RTX 4090 vs L40
Head-to-head specifications
| Metric | RTX 4090 | L40 | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3DMark Time Spy | 33,032 | 31,682 | +4.3% |
| Avg FPS @ 1080p | 240 | 231 | +3.9% |
| Avg FPS @ 1440p | 153 | 147 | +4.1% |
| Avg FPS @ 4K | 87 | 84 | +3.6% |
| FP32 compute (TFLOPS) | 82.6 | 90.5 | -8.8% |
| VRAM | 24 GB GDDR6X | 48 GB GDDR6 | — |
| Memory bandwidth (GB/s) | 1,008 | 864 | +16.7% |
| TDP (W) | 450 | 300 | — |
| Stable Diffusion (it/s) | 33.0 | 36.2 | -8.8% |
| LLM inference (tokens/s) | 80 | 53 | +50.9% |
- RTX 4090 averages 153 fps at 1440p versus 147 fps — about 4% faster.
- L40 draws less power (300W vs 450W).
Verdict: RTX 4090 or L40?
RTX 4090 advantages
- Synthetic benchmark performance (+4%)
- Memory bandwidth (+14%)
- Local LLM inference (+34%)
L40 advantages
- Video memory (+50%)
- AI image generation (+9%)
- Power efficiency (+33%)
Which should you choose?
- Choose the RTX 4090 if you want the higher benchmark performance overall.
- Choose the L40 if you play the latest titles at high textures or do GPU-accelerated work.
- Choose the RTX 4090 if you work with high-resolution textures or memory-bound workloads.
RTX 4090 vs L40: which should you choose?
RTX 4090 — NVIDIA desktop graphics card (2022, Ada Lovelace) with 24 GB of GDDR6X, averaging 153 fps at 1440p; launched at $1,599.
L40 — NVIDIA desktop graphics card (2022, Ada Lovelace) with 48 GB of GDDR6, averaging 147 fps at 1440p.
RTX 4090 vs L40: RTX 4090 is faster for gaming. RTX 4090 averages 153 fps at 1440p versus 147 fps — about 4% faster. L40 draws less power (300W vs 450W).
1080p, 1440p and 4K
At 1440p — the most common enthusiast resolution — the RTX 4090 averages 153 fps against 147. At 4K (87 vs 84 fps) VRAM (24GB vs 48GB) and memory bandwidth matter more.
AI and creator workloads
Beyond gaming, the L40 is quicker for AI image generation (36.2 vs 33.0 it/s in Stable Diffusion) and local LLM inference (80 vs 53 tokens/s), which increasingly matters for creators and developers.
Power and value
Board power is 450 W versus 300 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 RTX 4090 better than the L40?
These two are closely matched — the right pick comes down to which specific strengths you value and the price you actually pay. RTX 4090 averages 153 fps at 1440p versus 147 fps — about 4% faster.
What is the main difference between the RTX 4090 and the L40?
RTX 4090 averages 153 fps at 1440p versus 147 fps — about 4% faster. L40 draws less power (300W vs 450W).
Which should I choose?
Choose the RTX 4090 if you want the higher benchmark performance overall. Choose the L40 if you play the latest titles at high textures or do GPU-accelerated work.
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.