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Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090 review: the very best there is, without question
4:00 pm | October 11, 2022
Author: admin | Category: Computers Computing Computing Components Gadgets | Tags: , , , | Comments: Off

Editor's Note

• Original review date: October 2022
• Launch price: MSRP at $1,599 / £1,649 / AU$2,959
• Lowest price now: $2459 / £1,999.99 / AU$2,999

Update – April 2025: The Nvidia RTX 4090 is currently the second most powerful 'consumer' graphics card on the market today, so it's definitely still worth buying after the release of the Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090.

Whether it's gaming or creative work, this is one of the best graphics cards you can get, capable of some of the fastest 4K framerates around with creative chops second only to the RTX 5090.

Its market price is way higher than its launch MSRP (often close to double its launch price, at least in the US), but if you're in the market for an RTX 4090, chances are money isn't as big of a concern as it is further down the premium GPU stack, and this might be an excellent alternative to the RTX 5090, whose price right now is simply offensive. Your biggest problem, though, is going to be finding this card, which is increasingly difficult as most retailers selling new cards are completely sold out and aren't expecting restocks, so you might have to look to the RTX 5090 or RTX 5080 instead.

Original unedited review follows...

Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090: two minute review

Well, the Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090 is finally here, and there's no question that it delivers on many of the lofty promises made by Nvidia ahead of its launch, delivering stunning gen-on-gen performance improvement that is more akin to a revolution than an advance. 

That said, you won't find four times performance increases here, and only in some instances will you see a 2x increase in performance over the Nvidia GeForce RTX 3090, much less the Nvidia GeForce RTX 3090 Ti, but a 50% to 70% increase in synthetic and gaming performance should be expected across the board with very rare exceptions where the GPU runs too far ahead of the CPU.

On the creative side of things, this card was made to render, completely lapping the RTX 3090 in Blender Cycles performance, which makes this the best graphics card for creatives on the market, period, hands down.

On the gaming side, this is the first graphics card to deliver fully native 4K ray-traced gaming performance at a very playable framerate, without the need for DLSS, showing the maturity of Nvidia's third-generation ray tracing cores.

Even more incredible, Nvidia's new DLSS 3 shows even more promise, delivering substantially faster framerates over the already revolutionary DLSS 2.0. And while we did not test DLSS 3 as extensively as we did the RTX 4090's native hardware (for reasons we'll explain in a bit), from what we've seen, Nvidia's new tech is probably an even more important advance than anything having to do with the hardware.

On trhe downside, the card does require even more power than its predecessor, and when paired with something like the Intel Core i9-12900K, you're going to be pulling close to 700W of power between these two components alone. Worse still, this additional power draw requires some very strategic cable management to practically use, and for a lot of builders, this is going to be a hard card to show off in a case with a bundle of PCIe cables in the way.

The price has also increased over its predecessor, though given its incredible performance and the price of the previous graphics card champ, the RTX 3090 Ti, the RTX 4090 offers for more performance for the price than any other card on the market other than the Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 and Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 Ti. So even though the Nvidia RTX 4090 is a very expensive card, what you are getting for the price makes it a very compelling value proposition if you can afford it.

In the end, the Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090 is definitely an enthusiast graphics card in terms of price and performance, since the level of power on offer here is really overkill for the vast majority of people who will even consider buying it. That said, if you are that enthusiast – or if you are a creative or a researcher who can actually demonstrate a need for this much power – there's isn't much else to say but to buy this card. 

It is more powerful than many of us ever thought it could be, and while I'd definitely argue that the Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 Ti or AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX is the better purchase for gamers given their price, the RTX 4090 was always going to be a card for the early adopters out there, as well as creatives who are out to spend the company's money, not their own, and the RTX 4090 will give you everything you could want in an enthusiast graphics card.

Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090: Price & availability

A man's hand holding an Nvidia RTX 4090 in an office

(Image credit: Future)
  • How much is it? MSRP listed at $1,599 (about £1,359, AU$2,300)
  • When is it out? It is available October 12, 2022.
  • Where can you get it? Available in the US, UK, and Australia.

The Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090 goes on sale worldwide on October 12, 2022, with an MSRP of $1,599 in the US (about £1,359/AU$2,300).

This is $100 more than the MSRP of the RTX 3090 when it was released in September 2020, but is also about $400 less than the MSRP of the RTX 3090 Ti, though the latter has come down considerably in price since the RTX 4090 was announced.

And while this is unquestionably expensive, this card is meant more as a creative professional's graphics card than it is for the average consumer, occupying the prosumer gray area between the best gaming PC and a Pixar-workstation.

Of course, third-party versions of the RTX 4090 are going to cost even more, and demand for this card is likely to drive up the price quite a bit at launch, but with the crash of the cryptobubble, we don't think we'll see quite the run-up in prices that we saw with the last generation of graphics cards.

Finally, one thing to note is that while this is an expensive graphics card, its performance is so far out ahead of similarly priced cards, that it offers a much better price to performance value than just about any other card out there, and it is far ahead of its immediate predecessors in this regard. Honestly, we don't really see this kind of price-to-performance ratio outside of the best cheap graphics cards, so this was definitely one of the biggest surprises coming out of our testing.

  • Value: 4 / 5

Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090: features & chipset

The 16-pin power connector on an Nvidia RTX 4090

(Image credit: Future)
  • 4nm GPU packs in nearly three times the transistors
  • Substantial increase in Tensor Cores
  • Third generation RT Cores
Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090 key specs

GPU: AD102
CUDA cores: 16,384
Tensor cores: 512
Ray tracing cores: 128
Power draw (TGP): 450W
Base clock: 2,235 MHz
Boost clock: 2,520 MHz
VRAM: 24GB GDDR6X
Bandwith: 1,018 GB/s
Bus interface: PCIe 4.0 x16
Outputs: 1 x HDMI 2.1, 3 x DisplayPort 1.4a
Power connector: 1 x 16-pin

The Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090 features some major generational improvements on the hardware front, courtesy of the new Nvidia Lovelace architecture. For one, the AD102 GPU uses TSMC's 4nm node rather the Samsung 8nm node used by the Nvidia Ampere GeForce cards.

The die size is 608mm², so a little bit smaller than the 628mm² die in the GA102 GPU in the RTX 3090, and thanks to the TSMC node, Nvidia was able to cram 76.3 billion transistors onto the AD102 die, a 169% increase in transistor count over the GA102's 28.3 billion.

The clock speeds have also see a substantial jump, with the RTX 4090's base clock running at a speedy 2,235 MHz, compared to the RTX 3090's 1,395 MHz. It's boost clock also gets a commesurate jump up to 2,520 MHz from 1,695 MHz. 

It's memory clock is also slightly faster at 1,325 MHz, up from 1,219 MHz, giving the RTX 4090 a faster effective memory speed of 21.2 Gbps versus the RTX 3090's 19.5 Gbps. This lets the RTX 4090 get more out of the same 24GB GDDR6X VRAM as the RTX 3090.

