MSI Launches RTX 5090 Lightning Z: A Premium GPU for Enthusiasts
MSI has unveiled the GeForce RTX 5090 Lightning Z, a high-end graphics card targeted at professional overclockers and gamers willing to invest in top-tier performance. Produced in limited quantities, the card boasts a robust VRM solution capable of handling continuous loads up to 1000W, utilizing dual 600W power inputs. This allows for a top-binned GeForce RTX 5090 GPU to sustain high clock speeds with minimal effort, and incorporates several segment-first features.
Positioned above MSI’s flagship RTX 5090 SUPRIM Liquid SOC, the Lightning Z represents a significant step up in performance and features. The Lightning Z brand has a nearly 15-year history, originally designed for professional overclockers. MSI has factory overclocked the RTX 5090 Lightning Z to 2730 MHz, a substantial increase compared to the 2527 MHz of the SUPRIM Liquid SOC and the 2407 MHz of the NVIDIA reference design. While the SUPRIM Liquid SOC has a power limit of 575W (expandable to 600W), the Lightning Z pushes this to 800W, with an unlockable limit reaching 1000W when both 12V-2×6 connectors are utilized and capable of delivering 600W each. An optional 2500W BIOS is available for extreme overclockers, though this may necessitate cooling modifications.
Blackwell Architecture and Key Technologies
The RTX 5090 Lightning Z is built upon the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090, which represents the pinnacle of the GeForce RTX Blackwell generation. At its core is the GB202 chip, a large 750 mm² silicon slab containing over 92 billion transistors and 192 streaming multiprocessors (SMs). The GPU introduces several industry firsts, including the PCI-Express 5.0 x16 interface, ATX 3.1 + PCIe Gen 5 power architecture, DisplayPort 2.1b UHBR20, and the GDDR7 memory standard.
The GPU features a 512-bit memory interface driving 32 GB of 28 Gbps GDDR7 memory, resulting in a memory bandwidth of 1,792 GB/s. This bandwidth is crucial for supporting new technologies like neural rendering, DLSS 4 multi-frame generation, and other advanced features. The RTX 5090 enables 170 out of 192 SMs and utilizes 96 MB out of the 128 MB of L2 cache present on the silicon. It also incorporates 3 out of 4 NVENC accelerators and 2 out of 4 NVDEC units, totaling 21,760 CUDA cores, 680 Tensor cores, and 170 RT cores across 11 GPCs.
Neural Rendering and DLSS 4
The Blackwell architecture introduces Neural Rendering, leveraging generative AI to enhance graphics realism. NVIDIA has developed a method for the GPU to run a generative AI model in tandem with traditional rendering techniques, utilizing a new component called AMP (AI management processor). This combines 3D objects generated by AI with rasterized 3D graphics, resulting in a significant leap in photorealism and geometric detail. NVIDIA has collaborated with Microsoft to standardize this technology, allowing 3D applications to directly access Tensor cores and support neural shaders.
The 4th Generation RT core adds hardware acceleration for Mega Geometry, enabling ray-traced objects with exponentially higher polygon counts and more accurate ray interactions. DLSS 4 replaces the convolutional neural networks (CNNs) used in previous DLSS versions with a transformer-based model, improving accuracy and image quality at all performance presets. DLSS 4 is compatible with RTX 40-series Ada, RTX 30-series Ampere, and even RTX 20-series Turing cards. However, Multi-Frame Generation, a key feature of DLSS 4, is exclusive to Blackwell GPUs. This technology allows the AI model to generate up to three AI-generated frames between conventionally rendered frames, taking into account motion vectors and other data. Combined with super resolution, this can effectively render 1 pixel to create up to 16 pixels. Hardware flip-metering within the Blackwell display engine ensures smooth frame pacing for Multi-Frame Generation.
Competition and Cooling Solution
The MSI GeForce RTX 5090 Lightning Z is part of a recent wave of premium overclocked RTX 5090 graphics cards released between late-2025 and early-2026. Board partners have accumulated sufficient high-binned GB202 silicon and refined their designs over the past year to create these enthusiast-level cards. The Lightning Z aims to compete directly with offerings like the ASUS ROG Matrix RTX 5090 and the GIGABYTE RTX 5090 AORUS Infinity.
