L40S vs RTX 5090 Max-Q
Head-to-head specifications
| Metric | L40S | RTX 5090 Max-Q | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3DMark Time Spy | 32,060 | 29,316 | +9.4% |
| Avg FPS @ 1080p | 234 | 215 | +8.8% |
| Avg FPS @ 1440p | 148 | 137 | +8.0% |
| Avg FPS @ 4K | 84 | 78 | +7.7% |
| FP32 compute (TFLOPS) | 91.6 | 73.3 | +25.0% |
| VRAM | 48 GB GDDR6 | 32 GB GDDR7 | — |
| Memory bandwidth (GB/s) | 864 | 1,792 | -51.8% |
| TDP (W) | 350 | 258 | — |
| Stable Diffusion (it/s) | 36.6 | 29.3 | +24.9% |
| LLM inference (tokens/s) | 53 | 143 | -62.9% |
- L40S averages 148 fps at 1440p versus 137 fps — about 8% faster.
- RTX 5090 Max-Q draws less power (258W vs 350W).
Verdict: L40S or RTX 5090 Max-Q?
L40S advantages
- 1440p gaming (+7%)
- 4K gaming (+7%)
- Synthetic benchmark performance (+9%)
- Video memory (+33%)
- AI image generation (+20%)
RTX 5090 Max-Q advantages
- Memory bandwidth (+52%)
- Local LLM inference (+63%)
- Power efficiency (+26%)
Which should you choose?
- Choose the L40S if you game at 1440p.
- Choose the RTX 5090 Max-Q if you work with high-resolution textures or memory-bound workloads.
- Choose the L40S if you game at 4K or drive a high-resolution display.
L40S vs RTX 5090 Max-Q: which should you choose?
L40S — NVIDIA desktop graphics card (2023, Ada Lovelace) with 48 GB of GDDR6, averaging 148 fps at 1440p.
RTX 5090 Max-Q — NVIDIA laptop graphics card (2025, Blackwell) with 32 GB of GDDR7, averaging 137 fps at 1440p.
L40S vs RTX 5090 Max-Q: L40S is faster for gaming. L40S averages 148 fps at 1440p versus 137 fps — about 8% faster. RTX 5090 Max-Q draws less power (258W vs 350W).
1080p, 1440p and 4K
At 1440p — the most common enthusiast resolution — the L40S averages 148 fps against 137. At 4K (84 vs 78 fps) VRAM (48GB vs 32GB) and memory bandwidth matter more.
AI and creator workloads
Beyond gaming, the L40S is quicker for AI image generation (36.6 vs 29.3 it/s in Stable Diffusion) and local LLM inference (143 vs 53 tokens/s), which increasingly matters for creators and developers.
Power and value
Board power is 350 W versus 258 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 L40S better than the RTX 5090 Max-Q?
L40S takes the overall edge, though RTX 5090 Max-Q wins in specific areas worth weighing. L40S averages 148 fps at 1440p versus 137 fps — about 8% faster.
What is the main difference between the L40S and the RTX 5090 Max-Q?
L40S averages 148 fps at 1440p versus 137 fps — about 8% faster. RTX 5090 Max-Q draws less power (258W vs 350W).
Which should I choose?
Choose the L40S if you game at 1440p. Choose the RTX 5090 Max-Q if you work with high-resolution textures or memory-bound workloads.
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.