When it comes to the number of cores, the RTX 4090 packs in 56% more streaming multiprocessors than the RTX 3090, 128 to 82, which translates into nearly 6,000 more CUDA cores as the RTX 3090 (16,384 to 10,496). That also means that the RTX 4090 packs in 46 additional ray tracing cores and an additional 184 Tensor cores, and next-gen cores at that, so they are even better at ray tracing and vectorized computations than its predecessor.

This is immediately apparent when cranking up ray tracing to the max on games like Cyberpunk 2077, and especially when running DLSS 3, which makes the jump to full-frame rendering rather than just the pixel rendering done by earlier iterations of DLSS. 

  • Features & Chipset: 5 / 5

Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090: design

An Nvidia RTX 4090 sitting on its retail packaging on a wooden desk

(Image credit: Future)
  • Yeah, that 16-pin connector is a pain to work with
  • A little bit thicker, but a little shorter, than the RTX 3090

The Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090 Founders Edition looks very much like its predecessor, though there are some subtle and not-so-subtle differences. First off, this is a heavier card for sure, so don't be so surprised that we need to start adding support brackets to our PC builds. It might have been optional in the last generation, but it is absolutely a necessity with the Nvidia RTX 4090.

The Founders Edition does not come with one, but third-party cards will likely include them and manufacturers are already starting to sell them separately so we would definitely suggest you pick one up.

Otherwise, the dimensions of the RTX 4090 around that much different than the RTX 3090. It's a bit thicker than the RTX 3090, but it's a bit shorter as well, so if your case can fit an RTX 3090 FE it will most likely fit an RTX 4090 FE.

The fans on either side of the card help pull air through the heatsink to cool off the GPU and these work reasonably well, considering the additional power being pulled into the GPU.

Speaking of power, the RTX 4090 introduces us to a new 16-pin connector that requires four 8-pin connectors plugged into an adaptor to power the card. Considering the card's 450W TDP, this shouldn't be surprising, but actually trying to work with this kind of adapter in your case is probably going to be a nightmare. We definitely suggest that you look into the new PSU's coming onto the market that support this new connector without needing to resort to an adapter. If you're spending this much money on a new graphics card, you might as well go hog and make your life – and cable management – a bit easier.

  • Design: 4 / 5

Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090: performance

An Nvidia RTX 4090 plugged into a test bench

(Image credit: Future)
  • Unassisted native 4K ray-traced gaming is finally here
  • Creatives will love this card

So here we are, the section that really matters in this review. In the lead up to the Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090 announcement, we heard rumors of 2x performance increases, and those rumors were either not too far off or were actually on the mark, depending on the workload in question.

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A chart showing the relative performance of the Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090 against competing GPUs

(Image credit: Future / InfoGram)
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A chart showing the relative performance of the Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090 against competing GPUs

(Image credit: Future / InfoGram)
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A chart showing the relative performance of the Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090 against competing GPUs

(Image credit: Future / InfoGram)
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A chart showing the relative performance of the Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090 against competing GPUs

(Image credit: Future / InfoGram)
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A chart showing the relative performance of the Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090 against competing GPUs

(Image credit: Future / InfoGram)
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A chart showing the relative performance of the Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090 against competing GPUs

(Image credit: Future / InfoGram)
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A chart showing the relative performance of the Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090 against competing GPUs

(Image credit: Future / InfoGram)
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A chart showing the relative performance of the Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090 against competing GPUs

(Image credit: Future / InfoGram)

Across our synthetic benchmark tests, the Nvidia RTX 4090 produced eye-brow raising results from the jump, especially on more modern and advanced benchmarks like 3DMark Port Royal and Time Spy Extreme, occasionally fully lapping the RTX 3090 and running well ahead of the RTX 3090 Ti pretty much across the board.

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A chart showing the synthetic benchmark performance of the RTX 4090 against competing cards

(Image credit: Future / InfoGram)
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A chart showing the synthetic benchmark performance of the RTX 4090 against competing cards

(Image credit: Future / InfoGram)
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A chart showing the synthetic benchmark performance of the RTX 4090 against competing cards

(Image credit: Future / InfoGram)
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A chart showing the synthetic benchmark performance of the RTX 4090 against competing cards

(Image credit: Future / InfoGram)
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A chart showing the synthetic benchmark performance of the RTX 4090 against competing cards

(Image credit: Future / InfoGram)
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A chart showing the synthetic benchmark performance of the RTX 4090 against competing cards

(Image credit: Future / InfoGram)

This trend continues on to the GPU heavy creative benchmarks, with the Nvidia RTX 4090's Blender performance being especially noteable for more than doubling the RTX 3090 Ti's performance on two out of three tests, and blowing out any other competing 4K graphics card in Cycles rendering.

On Premiere Pro, the RTX 4090 scores noticeably higher than the RTX 3090 Ti, but the difference isn't nearly as dramatic since PugetBench for Premiere Pro measures full system performance rather than just isolating the GPU, and Adobe Photoshop is a heavily raterized workload, which is something that AMD has an advantage in over the past couple of generations, which is something we see pretty clearly in our tests. 

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A chart showing creative benchmark performance of the Nvidia RTX 4090 against competing cards

(Image credit: Future / InfoGram)
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A chart showing creative benchmark performance of the Nvidia RTX 4090 against competing cards

(Image credit: Future / InfoGram)
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A chart showing creative benchmark performance of the Nvidia RTX 4090 against competing cards

(Image credit: Future / InfoGram)
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A chart showing creative benchmark performance of the Nvidia RTX 4090 against competing cards

(Image credit: Future / InfoGram)
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A chart showing creative benchmark performance of the Nvidia RTX 4090 against competing cards

(Image credit: Future / InfoGram)

Gaming is obviously going to see some of the biggest jumps in performance with the RTX 4090, and our tests bear that out. Most gaming benchmarks show roughly 90% to 100% improved framerates with the RTX 4090 over the RTX 3090, and roughly 55% to 75% better performance than the Nvidia RTX 3090 Ti.