The card features a custom-designed all-in-one liquid cooling solution with a full-coverage copper baseplate that cools the GPU, VRM, and memory. This heat is dissipated by a large 360 mm radiator with three high-performance fans. Additional enthusiast-focused features include dual 12V-2×6 power inputs to reduce load per connector, a powerful VRM capable of exceeding 1000W, and overclocker-friendly settings. A true-color display on the card, coupled with MSI’s Afterburner software, allows for real-time monitoring of system statistics.
The MSI GeForce RTX 5090 Lightning Z is positioned for users who demand the absolute best RTX 5090 performance and are willing to pay a premium for it. It is priced at .
| Price | Cores | ROPs | Core Clock |
Boost Clock |
Memory Clock |
GPU | Transistors | Memory | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RTX 4070 | $500 | 5888 | 64 | 1920 MHz | 2475 MHz | 1313 MHz | AD104 | 35800M | 12 GB, GDDR6X, 192-bit |
| RX 7800 XT | $470 | 3840 | 96 | 2124 MHz | 2430 MHz | 2425 MHz | Navi 32 | 28100M | 16 GB, GDDR6, 256-bit |
| RTX 4070 Super | $600 | 7168 | 80 | 1980 MHz | 2475 MHz | 1313 MHz | AD104 | 35800M | 12 GB, GDDR6X, 192-bit |
| RX 7900 GRE | $550 | 5120 | 160 | 1880 MHz | 2245 MHz | 2250 MHz | Navi 31 | 57700M | 16 GB, GDDR6, 256-bit |
| RTX 4070 Ti | $700 | 7680 | 80 | 2310 MHz | 2610 MHz | 1313 MHz | AD104 | 35800M | 12 GB, GDDR6X, 192-bit |
| RTX 5070 | $540 | 6144 | 80 | 2325 MHz | 2512 MHz | 1750 MHz | GB205 | 31100M | 12 GB, GDDR7, 192-bit |
| RTX 4070 Ti Super | $750 | 8448 | 96 | 2340 MHz | 2610 MHz | 1313 MHz | AD103 | 45900M | 16 GB, GDDR6X, 256-bit |
| RX 7900 XT | $620 | 5376 | 192 | 2000 MHz | 2400 MHz | 2500 MHz | Navi 31 | 57700M | 20 GB, GDDR6, 320-bit |
| RX 9070 | $530 | 3584 | 128 | 2070 MHz | 2520 MHz | 2518 MHz | Navi 48 | 53900M | 16 GB, GDDR6, 256-bit |
| RX 9070 XT | $600 | 4096 | 128 | 2400 MHz | 2970 MHz | 2518 MHz | Navi 48 | 53900M | 16 GB, GDDR6, 256-bit |
| RTX 5070 Ti | $750 | 8960 | 96 | 2295 MHz | 2452 MHz | 1750 MHz | GB203 | 45600M | 16 GB, GDDR7, 256-bit |
| RX 7900 XTX | $750 | 6144 | 192 | 2300 MHz | 2500 MHz | 2500 MHz | Navi 31 | 57700M | 24 GB, GDDR6, 384-bit |
| RTX 4080 | $850 | 9728 | 112 | 2205 MHz | 2505 MHz | 1400 MHz | AD103 | 45900M | 16 GB, GDDR6X, 256-bit |
| RTX 4080 Super | $1000 | 10240 | 112 | 2295 MHz | 2550 MHz | 1438 MHz | AD103 | 45900M | 16 GB, GDDR6X, 256-bit |
| RTX 5080 | $1000 | 10752 | 112 | 2295 MHz | 2617 MHz | 1875 MHz | GB203 | 45600M | 16 GB, GDDR7, 256-bit |
| RTX 4090 | $1800 | 16384 | 176 | 2235 MHz | 2520 MHz | 1313 MHz | AD102 | 76300M | 24 GB, GDDR6X, 384-bit |
| RTX 5090 | $2600 | 21760 | 176 | 2017 MHz | 2407 MHz | 1750 MHz | GB202 | 92200M | 32 GB, GDDR7, 512-bit |
| MSI RTX 5090 Lightning Z |
$5090 | 21760 | 176 | 2017 MHz | 2730 MHz | 1750 MHz | GB202 | 92200M | 32 GB, GDDR7, 512-bit |
