MSI GeForce RTX 5090 SUPRIM SOC Review - Supreme Performance

The MSI GeForce RTX 5090 SUPRIM is incredibly fast, and its excellent thermal design makes it a winner - perfect for 4K 240+ FPS gaming with DLSS 4.

MSI GeForce RTX 5090 SUPRIM SOC - Supreme Performance
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Manufactured by MSI with an MSRP of $2399.99
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The Bottom Line

The MSI GeForce RTX 5090 32G SUPRIM SOC is more powerful than the Founder Edition model and offers exceptional thermal performance and an impressive premium design. It's a 4K powerhouse, and with DLSS 4 and RTX Neural Shaders, it's a gaming GPU built for the AI-enhanced future.

Pros

  • 4K 240 FPS gaming has arrived
  • DLSS 4 is a game-changer for image quality and performance
  • 32GB of high-speed GDDR7 memory
  • Impressive Path Tracing performance
  • Faster, quieter, and runs cooler than the Founders Edition model

Cons

  • 600W is, yeah, extreme for a gaming GPU
  • Expensive

Should you buy it?

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Introduction

The GeForce RTX 5090 is here, ushering in the RTX Blackwell generation of GPUs for gamers, creators, and AI enthusiasts. As far as flagship gaming performance goes, it can't be beat. That goes without saying because its predecessor, the GeForce RTX 4090, is still an absolute killer card for 4K gaming.

A quick look around the MSI GeForce RTX 5090 SUPRIM SOC

As seen in our full review of the GeForce RTX 5090 Founders Edition model, the gen-on-gen raw performance uplift is decent but not earth-shattering, with the true star of the show being the arrival of DLSS 4, the new 'Transformer' model for Super Resolution and NVIDIA's new Multi Frame Generation technology that delivers 4K 240 Hz path tracing in games like Cyberpunk 2077 and Alan Wake 2. Incredible stuff and proof that AI-enhanced gaming is the future. In this review, we'll go into more detail on how DLSS 4's various technologies feel because gaming is all about immersion, entertainment, and losing yourself in intimate or grand digital worlds.

One of the most impressive features of the GeForce RTX 5090 Founders Edition is its sleek, cutting-edge two-slot design, with a specialized custom PCB and a new way to cool a GPU. The MSI GeForce RTX 5090 32G SUPRIM SOC, reviewed here, is more traditional in the sense that it's over 3.5 slots thick, long, heavy, and remarkably robust. It's also stylish and modern, with MSI revamping the SUPRIM look for the GeForce RTX 50 Series.

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MSI's SUPRIM line-up represents the company's flagship offerings, sporting impressive cooling with a significant out-of-the-box overclock to push the RTX 5090's remarkable performance even higher. Is the SUPRIM faster than the Founders Edition model? Yes, and you can feel it in demanding games and workloads. It ships with a 600W 'Gaming' mode, drawing more power than the 575W reference design. Upping the power limit to 600W doesn't mean it will use all that juice when gaming, as the flagship RTX Blackwell GPU is still relatively efficient regarding average power usage.

Without a doubt, the MSI GeForce RTX 5090 32G SUPRIM SOC is quieter and runs around 10 degrees cooler than the Founder Edition model - even when using the OC 'Gaming' mode. This means the chunky 3.5+ slot GPU is still king when it comes to keeping temperatures in check. It also opens the door to additional OC tuning for even more performance. MSI's new flagship SUPRIM GPU doesn't disappoint.

Photo of the MSI GeForce RTX 4090 SUPRIM Liquid X
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RTX Blackwell - NVIDIA's Gaming Architecture for the AI Era

Below is a summary of NVIDIA's GeForce RTX 50 Series and RTX Blackwell architecture, applicable to all models.

NVIDIA describes 'Neural Rendering,' which includes all previous versions of DLSS and the brand-new DLSS 4, as the 'next era for computer graphics.' They're not alone; the Lead System Architect for the PlayStation 5 Pro console, Mark Cerny, recently said that ray-tracing is the future of games and that AI will play an integral role in making that happen. DOOM: The Dark Ages developer id Software shared a similar sentiment, adding that the arrival of DLSS was an 'inflection point' for PC game visuals and performance and on par with the arrival of dedicated GPUs and programmable shaders.