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A chart showing the gaming performance of the Nvidia RTX 4090 against competing graphics cards

(Image credit: Future / InfoGram)
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A chart showing the gaming performance of the Nvidia RTX 4090 against competing graphics cards

(Image credit: Future / InfoGram)
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A chart showing the gaming performance of the Nvidia RTX 4090 against competing graphics cards

(Image credit: Future / InfoGram)
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A chart showing the gaming performance for the Nvidia RTX 4090 against competing cards

(Image credit: Future / InfoGram)
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A chart showing the gaming performance of the Nvidia RTX 4090 against competing graphics cards

(Image credit: Future / InfoGram)
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A chart showing the gaming performance of the Nvidia RTX 4090 against competing graphics cards

(Image credit: Future / InfoGram)
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A chart showing the gaming performance of the Nvidia RTX 4090 against competing graphics cards

(Image credit: Future / InfoGram)
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A chart showing the gaming performance of the Nvidia RTX 4090 against competing graphics cards

(Image credit: Future / InfoGram)
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A chart showing the gaming performance of the Nvidia RTX 4090 against competing graphics cards

(Image credit: Future / InfoGram)
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A chart showing the gaming performance of the Nvidia RTX 4090 against competing graphics cards

(Image credit: Future / InfoGram)
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A chart showing the gaming performance of the Nvidia RTX 4090 against competing graphics cards

(Image credit: Future / InfoGram)
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A chart showing the gaming performance of the Nvidia RTX 4090 against competing graphics cards

(Image credit: Future / InfoGram)
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A chart showing the gaming performance of the Nvidia RTX 4090 against competing graphics cards

(Image credit: Future / InfoGram)

These numbers are likely to jump even higher when you factor in DLSS 3. DLSS 3 isn't available in any commercially available games yet, but we were able to test DLSS 3 on a couple of special builds games that will be available shortly after the release of the RTX 4090. A few of these games had in-game benchmarks that we could use to test the performance of DLSS 3 using Nvidia's FrameView tool and the results showed two to three times better performance on some games than we got using current builds on Steam with DLSS 2.0.

Since we were using special builds and Nvidia-provided tools, we can't necessarily declare these results representative until we are able to test them out on independent benchmarks, but just eyeballing the benchmark demos themselves we see an obvious improvement to the framerates of DLSS 3 over DLSS 2.0. 

Whether the two to three times better performance will hold up after its official release remains to be seen, but as much as DLSS 2.0 revolutionized the performance of the best PC games, DLSS 3 looks to be just as game-changing once it gets picked up by developers across the PC gaming scene. Needless to say, AMD needs to step up its upscaling game if it ever hopes to compete on the high-end 4K scene.

Now, there is a real question about whether most gamers will ever need anything coming close to this kind of performance, and there is such a thing as diminishing returns. Some might find that the native 4K ray tracing is neat, but kind of redundant since DLSS can get you roughly the same experience with an RTX 3090 or even an RTX 3080 Ti, but that's a judgment that individual consumers are going to have to make. 

Personally, I think this card is at least approaching the point of overkill, but there's no doubt that it overkills those frame rates like no other.

  • Performance: 5 / 5

Should you buy an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090?

An Nvidia RTX 4090

(Image credit: Future)

Buy the Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090 if…

You want the best graphics card on the market
There really is no competition here. This is the best there is, plain and simple.

You want native 4K ray-traced gaming
DLSS and other upscaling tech is fantastic, but if you want native 4K ray-traced gaming, this is literally the only card that can consistently do it.

You are a 3D graphics professional
If you work with major 3D rendering tools like Maya, Blender, and the like, then this graphics card will dramatically speed up your workflows.

Don’t buy the Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090 if…

You're not looking to do native, max-4K gaming
Unless you're looking to game on the bleeding edge of graphical performance, you probably don't need this card.

You're on a budget
This is a very premium graphics card by any measure.

Also consider

Nvidia GeForce RTX 3090
The RTX 3090 isn't nearly as powerful as the RTX 4090, but it is still an amazing gaming and creative professional's graphics card and is likely to be very cheap right now.

Read the full Nvidia GeForce RTX 3090 review

Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080
The RTX 3080 is a far cry from the RTX 4090, no doubt, but the RTX 3080 currently has the best price to performance proposition of any 4K card on the market. If you're looking for the best value, the RTX 3080 is the clear winner here.

Read the full Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 review

AMD Radeon RX 6950 XT
In another universe, AMD would have lead the Big Navi launch with the RX 6950 XT. It is a compelling gaming graphics card, offering excellent 4K gaming performance on par with the RTX 3090 and generally coming in at the same price as the RTX 3080 Ti.

Read the full AMD Radeon RX 6950 XT review

First reviewed in October 2022

Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090 Report Card

Nectar Mattress review 2023
7:08 pm | March 25, 2022
Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets | Tags: , , | Comments: Off

Nectar Mattress review in brief

  • Good price for a mid-range bed-in-a-box 
  • Relatively firm for an all-foam model
  • Gel memory foam delivers good pressure relief

Note: Nectar sells in both the UK and the US. This guide focuses on the Nectar Memory Foam mattress in the US – for the UK review, toggle the flag drop-down menu in the main navigation bar. 

The Nectar Mattress stands out among the more affordable options in the bed-in-a-box market, and thanks to its good support and reasonable prices (starting at $449) it occupies a prime spot in our best mattress guide. This medium-firm mattress – also known as the Nectar Memory Foam Mattress – is suitable for most body types and sleep styles, and it's an especially strong, affordable choice if you're in search of the best mattress for side sleepers. That said there are a few exceptions that we'll spell out in more detail later in this review.

With responsive top layers that contour to your shape and stable foam base giving it a sturdy foundation for better sleep, this is very much a mattress that you sink into (which may or may not appeal to you), and in our tests we found that it delivered a good balance of supportive pressure relief and contouring comfort.

The Nectar Memory Foam shown at an angle so you can see the white cover and Nectar logo on the deep blue base

(Image credit: Nectar Sleep)

You'll find the Nectar Mattress at the top of our best memory foam mattress ranking, and having subjected it to three weeks of rigorous testing we've concluded that it should suit most people who appreciate a medium-firm mattress with a little 'hug'. However, people with heavy bodies may find that they sink in just a bit too much (especially if two are sharing), while lighter-bodied people who like softer beds may well find the Nectar too firm.

For our review we tested a Nectar Memory Foam mattress in queen size, and we loved how the mattress felt firm yet cushioned, cradling pressure points (hips, knees and shoulders), while also feeling stable and supportive.

If you share a bed with a restless sleeper you'll be delighted to learn that we found the Nectar's motion transfer between co-sleepers to be good and low. We also found that it had good edge support, which isn't always the case with all-foam mattresses; they don't usually have as strong an edge support system as hybrid models.

Nectar Mattress specs

Best for: Most sleepers of light to average build; combination and side sleepers
Type: Memory Foam
Trial: 365 nights
Guarantee: Lifetime
Firmness: 6.5 (out of 10)
Materials: Gel memory foam, CertiPUR-US foam, poly-blend
Depth: 12"
Sizes: Twin, twin XL, full, queen, king, split king, Cal king

While it isn't specifically a cooling mattress, the Nectar Mattress features cooling gel foam and a heat-wicking cover that can help keep temperatures down at night. However if you tend to sleep hot or suffer from night sweats, we'd instead direct you to the Nectar Premier Copper Mattress, available from $1,499 at Nectar Sleep, or instead take a look at our best cooling mattress guide for further recommendations.

There are five layers to the Nectar and a mix of premium materials such as contouring gel memory foam, soft and responsive transition foam, a supportive higher-density foam base, and a cool-touch top cover with temperature-regulating properties. You'll get all of that for a lower price compared to most competitor models too. A queen size Nectar Mattress, for example, costs $899 and you'll get up to $499 of free bedding with it. 

