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Rated 4 out of 5 stars
Great power but even greater price
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This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
I managed to snag one back at the end of March 2025 during a drop. I had previously owned an MSI 4090 Liquid X and 5080 FE (both sold now as the 5090 replaced both) I picked up on launch day also from Best Buy. I have also recently picked up an open box Gigabyte 9070xt Gaming OC from Best Buy which I plan to keep for a secondary build and further AMD vs Nvidia benchmarking fun.
It goes without saying the Astral 5090 outclasses them all, but to what degree and is it worth it?
Value wise, that is an easy answer. It is not worth the price to performance ratio compared to any of the other cards. It is grossly expensive and if you're seeking top value and lowest or even mid cost per frame valuation, this is not the card for you. An MSRP priced 9070xt or even a 5070ti provides the best value if you can get one fairly priced or not even....
But if you want the very best, you rarely get the best value and that is where the 5090 stacks up.
Aesthetically, the card is gorgeous and an absolute unit. It is built like a tank and weighs a metric ton. In classic Asus fashion, you get plenty of swag in the box. I found their GPU support module to be pretty cheaply made and went with a third party model that cost all of $9USD and is much better made and sturdier.
My sample has virtually no coil whine and for those who are interested, it is stock 1.085v and OC'd hits 1.105v with zero curve manipulation. Stock boost clocks lock to 2977 and voltage max slider locks to 3060. Applying a max OC of offset of ~+465 yields a top range boost clock of ~3465mhz. Memory hits +3000 easily. It definitely needs the XOC vBIOS to leak, er, be released as even pushed to +495, my voltage tops out at 1.065 so it has room to fly.
I run mine with a basic D2D OC daily (+300 / +3000 ) and gaming clocks are 3100-3300 depending on game played. I have also run it with an under volt in place but I prefer maximum performance at all times. Depending on the temp of my small office, temps never exceed ~65c but it can get pretty toasty in here with these modern GPUs and based on ambient temps, GPU temps will climb accordingly but even with my room hitting 88f, the card never leaves the 60f range even overclocked. The heatsink on this thing is ginormous in the best way.
System specs are an Asus X870e Crosshair Hero with a 9800X3D and Teamgroup 2x24GB 8200 DDR5. CPU is tuned to 5.4ghz (will be pushing to a 5.5-5.6 soon) and memory is tuned to 2200/6400 1:1. I did some testing at 8200 and found 6400 provided better performance with much tighter timings for WoW. I use the included tentacle adapter for safety and paired with an EVGA P2 1600w PSU. I run everything in a completely opened up Phanteks case.
As for overall performance, I've been benchmarking it in my favorite game which is World of Warcraft and outside of engine limitations due to being heavily CPU dependent along with player physics skewing the data, once you can find some areas that are devoid of other players can effectively load up the GPU to 99% utilization you start to get a clearer picture of how powerful the 5090 can be. I had a pretty good location in the new Xpac for testing that would cap out all previous cards to 99%, but I had to go find some new areas to retest all the cards because the 5090 was sitting well below 99%.
In WoW, running at 4k Ultra 10, RT high everything to max properly measured, the Astral 5090 is:
90% faster than the 9070xt.
62% faster than the 5080 FE.
49% faster than the 4090.
Even flying around in areas in Dornogal and Hallowfall that would normally push the 4090, 9070xt and 5080FE to 99% utilization quite often, the 5090 is routinely well below that showing there are moments where other cards are capped out but the 5090 is not. Note, you can turn off RT to claw back ~9-10% of the performance differential between the 9070xt and 5090 making the 5090 "only" 81% faster in WoW.
This means nothing in Raids, outdoor bosses, in cities as all those player physics and data just beat down even the 9800X3D or my former 14900KS and GPU utilization plummets even on the 5080FE and 9070xt due to the WoW engine.
Testing in Deux Ex Mankind Divided benchmark (zero RT plus any somewhat modern CPU not a factor) 4k fully maxed out shows the 5090 is:
81% faster than the 9070 XT
52% faster than the 5080 FE
In summary?