With the arrival of the Blackwell generation and the GeForce RTX 50 Series, AI is now being used to accelerate programmable shaders with the brand-new RTX Neural Shaders. Yes, these are actual neural networks that use live game data, and the power of Tensor Cores to do everything from compress textures, render lifelike materials with a level of detail impossible to match using traditional rendering methods, and even use AI to partially trace rays and then infer "an infinite amount

of rays and bounces for a more accurate representation of indirect lighting in the game scene."

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RTX Mega Geometry is incredible in its own right; it essentially increases a scene's geometry detail and complexity (triangles or polygons) by up to 100x. 100 times the detail, it's hard to wrap your head around - but the added benefit in a game like Alan Wake 2 is dramatically improving the performance of the game's Full Ray Tracing or Path Tracing mode. With DLSS 4 and RTX Neural Shaders, NVIDIA's GeForce RTX 50 Series and RTX Blackwell architecture (which includes the same AI optimizations as data center Blackwell) can be viewed as the turning point for PC gaming - the moment when AI becomes integral to everything from designing a game to programming and then finally rendering it on a 4K display to play.

DLSS 4 includes more goodies than NVIDIA's highly touted new Multi Frame Generation technology, but let's start there. DLSS 3's version of Frame Generation has evolved with DLSS 4, powered by Blackwell hardware and software, and an innovative use of AI to generate frames 40% faster while using 30% less VRAM. Switching to a new model also means that Frame Generation and Multi-Frame Generation could soon come to GeForce RTX 20, 30, and RTX 40 Series owners. DLSS 4 benefits all GeForce RTX gamers.

However, with the 5th Generation of Tensor Cores in the GeForce RTX 50 Series delivering 2.5X more AI performance, NVIDIA's latest GeForce RTX 50 Series GPUs can execute five complex AI models - covering Super Resolution, Ray Reconstruction, and Multi Frame Generation in a couple of milliseconds. Part of the reason it happens so quickly is the addition of hardware Flip Metering, which shifts frame pacing to the Blackwell display engine - the result is frame rates of up to 4K 240 FPS and higher without stuttering issues. With up to 15 of every 16 pixels generated by AI, the result is up to 8X the performance when compared to native rendering or rasterized performance.

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DLSS Super Resolution and Ray Reconstruction are also switching to a new 'Transformer' model, with over double the parameters and four times the compute requirement. This is one of the most exciting aspects of the GeForce RTX 50 Series, as it pushes DLSS into a new realm of image quality and performance. The best part is that it will work on all GeForce RTX GPUs; however, there will be a performance hit compared to running it on an RTX 50 Series GPU. Already available in games, DLSS 4's Transformer model is another DLSS 2.0-like moment for the technology, and the results speak for themselves.

Even better, DLSS 4 is being integrated into the NVIDIA App with a new 'DLSS Override' feature that allows users to experience the latest tech without waiting for a path or game update. DLSS 4 is built to be backward compatible, with 75 games and apps supported.

It doesn't stop there, as the new AI Management Processor (AMP) allows AI models to share the GPU with graphics workloads. As a result, expect to see digital humans in games alongside AI assistants like NVIDIA's Project G-Assist become more prevalent in the coming years. This filters down to the creator side, with AI assistants for streamers, who will also benefit from the GeForce RTX 50 Series' expanded creator features.

RTX Blackwell introduces 4:2:2 chroma-sampled video encoding and decoding. The ninth-generation NVENC encoder also improves AV1 and HEVC quality. The flagship GeForce RTX 5090 supports up to three encoders and two decoders to deliver a 50% gen-over-gen improvement in speed compared to the GeForce RTX 4090. For creators and editors, the RTX Blackwell is a game changer. With the new low-voltage and cutting-edge GDDR7 memory, memory bandwidth and speed see a dramatic improvement.

Specs and Test System

Specifications

Here's a look at the specs for the flagship GeForce RTX 50 Series GPUs, the GeForce RTX 5090 and GeForce RTX 5080, compared to the previous Ada generation.