On the brand's website, the Nectar Memory Foam has over 46,600 user reviewers, generating an average rating of 4.8 out of 5 stars. Nectar also offers a 365-night risk-free trial, which isn't quite as rare as it used to be (the likes of Saatva, Avocado and DreamCloud also give you a full year), but it is surprisingly generous for a mattress in this price bracket. The big benefit is that you can try the mattress out in all seasons. You'll also get a Forever Warranty and free shipping and returns. Still undecided? Here's our full Nectar Mattress review...

See the Nectar Mattress at Nectar Sleep
The Nectar is ranked second in our mattress guide. It's pretty much never sold at MSRP: there's an evergreen Nectar mattress sale that knocks $200 off all sizes and throws in a free bedding bundle. The value of this varies – best option gets you up to $499 off accessories, depending on the size of bed. However, you'll also find rare flash sales that knock 25% or possibly 33% off the price. That makes the mattress itself cheaper, but you will sacrifice the bedding bundle. You’ll have 365 nights to trial it, and it comes with a Lifetime Warranty.View Deal

Nectar Mattress review: materials

  • Gel-infused memory foam
  • Quilted, cooling polyblend cover
  • Made with toxin-free, Certi-PUR-US materials

The Nectar Memory Foam is made in the US using materials sourced from Malaysia, Vietnam, Mexico and America, and as mentioned earlier in our review, the Nectar is constructed across five individual layers. At the top you’ll find a quilted, cooling polyblend cover with heat-wicking properties, and there’s a nice, soft feel to the cover too.

Beneath the surface sits three inches of high-density, pressure-relieving gel memory foam. This delivers a comforting, body-hug feel that nicely cradles the shoulders, hips and knees during side sleeping, and minimizes pressure points during longer periods of back and stomach sleeping too.

Image shows inside the Nectar Mattress so that you can see each of the five different layers

(Image credit: Nectar)

Next up is two inches of dynamic adjusting foam, which provides a little sink to this Nectar Memory Foam. Finally, a seven-inch layer of sturdy foam makes up the mattress base and delivers support and stability throughout. The Nectar also features a shift-resistant lower cover to ensure it stays put as you sleep.

If you're looking to make your sleep set up as healthy as possible, the Nectar Mattress is a good choice because its made with CertiPUR-US standard foam. This gold-standard certification guarantees that any foams use to make the Nectar contain no harmful toxins.

Nectar Mattress review: prices and deals

  • Ignore MSRP – this mattress is always discounted 
  • It comes with up to $499 of free bedding
  • A lifetime warranty increases your value for money

Price-wise, the Nectar Memory Foam sits squarely within the affordable mattress sector. That means you will find cheaper memory foam models, such as from Zinus, Linenspa, Brooklyn Bedding and Cocoon by Sealy, but also plenty of comparable models that charge a lot more for the same levels of build quality, comfort and support. In other words, the Nectar Mattress is good value for money. 

As is the case with most bed brands, there are regular Nectar mattress sales to take advantage of. Nectar is pretty consistent with what it offers – you can basically ignore MSRP, it's pretty much always sold at the 'normal' prices in the list below, and you'll always get a bundle of bedding for free, too. Here is the official pricing for the Nectar Mattress:

  • MSRP Twin: $873 (normally priced $399)
  • MSRP Twin XL: $1,043 (normally priced $569)
  • MSRP Full: $1,298 (normally priced $699)
  • MSRP Queen: $1,398 (normally priced $799)
  • MSRP King: $1,698 (normally priced $1,099)
  • MSRP Cal king: $1,698 (normally priced $1,099)
  • MSRP Split king: $2,086 (normally priced $1,138)

Nectar also runs occasional flash sales, which typically knock 25% off the price of mattresses. Generally there's no bundle included in these offers though, so if you need the bedding you might be better off paying slightly more for the mattress in the evergreen deal, but getting those extras. 

What about big mattress sales events such as the Black Friday mattress deals or Cyber Monday mattress deals, Labor Day, Memorial Day and the upcoming Presidents' Day mattress sales? Nectar is hit and miss with these kinds of events. In the past, it has just stuck to its evergreen offer and changed the branding, which is pretty underwhelming. There is often a Flash Sale in early November, though.

For Black Friday 2022, though, Nectar has knocked 33% off the range for the month of November, which is great way to snap up a much cheaper price on the mattress itself – although again, no bedding bundle, so you'll need to work out what's best value for you.

Competitors such as Purple also launch regular savings to lower the prices of its various memory foam and hybrids. The Purple Original is the closest rival to the Nectar and its normally on sale for $1,249 in a queen size at Purple, saving you $150. For a cheaper yet equally top-rated alternative to the Nectar, we'd recommend the Cocoon by Sealy Chill Memory Foam, priced just $799 for a queen plus you get up to $178 of free bedding too. That's excellent value for money and something not even Nectar can beat right now.

It's also worth remembering the generous extras you're getting with the Nectar Mattress: the 365-night trial and Forever Warranty. While a year's trial isn't as rare as it once was, it's still pretty unusual for a mattress at this price point. 

Nectar Mattress review: firmness and comfort

  • Plenty of pressure-relieving support
  • Might have too much sink-in for heavy, side or back sleepers
  • Might not keep very hot sleepers cool enough

The Nectar Mattress has just one firmness option of medium firm, plus one height of 12 inches. We support the firmness rating of 6.5 that Nectar gives its Memory Foam mattress, and all members of our testing panel enjoyed this level of firmness too. It's also quite rare to find a true medium-firm memory foam model, but Nectar has achieved this.

The Nectar Mattress photographed in our reviewer's bedroom during the testing process

This is the queen size Nectar Mattress we used for testing (Image credit: Future)

The quilted cooling cover feels soft and plush to the touch, but the layers of gel foam and dynamic foam creates a supportive yet still cozy surface that cocoons the sleeper and relieves pressure points. During our review period, the Nectar Mattress was comfortable when sleeping on our backs and sides. However, anyone who is heavier than 230lbs in weight or who sleeps particularly hot may not find it as comfortable as we did.

Firmness is very subjective too, and one person’s firm may be another person’s medium-firm, which is something to bear in mind, especially when it comes to reading customer user reviews of the Nectar Memory Foam. Compared to similar models we have tested, this mattress’s medium firmness feels just right, and stomach sleepers should also enjoy the combination of plushness plus support.

If you are unsure whether a medium-firm feel would suit your body and sleep needs, and you have a bigger budget, then we would recommend taking a look at our Saatva Classic mattress review too. This luxury innerspring hybrid and foam bed comes in three different firmness levels, including Plush Soft for side sleepers.

Nectar Mattress review: Performance

  • Cooling quilted cover
  • Adequate motion transfer
  • Medium edge support

Our main reviewers for the Nectar Mattress are both side and back sleepers, but we also had stomach and combi sleepers on our wider testing panel. One of our reviewers sleeps warm to hot, so testing the Nectar’s cooling and comfort was key. Over a period of several weeks testing, we looked at all aspects of comfort, support and performance, generating ratings for each of these features and design aspects.

