What you need to know
- The RTX 4090 is one of NVIDIA's newest graphics cards, set to launch generally in the coming weeks.
- People are noting the fact that the GPU is larger than an entire Xbox Series S console by volume, making it a chunky boy.
- It is of course vastly more powerful, but it's a testament to Microsoft's engineering that they were able to fit a 1080p60+ gaming rig into such a svelte package.
Recently, NVIDIA announced its new range of graphics cards, touting all manner of AI upscaling tech and fresh performance ceilings. There's been some controversy over how NVIDIA is positioning its new RTX 40 series, but some of the potential performance gains, as usual, remain tantalizing. However, if you were hoping to fit one of these higher-end cards in your existing rig, you may want to check how much physical space you have left over. The RTX 4090 in particular is a beefy boy.
Spotted by Okami Games and others, one of NVIDIA's best GPU offerings right now, the RTX 4090 is, in fact, bigger than an Xbox Series S console.
The 4090 is bigger than an Xbox Series S. pic.twitter.com/U0AtgyZapfOctober 5, 2022
I was intrigued to find out if it was actually bigger by volume, so I did some quick math, and lo and behold, the RTX 4090 is in fact bigger than an Xbox Series S by volume.
Of course, the RTX 4090 is an absolute behemoth in comparison to an Xbox Series S, but it's a testament to Microsoft's engineering team that they were able to get a full gaming console capable of 1080p graphics at 120 FPS into a package so comparatively small.
- Xbox Series S: Volume = 27.5×15.1×6.5 = 2699.125 centimeters³
- NVIDIA RTX 4090: Volume = 33.6×14.0×6.1 = 2869.44 centimeters³
The RTX 4090 by comparison is a future-facing powerhouse which makes short work of 4K resolution up to 100 FPS and above and should be a candidate for 8K gaming in the future too. Of course, with beastly power comes beastly costs. For the price of one NVIDIA RTX 4090 (at $1600 RRP), you could grab five Xbox Series S consoles (at $300 RRP), and still have a bit of cash left over for some Xbox accessories.
The Xbox Series S had a bit of a rocky start, but as more developers got to grips with its nuances and limitations, we've seen more and more games optimized for 1080p 60 FPS or even 120 FPS in some cases, owing to its more modernized CPU compared to the past Xbox One generation. The Xbox Series X still takes the crown for console gaming performance, hitting 4K 60 FPS as standard. The latest RTX 40 series cards are doubtless going to become the benchmark for visual quality and performance in gaming once they become more widely available in the coming weeks. Still, I'm not sure I'm willing to give up a kidney to build an RTX 4090 rig any time soon.