The 5090 is an absolute monster exceeding even day one reviews as time passes depending on game / workload. It is clearly the best consumer grade GPU out there bar none and continues to extend its lead over AMD. If you want the best, prepare to part with a proverbial kidney to get one as the only thing greater than its performance is its mind boggling high price. If you're entertaining picking up ANY 5090 (yes, even the FE), you have decided that price to performance ratio is not a factor to you and you simply seek the pinnacle of GPU performance.
If that is the case, the Astral is clearly a contender as it not only has the performance, but all the extra bells and whistles you seek on top of everything else but it is also one of the more (if not the most) expensive 5090 AIB on the market. Only you can decide if the power and Asus tax is worth the price.
I would recommend this to a friend
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
A Beast With Brains – The ROG Astral RTX 5090 Nail
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This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
Built this into my new rig with the ASUS ROG Crosshair X870E and AMD 9950X3D, and honestly, this thing eats 4K ultra settings for breakfast. Cyberpunk with RT Overdrive? Smooth. Starfield maxed out? Not even a flinch. Temps stay under 70°C even under heavy load, which is wild for a card this powerful.
But here’s the real kicker: the Power Detector+ feature in ASUS GPU Tweak III is a game changer. It actively monitors each pin on the 12VHPWR cable and warns you if something’s off. Basically, it tells you if your cable might melt before it tries to cook your PC. No other 5090 does this, and for anyone who’s seen what a toasted GPU connector looks like, that peace of mind is worth its weight in gold (or GDDR7, in this case).
It looks sleek in black, stays frosty, and plays watchdog for your PSU cable. If you're already on a high-end build, this card isn't just the obvious choice. It’s the smart one, too.
I would recommend this to a friend
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Astral Ascension: 5090 Perfection
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Posted . Owned for less than 1 week when reviewed.
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
Absolutely stellar card! The ASUS ROG Astral RTX 5090 is a beast. The build quality is exceptional, truly feels premium. Be warned, though, this thing is MASSIVE. I had to adjust my AIO orientation in my mid-tower case to accommodate its sheer size and clear the tubes.
Performance is mind-blowing. My 3DMark scores were through the roof 14800+ in Steel Nomad with no tweaks at all , and gaming is buttery smooth at max settings.
What's even more impressive are the temps. Under full load while gaming, I'm seeing low to mid 60s (Celsius) with an ambient temp of 74 degrees Fahrenheit. That's significantly cooler than the 5090 Founders Edition I have seen reported, however there are a lot of other factors in play such as fan curves, airflow specifics etc. so YMMV.
Upgraded from the 4090 FE, there was no good reason but life is too short to compromise on one of the things I love doing most which is gaming.
This wasn't my first choice; I was aiming for one of four specific cards since launch, but in this market, you take what you can get. And I am glad I did!
A must-have tip: download ASUS GPU Tweak 3. It's crucial for monitoring, especially the power connections. This card monitors all 8 power pins, an Astral exclusive, and GPU Tweak 3 provides audible alarms and optional OSD warnings if anything goes awry. As of this review, the GPU Tweak 3 beta version is recommended and only works with the 572.75 hotfix version of the GeForce drivers.
Despite its monolithic design not being as aesthetically pleasing as the reference Founders card, it's clear this is an engineering marvel. I'm absolutely thrilled to have this card in my primary gaming rig.
I would recommend this to a friend
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Overkill? Yes but so is a Lamborghini
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Posted . Owned for 1 month when reviewed.
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
If youre shopping doe this, i presume you already know what youre doing. You already know a 5070 is enough for most tasks, a 5080 is already high end, and 5090 is ultra top end. Well the Astral 5090 is in the top tier along with the likes of Suprim Liquid 5090 etc. if youre not playing in 4K this card is not foe you… What i was most suprised with is how efficient and how much you can still overclock this despite my ambient temps in my room. I recommend pushing the fan curve a little more aggressive, undervolt and then overclock. It soumds counter intuitive but trust me give it a go. Youll be pleasantly suprised. The most luxurious GPU Ive ever had. Highly recommended if youre an enthusiast.