We tested a queen size Nectar Memory Foam by sleeping on it for several weeks, and by inviting various members of our testing panel to try it too. Here's what we discovered during our review process... 

Setup

The Nectar Mattress shown on a plain black bed frame during our review and testing period

(Image credit: Future)

Score: 4.8/5

The Nectar Memory Foam is shipped in a sturdy cardboard box, which allows you to easily remove the wrapped mattress. Nectar supplies a small plastic cutting tool to help open the vacuum-sealed, tough plastic. 

The mattress is fairly heavy (the queen weighs 66lbs), so it might need an extra pair of hands to be unboxed and place on your bedframe for you to unroll. Once free of the plastic, the mattress soon springs to full form and within 30 minutes to an hour it's ready to sleep on, although Nectar advises leaving it for up to 72 hours to inflate fully.

Off-Gassing

Score: 4.8/5

New foam mattresses are often prone to off-gassing as a chemical or plastic smell is released when you unpack it – this is down to VOCs (volatile organic compounds) being let out. However, there was no noticeable off-gassing with the Nectar Memory Foam, despite it being a gel foam model. 

As we unboxed the Nectar, we were unaware of any unpleasant or chemical odors. However, we made sure we still opened the windows to let plenty of air circulate around the room. We should also add that the bedroom where the unboxing took place was fairly large, so you may have a different experience of off-gassing when unboxing the Nectar in a smaller room.

Pressure relief

Illustration shows a blue person lying on the Nectar Mattress and how it reduces pressure on all major impact points such as the hips and shoulders

(Image credit: Nectar Sleep)

Score: 4.5/5

There's ample pressure relief with the Nectar Mattress, but it does depend on your sleeping position and your body type, as we'll now explain... 

Even though it's made with foam, which typically has a different feel to innerspring or hybrids, the Nectar Memory Foam surprised us (in a good way) with its firmer feel. It's unusual to find an all-foam bed that is a true medium-firm, but of course this has its pros and cons for different types of sleepers and body weights. 

Lighter side sleepers may find it too firm around the hips and shoulders, while heavier back and stomach sleepers may still sink in too much (and fall out of alignment) despite the firmer feel. 

The quilted cover on our review sample felt soft and plush, yet underneath there was a sturdy, solid mattress, which only gave slightly under our pressure points. Saying that, we felt well supported and comfortable, which was great for us, but not ideal if you don’t like the feeling of being cradled during. Some may think this sink-in is too great, while others may enjoy the cocooned feeling.

Our overnight guests had no complaints about the performance of the Nectar Mattress either, although one said they did sink in a little bit more than they would have liked, which made rolling over when changing sleep position a bit of an effort.

Motion transfer

Nectar Mattress photographed during our review testing, with a wine glass on one side and a black weight on the other to test motion isolation

(Image credit: Future)

Score: 4.5/5

Motion transfer is about whether you feel your co-sleeper (or pet) shifting around on the other side of the bed. Really well-designed foam mattresses will have good motion-transfer ratings as the foam will be solidly held in a surrounding core for stability. Flimsy foam models, however, tend to have more motion transfer because they aren’t as solid, thick, or deep.

Our reviewers gave the Nectar Mattress 4.5 out of 5 for motion transfer, which is on par with more expensive memory foam options. During testing, we dropped a 10lb weight from a height of eight inches and then four onto the mattress and near an empty wine glass. The aim? To assess how much movement occurred.

During the four-inch test the wine glass barely moved, which indicates the motion on the other side of the bed when someone tosses or turns. For the eight-inch drop, which simulates a person getting in or out of the bed, the wine glass shifted only slightly, meaning you may only feel slight movement when your co-sleeper gets up in the morning or comes to bed later.

Temperature regulation

Our lead review places her hand on the Nectar Mattress to see if it remains cool to the touch after a period of sleeping on it

(Image credit: Future)

Score: 4.3/5

Two members of our testing panel are warm sleepers and, during their weeks sleeping on the Nectar Mattress, they had no complaints about overheating. The Nectar Memory Foam isn't noticeably cooler than room temperature, but the cooling quilted polyblend cover does a good job of keeping the mattress at a neutral to slightly cool temperature.

If you’re a very hot sleeper, you may not find this mattress as cooling as some other options that are specifically designed for the job, such as Nectar's own Premier Copper mattress; see our article – Should I buy the Nectar Premier Copper Mattress? – for more details. But for most people, the Nectar Memory Foam will keep your temperature comfortable. In the interests of review fairness, we used cotton bed sheets that are breathable during sleep.

As for cooling, our hot sleeper found the bed cool enough considering the all-foam construction – something that can accumulate heat. Many mattresses have air channels and other innovative ways of dispersing heat, but the Nectar Memory Foam simply provides a quilted heat-wicking fabric cover and cooling gel foam. Our hot sleeper didn’t notice the Nectar feeling warm, and experienced no instances of waking in the night due to discomfort or overheating.

Edge support

A heavy black weight placed near the edge of the Nectar Mattress during testing of the edge support system

(Image credit: Future)

Score: 4/5

How the edge of the bed acts under compression is a good indicator of a quality mattress, and weaker, sloping edges are a common problem among memory foam models. However, the Nectar Mattress has good edge support for an all-foam model, and we never felt as though we would tumble off if we slept too close to the edge. 

Likewise, sitting on the edge of the Nectar was comfortable, with only a little give. During testing, we placed a 50lb weight near the edge of the mattress and noted how it only sank in about 2.5 inches or so, which was impressive. You can certainly sit on the edge of this one without discomfort or risk of slipping off.

Durability

Score: 4/5

We rated the Nectar Memory Foam high for durability even though we only slept on it for several weeks. We placed it in a guest bedroom and went through several members of our testing panel, including one person who slept on it constantly for a week while recovering from illness. Despite feeling sick, they were comfortable and reported that the Nectar felt comfortable and supportive night after night.

While it’s far too early to show any signs of wear or tear, Nectar Sleep makes this a non-issue anyway by offering a Forever Warranty. This means that if you ever notice sagging, fraying, or other problems with the construction of your mattress, you can contact Nectar to discuss your options for repair or replacement. 

We would still recommend reading the terms and conditions of the warranty though so that you know exactly what will and won't be covered by Nectar.

Nectar Mattress: customer reviews

There are more than 46,600 customer reviews on the Nectar website, with an average star rating of 4.8 out of 5 stars. The vast majority of reviews for the Nectar mattress are extremely positive, with customers saying it delivered great value for money, that the sink-in feel helped them sleep better, and even relieved their back or hip pain (here's what to look for in a mattress if you have back pain). One praises the prompt delivery and notes that it's a great mattress for the price, and concludes that it meets all expectations for a good night’s sleep.

