If you managed to purchase an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 or RTX 5080, which is easier said than done, it's time to install the latest driver from NVIDIA. The Game Ready Driver will help deliver the best gaming experience for multiple titles and also adds support for several new features. DLSS 4, DLSS 4 Overrides, an improved NVIDIA Broadcast, and NVIDIA Smooth Motion all ship with the latest driver from NVIDIA. DLSS 4 with multi frame generation works with Alan Wake 2, Cyberpunk 2077, Hogwarts Legacy, Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, and Star Wars Outlaws following once you install this driver.
Even if you don't care about those specific features or games, you need to install the driver, since it is mandatory for an RTX 5090 or RTX 5080 to work.
Unlike the graphics cards that are very difficult to find in stock, the new NVIDIA driver is easy to locate. You can download the new Game Ready Driver from the NVIDIA app or through GeForce.com.
NVIDIA shared a quick rundown of what ships with the latest driver, including its links to find out more about several features.
- DLSS 4: New AI innovations further enhance image quality, and accelerate performance. And DLSS Multi Frame Generation, in conjunction with the suite of other DLSS technologies, multiplies frame rates by up to 8X on GeForce RTX 50 Series GPUs
- DLSS 4 Overrides: Upgrade over 75 games and apps to DLSS 4 with Multi Frame Generation using a new NVIDIA app feature
- NVIDIA App: RTX Video Super Resolution optimizations and enhancements, new multiple display settings, Advanced Optimus support, and more are introduced in a new NVIDIA app update
- NVIDIA Broadcast: Update the popular app now to add two new AI-powered effects
- RTX Game Updates: Get Game Ready for DLSS 4 with Multi Frame Generation, Ray Reconstruction, RTX Mega Geometry, RTX Hair, and Neural Radiance Cache, in new updates for Alan Wake 2, Cyberpunk 2077, Hogwarts Legacy, Indiana Jones and the Great Circle™, and Star Wars™ Outlaws
- NVIDIA Smooth Motion: A new driver-based AI model delivers smoother gameplay by inferring an additional frame between two rendered frames on GeForce RTX 50 Series GPUs
- New Games: Get Game Ready for the release of Kingdom Come: Deliverance II and Marvel's Spider-Man 2, two new titles featuring DLSS technologies
- New G-SYNC Compatible Displays: Another 19 gaming displays are now supported
Is an RTX 5090 or RTX 5080 worth it?
Establishing the worth of a graphics card is always a bit difficult since ultimately it comes down to a person's budget and what they value. The RTX 5090 is the best consumer graphics card on the market. It's more compact than the previous generation, supports new features like DLSS 4 with multi frame generation, and has other improvements such as a power cable that's less prone to melting. The card also has a, quite frankly, ridiculous 575W power draw that requires a 600W cable and a 1000W+ power supply unit. The RTX 5090 is overkill for most people as well, since few systems will push the GPU's limits.
"While NVIDIA's admirable efforts to redesign and slim down its flagship GeForce RTX graphics card have paid off with a performance bump comparable to its MSRP, it's still practically impossible to recommend the RTX 5090 FE to any levelheaded PC gamer," said Ben Wilson in our RTX 5090 review. "Sure, it's technically the best in its category; this stands as the world's best consumer GPU, but the RTX 5080 remains a more sensible high-end pick for anyone who isn't in a professional field working with AI."
The RTX 5080 is easier to recommend, assuming you have a budget of around $1,000 for a graphics card. "In a pure numbers game, the RTX 5080 Founders Edition comes out as the new king of the hill for sane gamers, offering a reasonable high-end without needing to spring for the absurd $1,999 MSRP of an RTX 5090 FE," said Wilson in our RTX 5080 review.
The RTX 5080 is slimmer and lighter than previous generations and supports new tech like DLSS with multi frame generation. If you take advantage of all the features available to the RTX 5080, you should be able to enjoy smooth gameplay at 4K for the best PC games. The only caveat I'd add is that if you already have an RTX 4080 SUPER or RTX 4090, it's likely not worth the upgrade to the RTX 5080.
Where to buy NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 and RTX 5080
With many gadgets, I'd just place a block and share some links to help you make a purchase. Unfortunately, buying an RTX 5090 or RTX 5080 is more complicated than that. The launch of the new cards has been called "the worst when it comes to availability." Wait times are expected to be at least three months for most people. I've seen some go as far as to call the release of the cards a "paper launch," though that term does not have a firm definition. Regardless, if you're reading this in the first quarter of 2025, you probably do not have an RTX 5090 or RTX 5080.
If you do want to buy one of the new cards, your best bet may be to purchase a pre-built PC with an RTX 5090 or RTX 5080. We also have a piece that breaks down where you'll be able to buy an RTX 5090 or RTX 5080 when there is stock.
