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Images reported in December 2024 appeared to show a bare circuit board that might be for NVIDIA’s upcoming GeForce RTX 5090, including a large GPU package area and 16 memory solder-pad positions. They did not prove the board’s identity or the card’s final specifications. NVIDIA later confirmed that the retail RTX 5090 has 32 GB of GDDR7 memory and is based on its Blackwell architecture.
What the December 2024 PCB images appeared to show
Tom’s Hardware reported on December 25, 2024, that images shared on Chiphell allegedly showed an unsoldered PCB for the then-upcoming GeForce RTX 5090. The photographed board had no NVIDIA branding, and the report did not establish who originally posted the images or verify their chain of custody. Tom’s Hardware’s report relayed a possible PNY connection from VideoCardz based on board markings and a suspected NVIDIA PG145/GB202 design. That was an attributed inference, not confirmed board provenance.
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
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ASUS TUF Gaming GeForce RTX™ 5080 16GB GDDR7 OC Edition Graphics Card | $1,830.91 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
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ASUS TUF Gaming GeForce RTX 5090 32GB GDDR7 OC Edition Gaming Graphics Card | $7,439.00 | Buy on Amazon |
A large package area and 16 memory positions
The report described a substantial BGA package area for the GB202 GPU and counted 16 memory solder-pad positions around it. Those are observations from an alleged PCB image. They do not establish the final memory capacity, confirm which memory chips would be populated, or prove that the photographed board was a retail RTX 5090 design.
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The pictured board appeared to have one 12V-2×6 power connector. The report also discussed possible higher-power partner-card variants and mentioned DisplayPort 2.1a and PCIe 5.0 as rumors. These leak-era observations and speculation should not be treated as requirements or confirmed specifications for every RTX 5090 model.
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- Powered by the NVIDIA Blackwell architecture and DLSS 4. System Requirements: Minimum 850W PSU with 16-pin 12V-2x6 (12VHPWR) connector required. Verify before purchasing.
- Military-grade components deliver rock-solid power and longer lifespan for ultimate durability. Compatibility: 348mm (13.7") length, 3.6 slots, 4.3 lbs. Confirm case clearance and slot spacing. GPU bracket included.
- Protective PCB coating helps protect against short circuits caused by moisture, dust, or debris
- 3.6-slot design with massive fin array optimized for airflow from three Axial-tech fans
- Phase-change GPU thermal pad helps ensure optimal thermal performance and longevity, outlasting traditional thermal paste for graphics cards under heavy loads
What NVIDIA confirmed about the retail RTX 5090
NVIDIA announced the GeForce RTX 50 Series on January 6, 2025. Its RTX 5090 product page identifies the card as a Blackwell GPU with 32 GB of GDDR7 memory. That official capacity is more reliable than trying to infer memory configuration from the earlier photograph.
NVIDIA’s January 6, 2025 launch announcement says the RTX 5090 has 92 billion transistors and delivers more than 3,352 trillion AI operations per second (TOPS). NVIDIA also claimed that it outperforms the RTX 4090 by up to 2x. The “up to” comparison is NVIDIA’s launch claim, not an independent benchmark result.
How the leak differs from NVIDIA’s Founders Edition design
NVIDIA’s launch coverage describes the RTX 5090 Founders Edition as a two-slot card measuring 304 mm long by 137 mm high. NVIDIA says its design uses a three-piece PCB, liquid-metal thermal interface material, and double-flow-through cooling. These are details of the Founders Edition; they do not identify the separate board pictured in the leak or establish the design of all partner cards. See NVIDIA’s GeForce RTX 50 Series launch coverage.
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- AI Performance: 772 AI TOPS
- OC mode: 2580 MHz Default mode: 2550 MHz(Boost clock)
- Powered by the NVIDIA Blackwell architecture and DLSS 4
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- Axial-tech fans feature a smaller fan hub that facilitates longer blades and a barrier ring that increases downward air pressure
GB202 architecture figures are not the retail card’s core count
NVIDIA’s Blackwell GPU architecture document identifies GB202 as the GPU powering the RTX 5090. It lists the full GB202 configuration as 24,576 CUDA cores and a 512-bit memory interface. Those are full-chip architecture figures, not the enabled configuration of the retail RTX 5090; they should not be presented as the card’s specifications.
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| Question | What is established | What remains uncertain |
|---|---|---|
| Was the image an RTX 5090 board? | Tom’s Hardware described it as an alleged PCB for the upcoming card. | The image’s provenance and the board’s exact identity were not independently established. |
| Was the board made by PNY? | The report relayed a possible PNY identification based on markings, via VideoCardz. | PNY manufacture was not confirmed. |
| How much memory did the retail RTX 5090 have? | NVIDIA’s product page specifies 32 GB GDDR7. | The 16 pad positions in the photo did not establish capacity by themselves. |
| What performance did it deliver versus the RTX 4090? | NVIDIA claimed up to 2x performance in its launch announcement. | The cited claim is not an independent test result. |
| Did the photo show the Founders Edition PCB? | NVIDIA separately described the Founders Edition’s three-piece PCB and cooling design. | The leak does not establish that the pictured board was the Founders Edition. |
The distinction matters: a PCB photograph can offer clues about one board’s layout, but it cannot substitute for confirmed product specifications or performance testing. In this case, the image was suggestive rather than conclusive; NVIDIA’s later product and launch materials establish the retail card’s stated memory, architecture, and Founders Edition design.
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