While many people love the feeling of sinking into the Nectar Memory Foam, it's worth flagging that if you're used to innersprings, the feeling of memory foam can take a little getting used to. Amongst the negative comments, most focus around the mattress either feeling too soft or too firm. While some mattress brands offer different firmness choices, you only have one option here – we've addressed this in our 'Firmness and comfort' section to help you get a good idea on what to expect, but the mattress trial is there to take advantage of if it turns out you don't get on with the sleep feel. 

Another comment that crops up a few times is that the Nectar is not supportive enough for heavier people (over 230lb). Some reviewers also noticed an off-gassing smell, which lasted for several hours to several days, and a few found that it slept a bit warm.

If you struggle to get comfortable on a new bed, consider investing in one of the best mattress toppers to boost its softness until you break in your new bed more. 

Should you buy the Nectar Mattress?

A man sleeps next to a woman who is reading a magazine while sat upright on the Nectar Mattress

(Image credit: Nectar)

The Nectar Memory Foam is an affordable, durable and reliable bed-in-a-box that we would recommend to most sleepers and budgets. If you like to feel supported by a medium-firm mattress while also feeling cushioned, then you will enjoy Nectar’s plush top layer and stable support.

Based on our extensive testing, we'd describe the Nectar Mattress as durable, with adequate edge support, limited motion transfer and a neutral temperature that works well for most sleepers. However, if you’re heavy (or very light) in body weight, you sleep very hot, or you prefer sleeping on your stomach, then this might not be the right fit for you. There is a slight cradling feeling here, which you'll either love or find a little too restrictive when changing positions during sleep or getting out of bed.

If you've now decided that you're after a completely different feel, and fancy some bounce rather than sink, then the innerspring hybrid Saatva Classic comes in three different firmnesses (and it needn’t be expensive either with frequent Saatva mattress sales). Elsewhere, the DreamCloud Luxury Hybrid provides a firmer feel without the sink-in sensation; check our DreamCloud Mattress review for more details, or see how the two compare in our Nectar vs DreamCloud face-off).

Ultimately though, with its 365-night trial and Forever Warranty, we feel confident in saying that the Nectar Mattress is a reliable and affordable gel memory model that works well for most sleepers. And with its year-long trial, you’ll have plenty of time to know whether it’s the right choice for your body and sleep needs.

First reviewed: February 2022

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Saatva Classic mattress review 2024: hotel-style luxury in your own home
10:26 pm | March 4, 2022
Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Health & Fitness Mattresses Sleep | Tags: | Comments: Off

Editor's note

  • Original review date: February 2022
  • No design changes, although wider Saatva range has been expanded
  • MSRP has risen

Updated: February 2024. 
Two years after we first reviewed it, the Saatva Classic remains one of the very best mattresses around. There have been no changes to the design, and it still stands out for its impeccable build quality and traditional yet elevated feel. As is the case with many sleep brands, MSRP has risen over the years (when we first reviewed this model, a queen was $1,695, compared to the current price of $1,995). There's almost always a sale on, so you'll never really need to pay ticket price, but you'll still generally be paying more than you would have done in the past. There are more options to choose from nowadays (including within Saatva's own range), but most brands are focusing on foams – there's still nothing similar to the Classic's coil-heavy design. 

Saatva Classic mattress: from $1,095 now from $695
Exclusive deal! Head to Saavta using the link here and you'll unlock a discount of $400 off all orders over $1,000. That takes the cost of the queen size down to $1,595, which is a great price for this mattress.View Deal

Saatva Classic mattress: two-minute review

The Saatva Classic mattress is a luxury innerspring hybrid that comes in your choice of three firmness levels and two heights, to suit a wide range of sleeping positions and body types. I slept on the 14.5 inch, queen size Saatva Classic, in a firm feel for three weeks for this review. Simply put, I loved it. In fact, the Saatva Classic holds the coveted top spot in TechRadar's best mattress guide. 

As I'll explain further in my Saatva mattress review, this bed has a fairly traditional, responsive, bouncy feel. I loved the mix of bounce, support and cushioning, with the top layer cradling my back, shoulders and hips through a range of sleeping positions. Saatva makes a lot of fuss about its patented Lumbar Zone technology to ensure good spinal alignment, and I definitely felt as though the lumbar support here was a big step above that of cheaper mattresses I've tested, including the Nectar Original (see our Nectar Mattress review for more).

The mattress itself is exceptional, but Saatva also offers perhaps the most comprehensive delivery service of any brand. There's free white glove delivery, which means the mattress is set up in your bedroom and packaging removed, and the delivery people will even take away your old mattress for free toor. This mattress is delivered flat rather than vacuum-packed and rolled (Saatva says this is to keep the premium design in tip-top condition), so having setup handled for you is brilliant. There's also a full year's trial and forever warranty, matching the best you'll find anywhere. In fact, my only minor complaint is the $99 fee for returns and exchanges.

The Saatva Classic sits near the lower end of the premium price bracket, and I think it justifies that slightly higher price with the quality of materials and overall service. If you're looking to invest in a mattress that will last, the Saatva Classic would make a great choice. I'll run through the various testing results in brief below, or read on for my full Saatva Classic mattress review.

Saatva Classic mattress review: design & materials

  • Innerspring hybrid, with lots of coils and a bit of foam
  • Choice of two heights (11.5 or 14.5") and three firmness levels
  • Luxurious quilted Euro-top with organic cotton cover

The Saatva Classic is an innerspring hybrid mattress that's available in two different heights – either 14.5 inches, reviewed here, or 11.5 inches. The design includes five main layers.

The hotel feel begins with a three-inch Euro-style pillow-top with organic cotton cover and gold detailing. The cover is made from certified organic cotton, a breathable, natural material. (We count this amongst the best pillow-top mattresses around.)

Some bed brands make their covers removable for easier cleaning, but that's not the case here. I think is probably a good thing, as it would undermine the luxury feel that Saatva is going for here. The cover is treated with Saatva's own Guardin botanical antimicrobial treatment to prevent mold or bacteria, but you should probably pop a mattress protector on top anyway.

Within the pillow-top, the central third has something called 'lumbar-zone quilting', which is designed to give you extra support around your lumbar region to help you sleep comfortably in a range of positions. 

Image shows the top of the Saatva Classic mattress printed with the words 'organic cotton'

This was the top of our Saatva Classic, made with breathable organic cotton (Image credit: Future)

Beneath the cover is a section, just in the central third, dedicated specifically to helping protect your spine. It's made using high-density memory foam (that's the best type of memory foam) and 'Active Spinal Wire', which boosts the levels of support beneath the sleeper's lumbar region. This is one of the reasons why the Saatva Classic ranks amongst TechRadar's best mattresses for back pain.

(Do note, however, that if you're specifically after a mattress to tackle lower back pain, there are other Saatva models worth considering – the lead tester in our Saatva Loom & Leaf review experienced a marked improvement in her lower back pain after sleeping on that mattress, and the Saatva RX is specifically designed for to tackle this issue.)

