Best RTX 3090 graphics cards in 2022
A comprehensive look at some of the best RTX 3090 AIBs the market has to offer!
A comprehensive look at some of the best RTX 3090 AIBs the market has to offer! Launched as the new flagship from Nvidia it brings the maximum power available and the potential for the best graphics card around.
Stock levels aside, the RTX 3090 is by far the most potent GPU in today’s market. It offers up unrivaled gaming performance in modern titles, bringing 4K – and 8K gaming according to Nvidia – at 60 frames per second to desktop gaming PCs.
Like the RTX 3080, the 3090 comes equipped with 2nd Gen ray-tracing cores, 3rd generation tensor cores, and Nvidia’s latest Ampere architecture. However, with an additional 14GB of GDDR6X VRAM, the RTX 3090 is much more potent in other areas.
In the following guide, we’ll be taking a closer look at some of the best RTX 3090 AIBs to see which stacks up best when it comes to gaming, thermals, aesthetics, and overall value for money.
Our Top Picks
The best RTX 3090 graphics cards in 2022
In-depth Review
MSI Gaming GeForce RTX 3090 Gaming X Trio 24G
MSI Gaming GeForce RTX 3090 Gaming X Trio 24G
Like our RTX 3080 article, the MSI RTX 3090 Gaming X Trio gets the top spot here once again – beating rivals by showcasing better cooling, greater aesthetic appeal, and overall value for money.
The design of the 3090 is very similar to what we’ve seen in the past, utilizing an almost identical triple-fan cooling solution as previous iterations. The RTX 3090 is almost identical to the 3080 in design, only differing in size slightly (323 x 140 x 56mm). Whilst the cooling solution may look the same as previous generations, there is a clear performance difference that can be found when diving a little deeper into this GPUs design.
The Gaming X Trio comes equipped with the newly-designed MSI Tri Frozr 2 cooling solution, equipped with Torx Fan 4.0 technology and more efficient core pipes. The Torx Fan 4.0 technology is carefully designed to help focus airflow over the heatsink, providing greater heat dissipation. Core pipes have been machine-designed for maximum contact over the GPU, helping to spread the heat along the full length of the heatsink. These two design features, ultimately, have a huge impact on the thermal performance of this improved Frozr design. Especially as the card pushes the frequency to a 1785 MHz boost clock.
Like the RTX 3080 Gaming X Trio, the 3090 also comes equipped with very good build quality. MSI has used a similar anti-bending metal strap on the 3090 which adds a tonne of rigidity to this card’s design. That being said, you’ll still want to ensure your motherboard has re-inforced PCIe lanes and a solid mounting bracket on the case. This thing is heavy.
ASUS TUF Gaming Nvidia GeForce RTX 3090 OC
ASUS TUF Gaming Nvidia GeForce RTX 3090 OC
Next up we have the hugely impressive ASUS TUF Gaming RTX 3090. It comes to the table sporting a stylish aesthetic that hasn’t been overpowered with RGB or unnecessary design additions – we’re looking at you EVGA. Whilst the ASUS TUF Gaming isn’t the most expensive 3090 on shelves, it’s still one of the most efficient when it comes to cooling.
The new thermal design ASUS has opted to use has been carefully designed to get the highest levels of thermal dissipation from this card. The fans are newly-designed with Axial-tech which, in its simplest form, helps to more accurately direct the flow of air when it’s needed most. The fans rely on dual ball bearings to not only ensure consistent performance but also increase the longevity of the design when compared to sleeve alternatives. Furthermore, ASUS decided to utilize reverse rotation for the center fan which provides less turbulence and a quieter experience.
Cooling aside, the ASUS TUF Gaming RTX 3090 is a 2.7 (3) slot card that measures in at 299 x 126 x 51 mm. Whilst it’s on the smaller side of the RTX 3090 size spectrum, it’s still a massive card when compared to older generations. That said, with a carefully thought-out design and some cool aesthetic features, this card really does look the part.
Gigabyte GeForce RTX 3090 GAMING OC 24G
Gigabyte GeForce RTX 3090 GAMING OC 24G
Gigabyte is one of the biggest names in the GPU game, bringing high levels of build quality and performance to the table. Thankfully, the RTX 3090 Gaming OC 24G ticks both of those boxes and more. Like the other cards in this guide, the RTX 3090 Gaming OC 24G comes to the table sporting exactly the same design as its little brother, the 3080. The only additional extra is the SLI compatibility which can be found at the base of the card.
Overall, however, the Gigabyte RTX 3090 looks pretty damn good. The logo can be found on the top of the card and is the only area that accommodates any form of RGB – unlucky RGB lovers. That being said, the RGB is extremely bright and definitely adds to your build’s overall design. Like other cards on this list, Gigabyte has given both the 3080 and 3090 the exact same thermal design. That said, it has been bolstered from previous generations in order to handle the additional heat the 3090 generates.
The Windforce 3X cooling system has been equipped with this card, providing outstanding levels of heat dissipation. Like the other cards in this guide, the thermal design offers up stop-start technology, a feature that switches off the fans when the card drops below 55 degrees. Whilst this is fairly standard in modern-day graphics cards, it’s still a nice feature and brings noise levels right down.
Out of the box, the Gigabyte RTX 3090 Gaming OC 24G has been clocked to a fairly modest 1755MHz. That said, this card is more than capable of pushing past this figure when put under maximum stress. Fusion 2.0 also allows users to customize and synchronize the lighting to their exact requirements.
A metal backplate has been equipped with this GPU to give it an additional boost in the build quality department. Whilst this may seem overkill, it’s actually not. The Gaming OC is an extremely heavy card – one of the heaviest we’ve tested – and requires every bit of reinforcements it can get.
ZOTAC Gaming GeForce RTX 3090 Trinity
ZOTAC Gaming GeForce RTX 3090 Trinity
Last but not least, is the ZOTAC RTX 3090 Trinity. This extremely attractive GPU ticks a lot of the right boxes, but most importantly, it ticks the affordability box. Whilst it might not be the fastest (out the box clock frequency), it still provides excellent cooling, great aesthetics, and pretty good build quality.
From a design point of view, it’s pretty hard to knock the ZOTAC. This thing looks fantastic. It comes equipped with the Ice Storm 2.0 cooling solution which, not only looks great but operates in a very efficient manner. This is also one of the only RTX 3090s that offers RGB on the rear of the card. Whilst it is only subtle, it definitely adds a lot to the look of this GPU.
Looks aside, the ZOTAC 3090 has been equipped with a hugely impressive cooling system. The Ice Storm 2.0 is a triple-fan configuration – like every other 3090 in this guide – which offers stop-start technology and a ‘flow-through’ backplate which is in keeping with the Founder’s Edition.
At the rear of the card, ZOTAC has installed an additional metal plate which adds a ton of extra rigidity to this card’s overall makeup. As far as inputs go, the ZOTAC brings 3 x DisplayPort 1.4a and an HDMI 2.1 to the table, giving users access to a wide array of display options.
Final Word
So, there you have it, our comprehensive breakdown of the best RTX 3090 graphics cards available this 2022.
Hopefully, this article has given you a greater understanding of the better RTX 3090 AIBs and should steer you in the right direction when it comes to purchasing time. Ultimately, we would not recommend this card for gaming over the RTX 3080. It simply doesn’t offer the levels of performance you’d expect for such a large jump in the pricing. With plenty of headroom at lower resolutions, it wouldn’t make sense to spend so much more on it.
However, if you do CAD work or highly taxing workflows, the RTX 3090 could definitely be a GPU to consider. Or even the more recent RTX 3090 Ti that offers even faster speeds.