GIGABYTE GeForce RTX 3090 Gaming OC video card: Review| Specs

Review and test of the GIGABYTE GeForce RTX 3090 Gaming OC video card – silence and ultimate performance! | Video Cards | Reviews| Hashrate

Contents hide

1 Specifications

2 Packaging and delivery set

3 Appearance and features

4 Cooling system

5 Printed circuit board

6 Test stand

7 Temperatures, noise, power consumption and overclocking

8 Performance

9 Conclusion

10 Pros: Advantages

11 Minuses: Disadvantages

11.1 Related posts:

In one of my reviews, I looked at the GeForce RTX 3080 Gaming OC graphics card, which really opens the door to the 4K gaming league. But, in fairness, it should be noted that this graphics adapter is only a pre-top solution in the product line with the Ampere architecture. The place of the flagship is at the mercy of video cards with an NVIDIA RTX 3090 GPU and 24 GB GDDR6X memory. This video card will be discussed in this review. I will test and tell you about the GIGABYTE GeForce RTX 3090 Gaming OC , which you can buy now at a price of 164,999 rubles.

Specifications

Manufacturer: GIGABYTE;
Модель: GeForce RTX 3090 GAMING OC;
GPU: Ampere GA102;
Process technology: 8 nm;
GPU frequency: 1395 MHz;
GPU Boost frequency in games: 1755 MHz;
Number of shader processors: 10496;
Video memory: 24 GB;
Video memory type: GDDR6X;
Video memory bus width: 384 bits;
Video memory frequency: 19500 MHz (2438 GHz QDR);
Порты: 3 x DisplayPort 1.4a, 2 x HDMI 2.1;
Additional power connector: 2 x 8-pin;
TDP parameter: 370 W;
Dimensions: 320 x 129 x 60 mm.

Packaging and delivery set

By the appearance of the graphics accelerator box, we can say that its design has not changed much in comparison with previous generations of video cards. The changes are only visible in the details. For the RTX 3090 Gaming OC, this is the model name and memory size, as well as the technological features accompanying the device.

The main bet in the RTX 3090 Gaming OC is on the cooling system for the graphics adapter. It is to her that most of the information on the back of the cardboard box is devoted. Also, the emphasis is on the metal backplate and RGB backlighting of the video card.

The RTX 3090 Gaming OC is guaranteed for 4 years from the date of purchase. In order for this guarantee to be valid, the manufacturer asks to register the device on a specialized website. How to do it correctly and simply, the booklet included in the delivery set will tell you. Also inside the box, the user will find a small user manual.

Appearance and features

The look of the RTX 3090 Gaming OC can be most accurately described as calm. The video card does not differ in “flashy” design, and its cooling system is not overloaded with an abundance of decorative elements for RGB backlighting. At the same time, the dimensions of the RTX 3090 Gaming OC are impressive – 320 x 129 x 60 mm in length, height and thickness, respectively.

Almost the entire back side of the RTX 3090 Gaming OC is covered with a metal plate with an inscription in the form of the manufacturer’s name. Excellent PCB protection solution.

The thickness of the radiator of the RTX 3090 Gaming OC cooling system shows that they definitely did not save on this aspect. At the same time, the manufacturer has designed a metal backplate with an upper L-shaped bend. This made it possible to protect the video card from the top end and it is convenient to take it in hand when removing the motherboard from the PCIe slot.

The bottom end of the RTX 3090 Gaming OC radiator is almost completely open for ventilation. The used plastic casing of the cooling system is designed in such a way as not to interfere with the removal of the air flow blown by the fans.

The right side of the RTX 3090 Gaming OC is tightly closed with a casing of the cooling system. Only two attachment points for corporate PC builders dilute the picture at this point in the graphics case.

The five connectors for displaying the image on the RTX 3090 Gaming OC are installed in two rows. These include two HDMI 2.1 and three DisplayPort 1.4a. The video card supports connection of up to four monitors at the same time, the maximum possible resolution is 7680 x 4320 pixels at a refresh rate of 60 Hz.