Exploded diagram showing inside layers of Saatva Classic mattress

(Image credit: Saatva)

Next up is a layer of 884 individual pocket coils crafted from 14.5-gauge recycled steel, and firmer in the central third, again to support the sleeper's lumbar. That sits on top of a base unit, also made of coils. These are continuous coils rather than pocket coils, which could contribute to the marginally higher levels of motion transfer I found with this mattress (more on that in the Performance section). The base coils are wrapped in a foam encasement to boost edge support and prevent sagging. It also means you can't feel the coils through the edge of the mattress, which always feels a bit more luxe.

Note, there's much less foam here than you'll find in many of today's best hybrid mattresses – the design is mostly coils, so expect a bouncier feel, with less of a sink-in sensation. The Saatva Classic is available in all the usual sizes (it features in TechRadar's best king size mattress guide), including a couple of split options.

Overall, the feel is premium. The design uses high-end materials and the build quality is impeccable, and all the materials feel high-end. Obviously, it's hard to make definitive calls on durability after just a few weeks of testing, but this mattress certainly feels built to last. I expect it to stand up to years of use, proving to be a good investment for the long-term. 

  • Design score: 5 out of 5

Saatva Classic review: Price & value for money

  • Sits in the premium price bracket, even with regular discounts
  • Look out for a $400 off deal – usually delivers the cheapest prices
  • Quality of materials and service mean it's well worth the investment

The Saatva Classic mattress is a luxury innerspring hybrid and therefore costs more than the average hybrid. There's usually a Saatva mattress sale or deal available (Saatva coupons are rare), but even with discounts, it always sits in the premium price bracket. As with many bed brands, the price has crept up a bit over 2023. 

I feel that it's well-priced for the build quality and materials used, the level of customization you get in terms of firmness and height, and the overall customer service. You'd pay a lot more for a handcrafted bed of this quality in store, and it's far cheaper than the luxury models from the likes of Purple, Tempur-Pedic and even Casper. 

A queen-size Saatva Classic currently retails for $1,995, but for most of 2023 it has been discounted to $1,695. Bigger discounts than that are rare, but TechRadar does sometimes have a semi-exclusive deal that knocks $400 off MSRP, which is well worth taking advantage of. Here's the official 2023 pricing for the Saatva Classic mattress: 

  • Twin: MSRP $1,095
  • Twin XL: MSRP $1,395
  • Full: MSRP $1,895
  • Queen: MSRP $1,995
  • King: MSRP $2,495
  • Split king: MSRP $2,790
  • Cal king: MSRP $2,495
  • Split Cal king: MSRP $2,790

Your best bet for the lowest prices are the Black Friday mattress deals at the end of November, but it's also worth keeping an eye out in the Labor Day mattress sales in September, the Presidents' Day mattress sales in February, the Memorial Day mattress sales and the 4th of July mattress sales.

If the Saatva is out of your budget, it's worth checking out the DreamCloud. As you'll learn in our DreamCloud mattress review, this hybrid delivers a surprisingly high-end feel for a mid-range price. (See exactly how the two compare: Saatva Classic vs DreamCloud mattress.)

  • Value score: 4.5 out of 5

Saatva Classic mattress review: Comfort & support

  • Choose between Plush Soft (3/10), Luxury Firm (5-7) or Firm (8 – reviewed)
  • Comfortable cushioning rather than a sink-in memory foam feel
  • Excellent lumbar support for back and side sleepers 

The design of the Saatva Classic is very spring-focused and contains relatively little foam (there's only that bit in the central third, and the foam rails around the edges). The quilted pillow-top provides some comfortable cushioning, and the overall feel is more traditional, responsive, and bouncy. Don't expect a the deep, sink-in sensation associated with classic memory foam – something like the Helix Midnight or the Tempur-Adapt is a better choice if you're looking for that.

There are three different firmness options to choose from, and I'll get into who should buy which one below, but for the moment, let's focus on the Firm version, which is the version slept on for my review. 

Fear not – it’s not at all like sleeping on a board, since the plush pillow top provides some sink-in value and makes for a very comfortable night's sleep. When I placed a 50lb kettlebell weight in the middle of the Saatva Classic to test for pressure point relief, the sinkage was 1.5 inches, which is minimal.

The Saatva Classic mattress photographed in our reviewer's bedroom immediately after it was delivered and set up by two Saatva installation experts

Our Saatva Classic photographed during the testing period (Image credit: Future)

During my review testing I found the Saatva Classic delivered excellent lumbar support, cradling the spine, hips, shoulders and knees well. I was comfortable in all positions while sleeping and relaxing. Overall I found the Saatva Classic in a Firm feel to be a fantastic choice and believe that if you enjoy a firm mattress, you will likely be pleased with the level of support and comfort here. (It ranks highly in TechRadar's best firm mattress guide.)

However, your mileage may vary, and the Firm option won't be perfect for everyone. Here's a closer look at the different options, and who they might suit:

The Plush Soft option has extra padding in the pillow top, and is recommended for lightweight people who don't sleep well on a firm bed, as those side sleepers who enjoy more of a contouring hug. The Luxury Firm is the most popular choice according to Saatva, and is chosen by 82% of people who buy the Saatva Classic. This firmness is designed to closely match that of luxury hotel beds and is suited to most sleeping styles and body types. 

As a rule, the best mattresses for side sleepers tend to be on the softer side, to allow the shoulder and hip to sink into the mattress surface a little preventing pressure from building up while still ensuring the spine is properly aligned. But we'd still usually recommend a minimum firmness of around five out of 10, for all but the lightest weight side sleepers. 

The Saatva Classic mattress with a gray blanket draped over one side

(Image credit: Saatva)

Back and stomach sleepers should opt for something firmer, and usually need a firmness of seven or above to ensure the hips don't drop too far into the mattress, leaving the spine poorly supported. However, you should also factor in body weight (the heavier you are, the firmer the mattress you need) and, of course, personal preference. 

Mattress firmness is subjective and a number of different factors play into how comfortable you will find the Saatva Classic. That's why, in addition to conducting our own review, we also analyze other customer reviews to see what customers think of it too.

Saatva Classic mattress review: Performance

  • Good motion isolation, but not as complete as memory foam mattress
  • Excellent temperature – no issues with overheating
  • Edge support is fantastic

As well as comfort and support, there are other factors that play into how comfortable a person will find a mattress. This section focuses on three of these factors: motion isolation, temperature regulation and edge support.

Motion isolation 

Motion isolation refers to how well a mattress absorbs movements. I share a bed, and while sleeping on the firm feel Saatva Classic, I barely noticed my partner moving in bed next to me. However, don't expect complete motion isolation – I have seen user reviews that say there is some movement on softer versions of the Classic, in particular. 

To simulate motion isolation outside of actually testing it with two people on the mattress, I dropped a 10lb weight from a distance of four inches, then from eight inches on one side of the bed where a person would lie, and on the other side of the bed I set an empty wine glass where another person would lie – about 10-12" apart. During both drop tests the wine glass barely moved and never tipped over on the Firm Saatva Classic. This backed-up my real-life experience. 

