RTX 5090 FE unboxing reveals eco-friendly packaging — an inkless box made of paper fibers

The RTX 5090 Founders Edition unboxing embargo has officially been lifted. From the looks of it, Nvidia is going eco-friendly this time with its FE models, though AIBs will likely stick with more mainstream and custom designs. Nvidia’s new packaging philosophy resembles Apple’s, with the “inkless” GPU box made entirely of “paper fibers”—probably just a fancy name for cardboard.

Off the bat, packaging for the RTX 5090 boasts a 50% reduction in size compared to the last generation to minimize material usage and potentially lower costs for Nvidia. At the bottom of the outer box, we’re greeted by a tear tape, the removal of which reveals the tagline: “Inspired by Gamers. Enhanced by AI. Built by Nvidia”.

The shipping carton contains a bone-shaped box covered in a Lunar Stone color finish that houses the actual GPU. Interestingly, Nvidia claims the inner box features an inkless design, and the “GEFORCE RTX 5090” product name is die-cut into the lid. Beneath the GPU is another small package containing a single 16-pin to 4×8-pin power connector for the RTX 5090.

Removing the cardboard holder unveils the RTX 5090 Fonders Edition in all its beauty. Dissipating up to 575W of power within a two-slot form factor required an innovative thermal design and considerable engineering. Fun fact: The RTX 5090 FE is the only model compliant with Nvidia SFF-Ready requirements, while custom models typically span three to four slots and have triple fans.

Nvidia has incorporated a double flow-through design, enabled by three small PCBs: one housing the GPU, one for PCIe connectivity, and one for I/O connectivity. This multi-PCB layout allows the fans to push air without obstructions for maximum cooling. It is aided by a 3D vapor chamber design using liquid metal as the interface between the GPU die and base plate.

For display, the RTX 5090 offers three DisplayPort 2.1b with UHBR20 ports and one HDMI 2.1b port for content up to 4K 480 Hz, something that’s likely achievable through MFG (Multi Frame Generation).

While the packaging looks neat and minimalistic, some users might prefer the bolder aesthetics of previous-generation boxes. After all, you’re paying $1,999 for a GPU, but what matters more is the GPU performance. Leaks allege that the RTX 5090 is only around 30% faster than the RTX 4090, at least in synthetics.

The card design changes quite a lot from the previous generation 4090 Founders Edition model. It has rounded edges, along with the obviously thinner dual-slot form factor. Both fans are on the same side of the card now, and there are vents on the top and bottom of the card to help direct airflow away from the fans and avoid recirculating the hot exhaust.

The radiator fins on the opposite side from the fans are also beveled — there’s an indent into the card that helps optimize airflow and reduce turbulence, we’re told. All in all, it’s an impressive looking card if you go for the sleek and minimalist aesthetic over masses of RBG bling.

Here are a couple of side-by-side photos of the 4090 and 5090 Founders Edition cards. The length and width of the newer card are identical to the old model, and it’s only the width that has changed. Also note the switch from the vertically oriented 16-pin connector to the angled style connector, similar to what we saw with the 3090 and 3080 Founders Edition cards.

The adapter has also seen some changes this round. The wires for the 8-pin connectors are individually sheathed and far more flexible. Combined with the angled connector, this should virtually eliminate any problems with the adapters bumping up against the side of the case. Of course, with a 575W TGP (Total Graphics Power) limit, you’ll probably want to use a nice and roomy case regardless.

No third-party benchmarks are allowed right now, but we’ll have those soon enough. Stay tuned for our full-fledged review of the RTX 5090 once the embargo lifts as we dissect Nvidia’s performance claims.