New tool enables crossbar overclocking on RTX 5090, user reports show gains of up to 142MHz

A new overclocking tool has been developed that improves the crossbar frequency of an RTX 5090, giving the GPU faster interconnect speeds. Spotted by VideoCardz, a new tool called melonVolt has been published on an overclock.net forum thread that gives users direct control over the MSVDD voltage offset found on modern NVIDIA GPUs. Changing this voltage automatically increases or decreases the crossbar frequency, giving users a way to overclock their GPU's interconnect.

Based on user reports from the overclock.net forum, tinkering with the MSVDD voltage can improve the RTX 5090's crossbar frequency by over 100MHz depending on how far the voltage is pushed and how good the silicon quality is on the GPU. At least eight different users with various RTX 5090 models tested melonVolt with varying levels of success. The lowest GPU achieved 90MHz higher clocks from 2670MHz to 2760MHz, while the best GPU achieved 142MHz higher clocks going from 2625MHz to 2767MHz.

There is not a lot of benchmarking information to judge just how effective overclocking an RTX 5090's interconnect can be. But one of the overclock.net members who tried melonVolt did share a 3DMark Steel Nomad benchmark result showing their RTX 5090 outperforming a top 27 Hall of Fame RTX 5090 result while operating at a 120MHz lower GPU clock and memory clock. Unfortunately, 3DMark does not show the crossbar frequency for each individual result, but the top 27 result was achieved well before melonVolt came out.

For now, melonVolt can't be used on any RTX 50 series model, as Fmab, its creator, has only created an RTX 5090 and RTX 5080 version of the tool. That said, the RTX 5080 version came out just yesterday, suggesting Fmab might be making more melonVolt versions that support lower-tier RTX 50 series GPUs soon.

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Question #1

How does changing the MSVDD voltage with melonVolt affect RTX 5090 crossbar frequency?

Changing the MSVDD voltage with melonVolt directly adjusts the RTX 5090 crossbar frequency, automatically increasing or decreasing it as the voltage is raised or lowered. User reports show gains of over 100 MHz on some cards, with examples ranging from a 90 MHz increase (2670 MHz to 2760 MHz) up to a 142 MHz increase (2625 MHz to 2767 MHz). The tool manipulates a voltage NVIDIA does not expose and there is no officially known safe MSVDD voltage.

Answered

Question #2

Are there any benchmark results shown in the article that indicate performance gains from melonVolt?

Yes. The article reports user measurements of crossbar frequency gains from melonVolt, with one GPU increasing from 2670 MHz to 2760 MHz (+90 MHz) and another from 2625 MHz to 2767 MHz (+142 MHz). It also cites an overclock.net member sharing a 3DMark Steel Nomad result where their RTX 5090 outperformed a top 27 Hall of Fame RTX 5090 while running at 120 MHz lower GPU and memory clocks.

Answered

Question #3

What safety risks or warnings does the article mention about manipulating MSVDD with melonVolt?

The article warns that melonVolt manipulates an RTX 50 series voltage that NVIDIA does not allow consumers to change in official overclocking tools, and advises users to use it at their own risk. It also states there is no officially known safe voltage for MSVDD, which increases the risk of potential damage to the GPU.

Answered

Question #4

Can melonVolt currently be used on lower-tier RTX 50-series GPUs like non-5090/5080 models?

No. For now melonVolt cannot be used on lower-tier RTX 50 series GPUs because its creator Fmab has only released versions for the RTX 5090 and RTX 5080. The article notes the RTX 5080 build arrived just yesterday, suggesting Fmab might create support for more models in the future.

Answered

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The program does manipulate an RTX 50 series voltage that NVIDIA does not allow its consumers to manipulate in official overclocking programs, so use it at your own risk. There is also apparently no officially known safe voltage for MSVDD, which increases the risk of potential damage with this product.