Let’s take a closer look at some of the design features of the RTX 3090 Gaming OC that definitely deserve attention. First of all, it will be the RGB backlight module on the upper end of the graphics accelerator. It is designed in the form of GIGABYTE lettering, which can glow in all colors of the rainbow and can be controlled using RGB Fusion 2.0.

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As an additional power supply on the RTX 3090 Gaming OC, a pair of 8-pin connectors are implemented, which turn out to be slightly recessed relative to the CO casing and the backplate of the video card.

Another interesting feature of the RTX 3090 Gaming OC is the cooling organization called “Screen Cooling”. It is a through blowing of the CO radiator by the third fan. To implement this method of cooling, the metal backplate of the RTX 3090 Gaming OC provides many cutouts, which are also an element of decorating the video card.

A nice bonus for owners of RTX 3090 Gaming OC will be the presence of two BIOS chips, the switch between which is installed on the upper end of the graphics adapter. It allows you to choose between a quiet mode of the cooling system and a more aggressive one called “OS”. In the Ampere product line, graphics cards with an RTX 3090 chip are given the exclusive ability to combine into multi-graphics configurations using SLI technology. Therefore, on the top end of the RTX 3090 Gaming OC, you can see the pins of the NVIDIA NVlink connector.

Cooling system

Starting the story about the RTX 3090 Gaming OC, I noted for a reason that the manufacturer of this graphics adapter focuses on the cooling system. And there is really something to see here. First of all, the massiveness of the radiator itself with heat pipes and a copper contact pad is impressive. To connect the CO and RGB fans of the video card backlight, three cables with 4-pin connectors are used.

At the heart of the CO of the RTX 3090 Gaming OC is a thick copper plate that contacts the GPU crystal directly. Also, this plate gets heat from 12 GDDR6X memory chips on the front side of the PCB. Seven 6mm heatpipes help to quickly distribute heat throughout the body of the radiator. At the same time, the VRM zones are also not without attention – for the most heated elements, heat removal to the CO radiator is provided using thermal pads.

One 80mm and a pair of 90mm fans with unique impeller blades are built into the CO casing of the RTX 3090 Gaming OC video card. During operation of these fans, an alternative rotation pattern is used. The central fan rotates clockwise, while the two outer ones rotate counterclockwise. This technique optimizes airflow and increases the overall cooling efficiency of the graphics adapter.

The turntables used are manufactured by PowerLogic.

And so the radiator of the RTX 3090 Gaming OC cooling system looks from the front side with the plastic cover removed. It can be seen that five heat pipes go to the left section of the radiator at once, while two more fall on the right section with a copper contact pad.

The backplate in the RTX 3090 Gaming OC does more than just protect the PCB. This can be seen by a detailed analysis of the graphics adapter.

This aluminum plate is used to dissipate heat from 12 GDDR6X memory chips on the back side of the PCB. The backplate is also a mount for an adapter for additional power connectors, which allowed placing a pair of 8-pin connectors on the right corner of the video card on the RTX 3090 Gaming OC.

Printed circuit board

The PCB of the RTX 3090 Gaming OC graphics adapter is oversaturated with the element base and this is primarily due to the technological features of this flagship product. The layout of the components on the PCB is built around the GPU, which is centered on the PCB.

A similar picture is observed on the back of the RTX 3090 Gaming OC. In particular, half of the 12 GDDR6X memory chips are soldered to this side of the PCB.

The computing power of the RTX 3090 Gaming OC is based on the GA102-300-A1 GPU, made using an 8nm process technology at a Samsung factory. According to the chip labeling, it was produced in the 32nd week of 2020. This GPU contains 10496 CUDA cores, 328 texture units and 112 raster units. It includes 328 tensor and 82 RT cores.