I would recommend this to a friend
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Never thought it would happen, but here we are.
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This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
I love this beast. I never thought I would get this card, let alone a 5090, but for whatever reason, the system let me go through after half-hearted pressing the checkout button, i jumped at the chance and got it. Almost a month of using it and i have yet to experience ANY issues at all, and the GPU Tweak 3 software makes sure that im optomized and pins are safely connected. 10/10.
It's expensive, only purchase if you have extra cash to spend, and i mean, a lot of cash.
I would recommend this to a friend
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Astral-nomical price, but its a 5090!
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Posted . Owned for less than 1 week when reviewed.
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
After a month of playing the game, I finally was able secure this card using a small loan of 1 million dollars and renaming my first born to Astral. Came from an EVGA 3080.
As far as the a card goes, its beefy, but it feels premium. Performance (as expected) is king, the temps run in mid/high 60's on 4K epic settings at stock. Waiting a few more weeks to begin OC and testing this on 8K. No melted cables, all my ROPs are there, and I'm having fun never worrying about quality or frames again. This was not my first choice of card but I'm not disappointed I got this even if my wallet is. Value is 4 stars because no GPU priced at 3K is a real "value"
I would recommend this to a friend
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
5090 Astral - Titan GPU
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This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
Amazing card, stays cool and very beefy along with being one of the most aesthetically pleasing cards. This is my first desktop pc coming from a 3070ti laptop. Yes, it’s an expensive card but it is the best card out there. Had all my ROPs, very easy process with buying from Best Buy
I would recommend this to a friend
Rated 4 out of 5 stars
Very hard to justify price for performance vs FE
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Posted . Owned for 2 weeks when reviewed.
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
This is a very nice card but after testing and comparing it to the founders edition it is hard to justify the price difference. They both run everything you throw at them on max settings at 4k with minimal difference in performance. The Astral stayed between 2-3 degrees cooler with only 8-9 fps more running both without overclocking either anymore than stock.
No, I would not recommend this to a friend
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
4k or bust!!!
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This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
After trying to score a 5090 for about a month looking everywhere and getting nowhere.. I lucked out and hit the jackpot with BB's last 5090 drop on 4/17/05 I'm upgrading from a 4090 so I expected more and let me tell you it delivers. Yes! The Astral price was "Astral" nomical but my 4090 saved the day by funding most of it. All my 176 ROMs are here. Great upgrade! 4k or bust!! I'd recommend it.
I would recommend this to a friend
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
overkill
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This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
beast of a gpu. pulling 300+ fps at 3440x1440 ultrawide with max setting in most games. slight coil whine when in game menus but quiet enough that it doesn’t bother me. very expensive but if you can afford it this is the flagship 50 series gpu.
I would recommend this to a friend
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Still the best!
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Posted . Owned for 1 week when reviewed.
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
If you can get your hands on it. Getting from Best Buy is the best option in my opinion given the financing or cash back offers. The cost is astronomical, maybe that is why it is called ASTRAL - but it is the best 5090 out there if you plan to have it for a while.
I would recommend this to a friend
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Beastly Astral
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This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
This card is awesome. Make sure to get gpu tweak 3 from Asus so I can monitor power . Also upgrade your psu this is power hungry card. Amazing 4k graphics. Be sure to ensure your mother board can support weight.
I would recommend this to a friend
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Best air cooled 5090 you can get runs 65c max
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Posted . Owned for 2 weeks when reviewed.
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
Dose everything i throw at it best of the 5090 cards but the cost per frame is terrible especially after the tarrifs but if you want the best this is it. Overall great card works great and the design is perfect.
No, I would not recommend this to a friend
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Expensive!
