The Nvidia RTX 5090 Founder's Edition, set to go on sale on January 30th, is a remarkable exception to the trend of increasingly large and power-hungry graphics cards. Despite its two-slot design, the card is surprisingly compact, making it an attractive option for small form factor (SFF) PCs. In a recent test, The Verge's senior editor Sean Hollister managed to fit the card into his 12.7-liter Ncase M1 chassis, a feat that required some creative problem-solving.

The RTX 5090 Founder's Edition is a powerful graphics card, capable of delivering more than double the framerate of an RTX 3080 Founder's Edition at 4K resolution. In tests, the card consistently delivered over 60fps in 4K gaming benchmarks, making it an excellent option for those looking to play games at the highest settings. The card's performance is thanks in part to its "double flow through" cooler, which is designed to keep the card running at a reasonable temperature even in compact SFF cases.

However, the RTX 5090 Founder's Edition is not without its drawbacks. The card requires a 1000W power supply, which can be a challenge to fit into smaller cases. Additionally, the card's power consumption is significant, with Hollister reporting that it consumed up to 1 kilowatt during testing. The card's high price, $2000, may also be a barrier for many gamers.

In comparison to other Nvidia graphics cards, the RTX 5090 Founder's Edition is a notable exception to the trend of increasing size and power consumption. The card's compact design and powerful performance make it an attractive option for SFF PC builders, but its high price and power requirements may limit its appeal.

Despite these limitations, the RTX 5090 Founder's Edition is an impressive achievement in graphics card design. Its ability to deliver high-performance gaming in a compact package makes it an attractive option for those looking to build a powerful SFF PC. However, for most gamers, the card's high price and power requirements may make it a luxury they cannot afford.

In conclusion, the Nvidia RTX 5090 Founder's Edition is a powerful and compact graphics card that is well-suited to small form factor PCs. While its high price and power requirements may limit its appeal, the card's performance and design make it an attractive option for those looking to build a high-performance gaming PC in a compact package.