GeForce RTX 5090 graphics card for laptops 2 times slower than the version

Nvidia Blackwell series mobile graphics cards are entering the market with some delay compared to desktop versions. Despite the presentation at the January CES 2025 exhibition, mass deliveries of laptops with these graphics adapters have only just begun. At the same time, the first independent reviews of models equipped with the GeForce RTX 5090 Laptop graphics processor have appeared on the network.

According to foreign sources, the GeForce RTX 5090 Laptop demonstrates performance that exceeds the performance of the mobile GeForce RTX 4080 by 15-30%. To improve the smoothness of the gameplay, the new product has implemented DLSS 4 technology with the Multi Frame Generation frame generation mechanism. However, according to experts, the overall increase in performance over the past three years cannot be called significant.

A comparison with the desktop version of the GeForce RTX 5090 shows that the full-fledged desktop model is about twice as fast. However, the power consumption of the mobile version is noticeably lower: the TGP indicator can reach 175 W depending on the laptop model, while for a desktop video card this parameter is 575 W.

New Blackwell-based graphics cards received support for CUDA applications, which affected PhysX support in older games.

Players noticed that PhysX effects either did not work at all or were executed exclusively on the processor, reducing performance. Nvidia confirmed that 32-bit CUDA applications are now only supported on previous-generation graphics cards, including the GeForce RTX 40, RTX 30, RTX 20/GTX 16, GTX 10 and GTX 9 series.

The issue has affected a number of popular games with PhysX hardware acceleration, such as Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag, Batman: Arkham City, Borderlands 2, the original Mafia II, and Cryostasis: Sleep of Reason. In the latter, for example, the GeForce RTX 5090 at 4K resolution and maximum graphics settings showed only 13 frames per second, while the RTX 4090 produced 100 frames in the same mode.

It is currently unknown whether Nvidia plans to restore support through a driver update. However, fans of older games are hoping for a possible solution from enthusiasts.