L40 vs RTX 5090 D V2
Head-to-head specifications
| Metric | L40 | RTX 5090 D V2 | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3DMark Time Spy | 31,682 | 40,000 | -20.8% |
| Avg FPS @ 1080p | 231 | 286 | -19.2% |
| Avg FPS @ 1440p | 147 | 183 | -19.7% |
| Avg FPS @ 4K | 84 | 105 | -20.0% |
| FP32 compute (TFLOPS) | 90.5 | 104.8 | -13.6% |
| VRAM | 48 GB GDDR6 | 24 GB GDDR7 | — |
| Memory bandwidth (GB/s) | 864 | 1,344 | -35.7% |
| TDP (W) | 300 | 575 | — |
| Stable Diffusion (it/s) | 36.2 | 41.9 | -13.6% |
| LLM inference (tokens/s) | 53 | 107 | -50.5% |
- RTX 5090 D V2 averages 183 fps at 1440p versus 147 fps — about 20% faster.
- L40 draws less power (300W vs 575W).
Verdict: L40 or RTX 5090 D V2?
L40 advantages
- Video memory (+50%)
- Power efficiency (+48%)
RTX 5090 D V2 advantages
- 1440p gaming (+20%)
- 4K gaming (+20%)
- Synthetic benchmark performance (+21%)
- Memory bandwidth (+36%)
- AI image generation (+14%)
- Local LLM inference (+50%)
Which should you choose?
- Choose the L40 if you play the latest titles at high textures or do GPU-accelerated work.
- Choose the RTX 5090 D V2 if you game at 1440p.
- Choose the L40 if you want lower power draw, heat and noise.
L40 vs RTX 5090 D V2: which should you choose?
L40 — NVIDIA desktop graphics card (2022, Ada Lovelace) with 48 GB of GDDR6, averaging 147 fps at 1440p.
RTX 5090 D V2 — NVIDIA desktop graphics card (2025, Blackwell) with 24 GB of GDDR7, averaging 183 fps at 1440p; launched at $2,299.
L40 vs RTX 5090 D V2: RTX 5090 D V2 is faster for gaming. RTX 5090 D V2 averages 183 fps at 1440p versus 147 fps — about 20% faster. L40 draws less power (300W vs 575W).
1080p, 1440p and 4K
At 1440p — the most common enthusiast resolution — the RTX 5090 D V2 averages 183 fps against 147. At 4K (84 vs 105 fps) VRAM (48GB vs 24GB) and memory bandwidth matter more.
AI and creator workloads
Beyond gaming, the RTX 5090 D V2 is quicker for AI image generation (41.9 vs 36.2 it/s in Stable Diffusion) and local LLM inference (107 vs 53 tokens/s), which increasingly matters for creators and developers.
Power and value
Board power is 300 W versus 575 W, which affects PSU headroom, case cooling and noise.
The verdict
Both are credible choices in the graphics card comparison space; the specification table above lays out every metric so you can weigh the trade-offs that matter to you. Pick the one whose strengths line up with how you will actually use it.
Frequently asked questions
Is the L40 better than the RTX 5090 D V2?
RTX 5090 D V2 takes the overall edge, though L40 wins in specific areas worth weighing. RTX 5090 D V2 averages 183 fps at 1440p versus 147 fps — about 20% faster.
What is the main difference between the L40 and the RTX 5090 D V2?
RTX 5090 D V2 averages 183 fps at 1440p versus 147 fps — about 20% faster. L40 draws less power (300W vs 575W).
Which should I choose?
Choose the L40 if you play the latest titles at high textures or do GPU-accelerated work. Choose the RTX 5090 D V2 if you game at 1440p.
Methodology
Graphics cards are compared on 3DMark Time Spy scores, average gaming frame rates at 1080p/1440p/4K, FP32 compute throughput, VRAM capacity and type, memory bandwidth, board power (TDP) and launch MSRP — plus AI workload throughput (Stable Diffusion iterations/s and local LLM tokens/s) where measured. Vintage and server GPUs without modern benchmark results are compared on specifications only, clearly labelled. Frame rates are averages across a game suite at high settings; specific titles vary.