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24 GB of on-board GDDR6X memory is packed with 24 Micron chips of 1 GB each. They are soldered on both sides of the PCB, right next to the GPU. The operating frequency of the memory is 19500 MHz, which, in the presence of a 384-bit bus, makes it possible to obtain a bandwidth of 936 GB / s.

The RTX 3090 Gaming OC’s 19-phase power system is wired to either side of the GPU. The power harness provides 15 phases for the GPU and 4 phases for the GDDR6X memory chips.

To control the power supply of the video card, three uP9512R digital PWM controllers from uPI Semiconductor are used. They are wired from both the front and back sides of the PCB. A separate Holtek HT32F52342 chip drives the LED backlighting of the RTX 3090 Gaming OC graphics card.

Test stand

Processor – Intel Core i7-10700k (8-cores)
Motherboard – Gigabyte Z490i Aorus Ultra
Cooling system – Noctua NH-U12S Chromax.black
Thermointerface – Arctic MX-2
RAM – G.Skill Trident Z RGB DDR4-4266 8Gb * 2 @ 4400cl18
Storage – M.2 SSD Samsung 970 Pro + M.2 SSD Intel 660p
Power Supply – Corsair RM850x 850W
Case – Corsair 540 Air
Монитор – TV LG, 47″, 1920×1080, 2560×1440/3840×2160 (NVIDIA DSR)
Operating system – Windows 10 Pro 64-bit 2004
Drivers – GeForce 457.30.

The RTX 3090 Gaming OC graphics card was installed in a test bench with an Intel Core i7-10700k processor and a Gigabyte Z490i Aorus Ultra motherboard.

The RTX 3090 Gaming OC’s LED backlighting is modest but impressive enough at night. Using RGB Fusion 2.0, you can customize the lighting to your liking and preference.

Testing was carried out with the case cover open. This is how the RTX 3090 Gaming OC video card looked against the background of the test build.

Temperatures, noise, power consumption and overclocking

Moving on to getting acquainted with the RTX 3090 Gaming OC in practical conditions, let’s look at the operation of the video card cooling system, as well as evaluate the overclocking capabilities of the sample I have in my hands. With the main BIOS “OC” mode, the power consumption limit of the graphics adapter can be increased by software up to 390 watts. Modestly relative to other versions of this flagship, but it does not pretend to be an extreme overclocking RTX 3090 Gaming OC.

But in idle or with a slight load, the RTX 3090 Gaming OC graphics card shows itself remarkably. The cooling fans stop and can return to active mode only when the GPU heats up over 55 degrees Celsius.

I launch Furmark and immediately check the Boost frequency of the RTX 3090 Gaming OC using GPU-Z monitoring. On average, the chip “boosts” even a little higher than the manufacturer’s declared value of 1755 MHz. At the same time, the GPU temperature does not rise above 64 degrees Celsius. And this is when the power consumption of the video card is impressive 350 watts. Bravo cooling system Windforce3X.

I am trying to overclock the RTX 3090 Gaming OC graphics card to the maximum possible values, using the maximum possible power consumption limit of the graphics adapter. After these manipulations and selection of frequencies, the following picture is obtained. The graphics processor on the RTX 3090 Gaming OC kicks in confidently at 1950 MHz, while the GDDR6X memory clocks in at 21504 MHz. At the same time, the maximum GPU temperature does not exceed 67 degrees Celsius under Furmark load.

To achieve this overclocking of the RTX 3090 Gaming OC, the power consumption limit slider was unscrewed by + 105%, the GPU by +110 points, and the memory by +1000 points.

Despite the horror stories on the Internet that new video cards with NVIDIA Ampere architecture need a 1000 W or higher power supply, the RTX 3090 Gaming OC graphics card has moderate appetites for power consumption. The peak power consumption of the entire test system did not exceed 600W, which allowed the used Corsair RM850x PSU to feel comfortable. Thanks to the extremely efficient cooling system, the RTX 3090 Gaming OC is also quite quiet. On rare occasions, during a gaming load, the noise from the entire system exceeded 40 dBA.

