Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090 & 5080: Video shows FE cooler and 3D vapor chamber in detail 55 comments
Image: Gamer’s Nexus
The cooler and PCB design of the new Founders Edition of the GeForce RTX 5090 and RTX 5080 is revolutionary. Nvidia has now revealed more details about the technology and origins of the dual-flow design with a four-part circuit board. The manufacturer also gives a first overview of the volume.
The new FE cooler in detail
With the last generation, Nvidia gave the 80 and 90 classes a huge 3-slot heatsink, where a fan could blow unhindered through the fins. The other rear fan, however, blew against the PCB, which vented heated air from the case through the I/O panel. With the GeForce RTX 50, Nvidia has developed a new cooling concept, with which the Founders Edition of the GeForce RTX 5080 and RTX 5090 are only two slots thick. This is made possible by an innovative three-part – or, to be precise, even four-part – PCB, two circulating fans, a 3D vapor chamber and liquid metal instead of thermal paste.
Nvidia already presented the large central PCB with the GB202 GPU at CES, where there was also an exploded view of the FE heatsink. However, many other questions remained unanswered regarding the structure, construction and functionality of the graphics card. A video from Gamers Nexus now goes into more detail, which also provides background information on the cooling concept and an overview of the development process.
There is no concrete statement yet on the volume of the new Founders Edition. Just yesterday, Nvidia presented a new slide that claims a 2-slot dual high flux design is capable of dissipating 575 watts with just over 30 dB(A). In contrast, conventional 2-slot coolers would be over 50 dB(A), so they would be almost four times as loud. On the one hand, Nvidia does not explicitly mention the new FE cooler in this illustration and, on the other hand, the manufacturer avoids a direct comparison with the 3-slot heatsink of the GeForce RTX 4080 and RTX 4090.
The RTX 5090/5080 Founders Edition cooler (Image: Nvidia) Image 1 of 4
Details on the GeForce RTX 5070’s FE heatsink also remain largely unknown. Visually, with two axial fans at the bottom, it is very reminiscent of the cooler on the RTX 5080 and RTX 5090, but it is significantly smaller. The GeForce RTX 5070 Ti is not released as Founders Edition at all.
The first tests will take place next week
The first independent test reports and benchmarks of the GeForce RTX 5090 are expected on January 24, 2025, Friday of next week. Afterwards, the NDA will expire for Founders Edition testing and custom designs. Tests of the GeForce RTX 5080 aren’t expected until a week later, however: the embargo on FE test reports and RRP custom designs is expected to drop on January 29. On the other hand, tests of more expensive partner cards can only be expected a day later, on January 30, the market launch date of the two graphics cards.
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Jan and Fabian provide initial analyses of the new details on the technology behind GeForce RTX 50 and a classification of the latest manufacturer benchmarks in the current episode of the Techastuce CB-Funk podcast:
The CB radio can not only be listened to via the Podigee player integrated in this article, but also easily subscribed to and listened to directly in the podcast apps of your choice. The Techastuce podcast is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music and also on Deezer. Topics: GeForce GeForce RTX 50 graphics cards Nvidia Nvidia Blackwell Source: Nvidia, Gamers Nexus
An engineer by training, Alexandre shares his knowledge on GPU performance for gaming and creation.
