The new RTX 5090D v2 GPU has finally been reviewed, and its gaming performance is practically unscathed. We won’t blame you if you’ve never heard of this card; it’s officially the third version of the RTX 5090 and (as the name suggests) is a reworked version of the RTX 5090D, a China-exclusive version of the flagship graphics card with cut-back AI performance to comply with U.S. shipping restrictions.

Chinese publication EXP Review has done some hands-on testing with the new 24GB graphics card, down from the full 32GB you’ll find on the worldwide release of the 5090 and the original 5090D. However, tests show the extra 8GB of VRAM doesn’t make a whole lot of difference for gamers.

RTX 5090D v2 review benchmarks are live

Multiple native resolution 4K benchmarks show the RTX 5090D and its newer v2 version are pretty much on par across the board, with just a few frames per second difference. Usually in favor of the older GPU, but a negligible amount. Don’t mind the dodgy translation, the games benchmarked below are as follows: Cyberpunk 2077, Monster Hunter Wilds, Marvel Rivals, Assassin’s Creed Shadows, and Black Myth: Wukong.

Further benchmarks for ray tracing scenarios show similarly equal results, and DLSS tests show expected performance uplift. So, overall, for the gaming, there’s really not much difference at all. Where the new v2 falls behind, however, due to its lowered VRAM and memory bandwidth, is in productivity and AI workflows.

In Blender’s Monster, Junkshop, and Classroom benchmarks, the original RTX 5090D enjoys 10.5%, 19%, and 15.9% leads, respectively. Likewise, the v2 card is around 10% slower in Large Language Model benchmarks for Llama 3.1 and Llama 2.

5090D sales were halted earlier this year as a result of further restrictions, and despite relaxed rules for Nvidia’s H20 AI chips for data centers, the gaming GPU is still affected. This means the v2 version is going ahead; leaks ahead of time said it will go on sale today, August 12, and this review seems to confirm that – retailer listings have already been spotted in the region.

About the Author

Jack Goodall

At PC Guide, Jack is mostly responsible for reporting on hardware deals. He also specializes in monitors, TVs, and headsets and can be found putting his findings together in a review or best-of guide.