Galax RTX 4090 Is the First GPU With an HDMI Retimer For Long Distance Connections

The GeForce RTX 4090 is already one of the best graphics cards, but Galax has made the Ada Lovelace flagship even better by adding an HDMI retimer chip to ensure clean signals over long HDMI connections.

This year marks the 20th anniversary of the Galax brand, so what better way to commemorate the feat than to release limited edition products? That's how the Galax GeForce RTX 4090 20th Anniversary Edition came into existence. 

The GeForce RTX 4090 20th Anniversary Edition is the first graphics card to feature an HDMI retimer. These small integrated circuits (ICs) enhance HDMI signal transmission over long distances. HDMI retimers are typically found in consoles, such as the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X or Series X because there are higher chances of console gamers connecting their consoles to the TV over great distances than PC gamers, who typically have the case on top of or beneath the desk.

Galax has implemented the Parade PS8419, a 12 Gbps HDMI 2.1 retimer, IC into the GeForce RTX 4090 20th Anniversary Edition. The PS8419 removes the jitter and timing skew in the data and clock channels, so users receive an HDMI output with very little jitter presence. Therefore, you can connect your gaming PC to your TV in the next room with a HDMI cable. Logically, the PS8419 is only responsible for maintaining a stable signal on the graphics card's HDMI 2.1 port. The other three DisplayPort 1.4a outputs do not benefit from the PS8419's functions.

Outside the GeForce RTX 4090 Founders Edition, the GeForce RTX 4090 20th Anniversary Edition is the only custom GeForce RTX 4090 that utilizes a similar top-down cooling solution. Two cooling fans push air downwards from one side of the graphics card while another does the same job on the opposite side.

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Aesthetically, you can't ask anything more from the GeForce RTX 4090 20th Anniversary Edition. Coming in with a quad-slot cooler, the GeForce RTX 4090 20th Anniversary Edition is a pretty thick graphics card that's 60mm thick and up to 344mm long. A detachable acrylic board is located at the front, but Galax didn't specify whether users can make their own and slap it on the graphics card.

The graphics card possesses an impressive VRAM with a 24+4 power stage design, sufficient for serious overclocking. By default, the GeForce RTX 4090 20th Anniversary Edition features a 2,595 MHz boost clock, but you can push it a lot higher, assuming you get a good sample. Like other custom GeForce RTX 4090 graphics cards, GeForce RTX 4090 20th Anniversary Edition relies on the 16-pin (12VHPWR) power connector, a nuisance to Nvidia's flagship. The company has followed a similar trend of hiding the 16-pin power connector behind the backplate.

The GeForce RTX 4090 20th Anniversary Edition is a limited edition SKU that's unlikely to venture outside of the Chinese market. As a result, Galax might only be doing a limited production run, so we don't expect many units to be available. As for pricing, the GeForce RTX 4090 20th Anniversary Edition probably commands a hefty premium, being a collector's item.