That's a surprisingly strong result, given that mattresses with a higher proportion of springs (like this one) tend to suffer from more motion transfer. I'd say the Saatva Classic will be suitable for most bed-sharers, although if you're a very light sleeper and need total stillness, you might be better off shopping amongst the best memory foam mattresses – these typically deaden movement most effectively.

  • Motion isolation score: 4 out of 5

Temperature regulation 

One member of my review panel is a hot sleeper, but during testing they didn't feel warm when sleeping on the Saatva Classic. The breathable organic cotton cover does a good job at keeping the mattress feeling airy and refreshing. Plus, the dual coils allow air to travel more easily through the mattress, boosting breathability and dispersing body heat. I found that this mattress remained cool to the touch throughout the night.

During my review, I used cooling jersey fabric sheets beneath a percale cotton duvet and a down comforter. Since bedding can make a difference in whether a mattress feels warm or cool, you may want to experiment with different sheets and comforters until you find the most cooling type for you. 

  • Temperature regulation score: 4.5 out of 5

Edge support 

The edge support on the Saatva Classic is excellent. Sitting on the edge of the bed is comfortable and there was never a time when I felt as though I might roll right off while sleeping. 

A black kettlebell placed on the edge of the Saatva Classic mattress during edge support testing

(Image credit: Future)

To go the extra mile, I placed my 50lb kettlebell weight on the edge of the bed and noticed it barely registered, sinking in about the same 1-1.5 inches that it did in the middle. In fact, my 50lb dog can sit quite comfortably right on the edge of this mattress. An adult can probably perch here comfortably without any problem. 

The Classic wraps all Saatva’s layers in a heavy-duty foam encasement, with high-density foam rails used around the mattress to create a stable edge. This increases your sleeping space as well as making it easier to get out of bed.

  • Edge support score: 5 out of 5

Saatva Classic mattress review: Customer service

  • Free white glove delivery to bedroom, option free old mattress delivery
  • Delivered flat rather, so some maneuvering room required
  • 365 day trial and forever warranty

Saatva offers the most comprehensive delivery service of any mattresses I've come across. White glove delivery is included as standard, for free, including setup in your room of choice. That's helpful because unlike many modern mattresses, this is not a bed-in-a-box – it's delivered flat, rather than vacuum-packed and rolled. So you will need some maneuvering room, but you won't need to do the maneuvering yourself. The higher proportions of springs means this mattress is also pretty heavy. 

My test model arrived via two delivery personnel, who carried it in and set it up in my bedroom. They also unwrapped the plastic covering the Classic, then placed the mattress on my bed frame.

Overall, set-up of the Classic is quick, professional and simply requires a signature. There are no boxes, plastic wrap or packaging to dispose of here, and the team will also remove your old mattress for free if you need them to. This is the only bed brand I know of to include old mattress removal for free, though do note Saatva won't remove it if it's stained.

The Saatva Classic mattress shown at an angle so you can see the quilted top and durable base

(Image credit: Saatva)

Some new mattresses produce a very noticeable smell and is part of the off-gassing process for some types of mattresses, especially memory foam. There is no off-gassing process with the Saatva Classic since it's a hybrid innerspring and coil model, and I didn't notice any new mattress or plastic smell from the Classic when it was delivered, or within the first few hours or days after delivery.

As with all of Saatva's beds, the Classic comes with a 365-night trial, giving you a whole year to test it for yourself to ensure it's the right choice. If you change your mind during the trial, you will have to pay a $99 processing fee to return the Classic or to exchange it for a different firmness. That fee is fairly unusual, and one of the few things I have to complain about regarding the Saatva customer service offering  as impressed with during my review.

Saatva does not resell mattresses that are returned, and instead either donates them to veterans' shelters or gives them to employees. As part of the brand's free white glove delivery service.

  • Customer service score: 5 out of 5

Saatva Classic mattress review: Specs

Saatva Classic mattress review: Other reviews

In order to give you a comprehensive overview of what the Saatva Classic mattress is like to sleep on, I have also analyzed the available user reviews published on the brand's website. Saatva doesn't sell its range at any third party retailers so I can't include reviews from elsewhere. 

There are over 3,200 reviews of the Classic on the Saatva site (Nov 2023), most of which are positive and give the Classic an average rating of 4.8 out of 5. Other rating sites like Reseller Ratings and Google Reviews also consist of mainly 5-star ratings.

Many customers praise the Saatva Classic for back pain relief, and how it's supportive and comfortable for all sleeping positions. There's also plenty of praise for customer service. 

The Saatva Classic mattress photographed on a beige fabric bed frame placed outdoors on a sunny day

(Image credit: Saatva)

Of the negative reviews I came across, most were from people who didn't like the firmness they chose. One customer who bought the Luxury Firm described it as too firm, saying: 'We both have back pain with the Saatva mattress but not when sleeping on other mattresses in hotels or in our home.' They were offered a mattress topper as a solution but that didn't resolve the issue.

Another customer simply stated: 'While I don't have anything bad to say about it, we never fell in love with it. It definitely didn't give us that comfy cant wait to crawl into bed feeling.' There we also review comments about motion transfer on the Plush Soft version, and to some extent on the Luxury Firm version.

Several others complained about the $99 processing fee for returns and exchanges. Most companies do not have such a return fee, so Saatva definitely loses points here compared to other leading online mattress manufacturers.

Should you buy the Saatva Classic mattress?

Buy it if...

✅ You want a luxurious mattress: The Saatva Classic is the closest thing you can get to a hotel mattress in your own home. The high-end styling, pillowy cushion top  and high build quality, deliver a luxurious feel, and the taller of the two options is particularly sumptuous. 

✅ You're happy to invest in a mattress that will last: The Saatva is a premium priced mattress, and I think the quality is well worth the price. A year-long trial and forever warranty give added peace of mind. 

✅ You suffer from back pain: The design has several features specifically geared towards keeping your back aligned and lumbar supported. The ability to choose your firmness also means you can pick the perfect option for your body type and sleep style.

✅ You don't want to deal with setup: Saatva offers the most comprehensive delivery service I've come across, with white glove delivery included as standard. You won't have to deal with lugging any boxes anywhere, disposing of packaging, or even getting rid of your old mattress. 

Don't buy it if...

❌ You want a memory foam hug: The Saatva Classic has a bit of memory foam, but the overall feel is bouncy and responsive. If you're seeking that quicksand feel, something like a Tempur-Pedic  is a better choice.

❌ You're on a lower budget: Not everyone can stretch a premium mattress. A much lower-priced alternative that hits some of the same marks is the DreamCloud mattress. You'll only have one firmness option, though. There's never not a DreamCloud deal on, and prices typically sit in the lower-mid or mid-range brackets.

❌ You're very short on space: Because Classic is delivered flat, you will need enough room for the delivery people to physically get it into place – those with tight corners or cramped elevators to negotiate, beware. 

  • First reviewed: February 2022
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