Enthusiasts seeking to push the GeForce RTX 5090 performance envelope have found a new route to increasing this GPU’s power limits up to 800W, via firmware flashing. While this represents an impressively large 33% boost over stock TDP, this mod isn’t without potential pitfalls.
The Asus ROG Matrix Platinum GeForce RTX 5090 has opened the door to such enormous power limits. Following the card’s release, enthusiasts have quickly sourced its 800W BIOS and begun applying the firmware to other models. However, not every version of Nvidia’s flagship will take to the mod.
Preliminary testing from Overclock.net forum users indicate that BIOS support is contingent on RTX 5090 cards having three fan headers. This explains why the ROG Astral and other models are coming up short in this respect, despite boasting the same number of fans as the ROG Matrix, as the Astral is one header short. However, cards with waterblocks appear to be exceptions to this rule as they’re devoid of any headers.
Outside of a higher power limit, this BIOS also increases clock speeds by varying amounts. As a reminder, the ROG Matrix pushes frequencies up to 2,730-2,760MHz, a cool 323-353MHz over an Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090 Founders Edition running at stock speed, Nvidia GPU Boost notwithstanding, of course.
It’s still early days, but some modders are already reaping the benefits with sky-high 3DMark scores. For instance, benchmarker Benni231990 was able to achieve scores above 17K in both Speed Way and Steel Nomad with a Ryzen 7 9800X3D system. That’s a whopping 3K (or 30fps) above what we observed in our RTX 5090 review using a Ryzen 9 7950X3D.
Like any tweak to power limits or clock speed, the improvements this BIOS offers will vary across applications. There are also stability factors to consider, with more watts begetting higher temperatures. This potentially places less robust coolers under greater stress than their manufacturers intended for them to face.
Much as I welcome the reversibility of firmware flashing, effectively removing any need for shunt mods, this pursuit isn’t for the faint of heart. Outside of cooling concerns, there’s the matter of running 800W through 16-pin power cables that have already proven troublesome at 600W and below, both 12VHPWR and 12V-2×6.
You see, the ROG Matrix spreads its 800W load across a 12V-2×6 power connector and bespoke BTF Graphics Card High-Power Adapter. Without the latter in hand, you’re essentially putting your faith in an already dubiously trustworthy cable to run at 33% beyond its standard parameters. This decision shouldn’t be taken lightly, so tread carefully.
I’m happy to live vicariously through extreme overclockers in this case, staying in my lane with a Founders Edition RTX 5090 in tow. I’m curious to see how Asus’ ROG Matrix design possibly informs future flagships from Nvidia, or if we’ll see that scrapped dual 16-pin cooler return in some form as a Titan or otherwise.
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