The Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090 has faced scrutiny following recent performance benchmarks in The Witcher 3 Remastered, where the flagship GPU struggled to exceed 62fps at 1080p resolution with path tracing enabled. Testing conducted by Hardware Unboxed indicated that the card’s performance in this specific mode is effectively tied with the RTX 5080, suggesting a significant bottleneck that prevents the hardware from scaling as expected. Even at 4K resolution with DLSS Performance upscaling, the RTX 5090 averaged approximately 59fps in the same demanding Novigrad test area.
Beyond the frame rate limitations, reviewers have noted that the visual implementation of path tracing in the remastered title is inconsistent. Reports describe the mode as underwhelming, with instances of overexposed character models and unnatural color shifts, such as a blue tint in certain scenes. In direct comparisons, standard ray tracing on the Ultra preset often provided more defined shadows and a more visually pleasing presentation than the more intensive path tracing setting.
Thermal and power concerns have also emerged from independent testing. A report from the Korean outlet QuasarZone documented the Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090 Founders Edition reaching a temperature of 91.7°C at the sense-pin side of its 12V-2x6 power connector. This measurement was recorded during testing involving a DLSS 5 mod, which pushed the card to a power draw of 647W. These findings highlight the extreme power requirements and thermal management challenges associated with the GPU under heavy, modified workloads.
Despite these issues, the RTX 5090 and other modern GPUs demonstrate strong performance in the game's standard settings. At the Medium preset, the card is capable of high frame rates, and the game remains playable across a variety of hardware configurations. While the path tracing implementation currently appears to be a point of contention, future driver updates and game-specific optimizations may provide additional performance headroom for users looking to utilize the card's full potential.