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This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
Really powerful and expensive, worth it if you are unemployed and rich.
I would recommend this to a friend
Rated 4 out of 5 stars
Big. Powerful. Expensive.
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This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
Great performance from the fastest consumer graphics card. What more can be said. 4 stars only because of the price. I don’t think it needs to be this expensive.
I would recommend this to a friend
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
I'm set for 5-10 years!
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Posted . Owned for 3 weeks when reviewed.
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
BEST GPU ON THE MARKET! Performance is amazing!
Temps and clock speeds are great and I have the card set up where it doesn't even hit 400w and runs super cool.
I would recommend this to a friend
Rated 1 out of 5 stars
I'd recommend going with another manufacturer.
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This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
This graphics card, purchased new for $3,359.99, exhibited unsatisfactory performance from the outset, presenting with blue screen errors and an aesthetically unappealing paint imperfection on the front of the heatsink assembly, apparently addressed during manufacturing. Despite requesting replacement components (heatsink and thermal pad) for self-repair, Asus declined, mandating an RMA process. The return shipping cost me $40(FedEx box and materials). Asus's response indicated that such paint blemishes are considered within acceptable manufacturing tolerances. The card awaits return shipment from Asus RMA in California. While Asus produces high-quality products, their customer support proved awful in this instance. RMA# USKVT40822.
No, I would not recommend this to a friend
Brand response from ASUS Answers
Posted .
Dear Skygunner27,
Thank you for your comment.
We do understand your dissatisfaction with the quality of the product, your recent customer service experience and the inconvenience this may have caused. All ASUS products undergo intensive quality control testing and inspections, and are built to last. The bule-screen and the aesthetic flaw are random problems.vWe do value our customers and take negative customer service experience very seriously. This is not the quality of service expected from ASUS. We do stand behind our product and we continuously strive to improve our approach and processes in order to achieve customer service excellence. If you need further assistance with the warranty service for the product, please email me at [email protected] and I would be more than happy to help. Or, you are most welcome to call Product Support Hotline at: 1(888) 678-3688. Also, you can chat with an ASUS live support agent from the link: https://www.asus.com/us/support/article/1135/.
Thank you for choosing an ASUS product.
Regards,
Rodel ASUS Customer Loyalty
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Best 5090 Money Can Buy
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This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
This is the first NVIDIA GPU I've owned where I handily beat all the averages for every test on 3D Mark.
The reason why these are better than other 5090s is that Asus 'bins" each chip, ie., ensuring that you've effectively won the silicon lottery for high performance with stability.
So relative to unbinned chips like the founders edition or cheaper models from Asus or other AIBs you will have a higher frame rate up to 10%'ish, but probably closer to 2 to 5% in any given game.
It is the best money can buy, but is it worth a $1k+ premium to chips that were good enough to meet minimum standards for NVIDIA but not good enough to be this model? That is very up for debate and probably personal.
But having brought this home expecting the best and getting it...I must say that I'm not disappointed.
I would recommend this to a friend
Rated 4 out of 5 stars
Totally worth it
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This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
Overpriced, and extremely heavy. And somehow, I guess I lost the silicon lottery, because the OC potential on mine seems to fall short compared to others online. Has an audible coil whine when around 400W, but the features are nice. I have no idea how to balance the currents on the connector, so now I just run it knowing I could potentially catch my house on fire. Thanks Asus!
No, I would not recommend this to a friend
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
It was about time- 5090 to the moon
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Posted . Owned for 1 week when reviewed.
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
Man, upgrading from my RTX 3080 to the ASUS ROG Astral RTX 5090 was like jumping to lightspeed—those 21,760 shader cores and 32GB of GDDR7 memory make 4K gaming feel like a dream, with zero stutters. The quad-fan cooling keeps it frosty even during marathon sessions, and it’s so quiet I forget it’s there. That 2580 MHz overclock and slick RGB vibe make my rig look and run like a sci-fi beast. Totally worth It