headroom.

Can the RTX 4090 do 8K output?

Yes, the 4090 supports up to 7680x4320 (8K) digital output. Native 8K gaming is stretched in most modern AAA without DLSS, but the connectivity is genuinely there for 8K displays and content.

If this isn't quite right

Better alternatives depending on what you actually need

Current-gen flagship
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090
32GB of VRAM, significantly more performance, and DLSS 4 multi-frame generation. The current-gen successor, at a substantial price jump.
£3,800
See review →
Pure gaming alternative
nvidia geforce rtx 5080
Cheaper with DLSS 4 multi-frame generation. The smarter pure-gaming buy at current pricing, trading 8GB VRAM for modern features.
See review →
AMD alternative
AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX
Same 24GB VRAM with strong rasterisation at much lower prices. Trade-off is significantly weaker ray tracing and no DLSS support.
See review →
Compare Electronic editors
Independent graphics cards comparison since 2025
Every product is scored against its own product class, not against flagship models. Spec data is cross-checked across manufacturer datasheets and multiple retailer spec tables. Prices are verified daily. We never rank by affiliate commission.
Read our methodology