Performance

The synthetic test in the AIDA64 program allows you to evaluate the computational performance of a video card. For the RTX 3090 Gaming OC, it is possible to obtain high performance values for FP32 blocks.

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Rendering the scene in the Cinebench R15 benchmark with the RTX 3090 Gaming OC scores highly on the performance of this graphics adapter.

The RTX 3090 Gaming OC also performs well in the V-Ray application, in which a scene with this graphics accelerator can be completed in an impressive 20-22 seconds.

Now let’s see how the RTX 3090 Gaming OC performs in the popular 3D Mark gaming benchmark. On the left will be the performance results at the factory settings of the graphics adapter, on the right – after overclocking +110 MHz for GPU / + 1000 MHz for GDDR6X. The TimeSpy and TimeSpy Extreme tests show that the performance gain of the RTX 3090 Gaming OC after manual overclocking is impressive.

For benchmarking performance with beams, the Port Royal benchmark is an excellent option. Here, the RTX 3090 Gaming OC scores almost 14,000 points after overclocking.

Ray tracing technology on the RTX 3090 Gaming OC can also be assessed using the auxiliary benchmark 3D Mark package. A test scene run is given to a video card with almost 60 frames per second.

At the same time, let’s look at the scaling of the RTX 3090 Gaming OC when working with DLSS technology. Here, the graphics adapter shows more than double the frame rate after activating this NVIDIA technology.

I also tested the RTX 3090 Gaming OC in five graphics-heavy games using only the highest possible settings. It goes without saying that the performance evaluation of the RTX 3090 Gaming OC adapter was made at three popular resolutions 4K (3840×2160 DSR), 2K (2560×1440 DSR) and FullHD (1920×1080).

Far Cry 5

Shadow of the Tomb Raider

Wolfenstein: Youngblood

Red Dead Redemption II

Metro Exodus

In some gaming projects, the FPS turned out to be so high that one could even talk about the excess performance of the RTX 3090 Gaming OC. But for full-fledged 4K gaming, this video card is definitely ready and there is no doubt about it. If we relax some part of the graphics settings, then I dare to assume that this graphics adapter will also pull out 8K gaming. Especially if these are unhurried single projects, for the passage of which 50-60 frames / s will be enough for the user.

Conclusion

Any graphics adapter with a GeForce RTX 3090 chip is a solution of today and tomorrow, which is deservedly the flagship among video cards for personal computers. With an impressive 24GB of memory and truly ultimate performance, this graphics adapter is made to be a gamer’s dream. It just doesn’t make sense to buy such a video card for monitors with low resolution. Potential applications for the GeForce RTX 3090 are 4K and 8K gaming, as well as competitive gaming on 240, 280, and 360 Hz monitors.

As for the specifically tested GIGABYTE GeForce RTX 3090 Gaming OC model, its cooling system definitely deserves a positive assessment. By dissipating nearly 400W of heat, the Windforce 3X cooling system manages to do so with a minimum of noise and cool temperatures. At the same time, as shown by testing, the RTX 3090 Gaming OC video card can be overclocked quite well beyond the factory values. Also in this graphics adapter I liked the presence of a metal backplate and RGB LED backlighting. Out of the box, the video card has factory overclocking and two BIOS chips with the ability to switch between them. The 4-year manufacturer’s warranty will help ensure the reliability of the RTX 3090 Gaming OC.

Pros: Advantages

NVIDIA Ampere architecture with third generation tensor cores;
Second generation RT cores;
24 GB of GDDR6X memory at a frequency of 19500 MHz;
high efficiency Windforce 3X cooling system;
metal backplate with the function of removing heat from the GDDR6X memory chips;
RGB LED backlighting;
Factory overclocked GPU up to 1755 MHz;
high performance in 4K and ready for 8K;
4 years manufacturer’s warranty.