EVGA GeForce RTX 3090 FTW3 24GB GDDR6X

The EVGA RTX 3090 FTW3 Ultra is a 24GB VRAM monster that still holds its own for AI and 8K workloads, but it's showing its age for pure gaming. The 35.58 TFLOPS of compute and 936 GB/s memory bandwidth are the standout specs, while the 350W power draw and 32nd percentile efficiency are the trade-offs. US prices range from $1,875 to $2,700, so shop carefully. Buy it for the VRAM, not the frames.

Let's talk numbers. The PassMark G3D score of 26,521 puts this card in the 70th percentile for rasterization performance in our database. That's solid, but it's not the chart-topper it was when it launched. Newer cards like the RTX 5090 and even some 5080 variants have pushed past it in raw gaming frames. But here's what people miss: the 24GB of GDDR6X on a 384-bit bus delivering 936 GB/s of memory bandwidth is still a monster for workloads that eat VRAM for breakfast. AI inference, 8K video editing, massive 3D scenes, this card chews through them without breaking a sweat.

The compute side is where this card really flexes. With 35.58 TFLOPS of FP32 and FP16 performance, it lands in the 83rd percentile for compute. That's well above average, and it's why this card remains popular for people doing CUDA-accelerated work. The 328 Tensor cores and 82 RT cores mean ray tracing and DLSS are fully on the table, and the ray tracing score of 81/100 backs that up. It's not the absolute best ray tracing card anymore, but it's still in the top tier of what we've tested.

The catch is thermals and power. The thermal performance sits at the 92nd percentile, which sounds great until you realize that's because EVGA had to engineer a cooling solution capable of dissipating 350W of heat. Customer reviews consistently mention memory temperatures hitting 105°C before thermal throttling kicks in. That's not a defect, it's just what happens when you push GDDR6X this hard. You'll want a case with serious airflow, and a 750W power supply is the bare minimum. Most people we've seen running this card are using 850W or higher, and some reviewers went straight to 1200W.

The competitive landscape has shifted a lot since this card launched. The ASUS TUF Gaming RTX 5090 with 32GB of GDDR7 absolutely demolishes the 3090 in raw performance, but you're paying a massive premium for that privilege. The Gigabyte AERO RTX 5080 with 16GB is faster in rasterization and much more efficient, but it has two-thirds the VRAM. For AI workloads that need to fit large models in memory, the 3090's 24GB still gives it a real advantage over 16GB cards.

The MSI Ventus RTX 5070 Ti is an interesting comparison. It's newer, more efficient, and likely cheaper in most markets, but again, 16GB of VRAM. The ZOTAC APOCALYPSE RTX 5080 and Sapphire NITRO+ are also in the mix, but they're chasing the same 16GB ceiling. If your workload doesn't need more than 16GB, any of these newer cards will give you better performance per watt and better ray tracing. But if you're hitting VRAM limits, the 3090 FTW3 is still the budget-friendly way to get 24GB without jumping to a 4090 or 5090.

Here's where things get interesting. The USD pricing on this card is all over the place, ranging from $1,875 to $2,700 across two listings. That's an $825 spread, which is frankly absurd for the same card. If you're shopping in the US, the lower end of that range is where you want to be. The CAD market is even wilder, with prices from $1,100 to $2,400, a $1,300 gap. The cheapest CAD listing is the one to hunt for if you're north of the border.

But let's be real about value. The affordability score of 63.3/100 is the weakest area for this card, and that's being generous. You're paying a premium for the 24GB of VRAM and the EVGA name. If you're purely gaming at 1440p, this card is overkill and you're burning money on electricity for frames you won't see. But if you're doing AI work, 3D rendering, or 8K video editing, that VRAM is the difference between a workflow that works and one that crashes. In that context, $1,875 for 24GB of GDDR6X is actually competitive with newer cards that charge more for less memory.

The EVGA GeForce RTX 3090 FTW3 Ultra is a card that refuses to be subtle. It's got 24GB of GDDR6X memory, 10,496 CUDA cores, and a 350W TDP that makes your power supply sweat just thinking about it. This is the kind of GPU you buy when you're done pretending a mid-range card is enough. It's aimed squarely at 4K gamers, 3D artists, and anyone dabbling in local AI workloads who needs that massive VRAM buffer.

What makes this particular card interesting is the FTW3 treatment. EVGA took the already absurd RTX 3090 and cranked the boost clock to 1800MHz, slapped on their iCX3 cooling tech, and added enough RGB to make a gaming rig look like a small concert venue. The triple-fan setup and metal backplate are doing real work here, not just looking pretty. This is a card built for sustained heavy loads, not quick benchmark runs.

But here's the thing. This card came out during the Ampere generation, and we're now looking at it through the lens of newer RTX 50-series cards hitting the market. The 3090 FTW3 still holds its own in a lot of ways, especially with that 24GB frame buffer, but the value proposition has shifted. You're not buying this for efficiency or affordability. You're buying it for raw capability and that sweet, sweet VRAM headroom.

If you're a pure gamer at 1440p or 1080p, skip this card. The 350W power draw and mediocre efficiency mean you're paying a premium in electricity for performance you won't fully utilize. A newer mid-range card will give you better frames per watt and likely cost less. The rasterization performance is only 70th percentile, so you're not even getting top-tier gaming performance for your money.

Also skip it if you have an older power supply. The three 8-pin requirement is a real hurdle, and upgrading your PSU adds to the total cost. If you're building a new system from scratch, the total cost of ownership for this card, including power supply and cooling upgrades, often pushes it close to newer options that are more efficient out of the box. Look at the RTX 5080 or 5070 Ti if you want modern performance without the power headaches.

For 4K gaming and general high-end use, the EVGA RTX 3090 FTW3 is still a capable card, but it's showing its age. The rasterization performance is middle-of-the-pack by today's standards, and the power draw is punishing. If you're building a new gaming rig in 2025, you're probably better off with a newer card that gives you better frames per watt. The RTX 5080 or even a 5070 Ti will serve you better in most games.

But for AI enthusiasts, 3D artists, and anyone who needs massive VRAM on a budget, this card is still a compelling option. 24GB of GDDR6X for under $2,000 is hard to beat, especially when newer cards with comparable memory cost significantly more. The compute performance is still strong, and the EVGA build quality means these cards hold up. Just make sure you have the power supply and cooling to handle it, and shop around for the best price. That $825 spread in the US market means patience pays off.