GPU SpecsGeForce RTX 5090GeForce RTX 4090GeForce RTX 5080GeForce RTX 4080
ArchitectureBlackwellAda LovelaceBlackwellAda Lovelace
ProcessTSMC 4NTSMC 4NTSMC 4NTSMC 4N
CUDA Cores2176016384107529728
Tensor Cores (AI)680 (5th Gen)512 (4th Gen)336 (5th Gen)304 (4th Gen)
AI TOPS335213211801780
Ray Tracing Cores170 (4th Gen)128 (3rd Gen)84 (4th Gen)76 (3rd Gen)
GPU Boost Clock2407 MHz2520 MHz2617 MHz2505 MHz
Memory32GB GDDR724GB GDDR6X16GB GDDR716GB GDDR6X
Memory Interface512 Bit384 Bit256 Bit256 Bit
Bandwidth1792 GB/sec1008 GB/sec960 GB/sec716.8 GB/sec
TGP575W450W360W320W
Swipe / scroll right to see more ->

One of the reasons why the Blackwell generation is more power-hungry than Ada comes down to NVIDIA sticking with the same custom TSMC 4N process, which means we're not seeing the sort of dramatic efficiency gains that we saw with the GeForce RTX 40 Series. However, there are several fundamental changes to the GPU design, from the SM layout to AI being integrated into all aspects to the latest generation of RT Cores, adding a bunch of advanced ray-tracing tech that will take a little while to filter down to the games we play.

Compared to the GeForce RTX 4090, the new flagship has 33% more CUDA Cores, Tensor Cores, RT Cores, and even VRAM capacity. Of course, it's not 33% more of the same as the new Tensor Cores, which includes FP4 support that can deliver over double the AI performance. Also, the 32GB of GDDR7 memory on a 512-bit bus has a bandwidth of 1792 GB/sec - a whopping 77% more than the GeForce RTX 4090.

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Yes, in terms of hardware, the GeForce RTX 5090 is not only the most advanced GPU we've ever seen - 92.2 billion transistors on a 750mm die, which is remarkable, to say the least. As you can see in the specs for the MSI GeForce RTX 5090 32G SUPRIM SOC, you're looking at a supped-up GeForce RTX 5090 with an out-of-the-box Boost Clock speed of 2565 MHz - 158 MHz higher than the reference design and Founders Edition model. This can be pushed to 2580 MHz with MSI Center and even higher with MSI Afterburner. As an OC model, the SUPRIM increases the power rating to 600W - however, as you'll see in the summary on the GPU's thermal performance, the average usage when gaming sits well below this. Still, you'll need at least 1000W for this beast of a graphics card.

ItemDetails
GPUGeForce RTX 5090
GPU CodenameGB202
ModelMSI GeForce RTX 5090 32G SUPRIM SOC
InterfacePCI Express Gen 5
SMs170
CUDA Cores21760
Tensor Cores (AI)3352 AI TOPS (5th Gen)
Ray Tracing Cores318 TFLOPS (4th Gen)
Base Clock2017 MHz
Boost SpeedGaming Mode: 2565 MHz or 2580 MHz (MSI Center) Silent Mode: 2512 MHz or 2527 MHz (MSI Center)
Memory32GB GDDR7
Memory Interface512-bit
Memory Speed28 Gbps
Memory Bandwidth1792 GB/sec
L2 Cache Size98304 KB
TGPGaming Mode: 600W Silent Mode: 575W
Display3 x DisplayPort 2.1b with UHBR20, 1 x HDMI 2.1b
Display OutputUp to 4K 12-bit HDR at 480Hz, Up to 8K 12-bit HDR at 165Hz
Power Input16-pin PCIe (4 x 8-pin to 1 x 16-pin adaptor included)
Dimensions359 x 150 x 76mm
Weight2840 grams

Kosta's Test System

ItemDetails
MotherboardASUS ROG CROSSHAIR X670E HERO
CPUAMD Ryzen 9 7950X
GPUNVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 Founders Edition
DisplayMSI MAG 321UPX QD-OLED 4K 240 Hz
CoolerASUS ROG RYUO III 360 ARGB
RAM32GB DDR5-6000 Corsair DOMINATOR TITANIUM RGB
SSDSabrent Rocket 4 Plus-G M.2 PCIe Gen 4 SSD 4TB, Sabrent Rocket 4 Plus Plus M.2 PCIe Gen 4 SSD 8TB
Power SupplyASUS TUF Gaming 1000W Gold
CaseCorsair 5000D AIRFLOW Tempered Glass Mid-Tower ATX PC Case
OSMicrosoft Windows 11 Pro 64-bit

Physical Design and Cooling

It's a small and subtle change, but we love how MSI has made the SUPRIM logo and name a key part of the physical design. Gone are the MSI branding and iconic 'MSI Dragon' logo; in its place, you've simply got the SUPRIM name and the polygonal branding or logo that now sits on the backplate, middle fan, and corner. This helps separate the SUPRIM model from the rest of MSI's line-up, further bolstered with a brushed metal look and stylish angles to make it look as premium as its notable higher-than-MSRP price point. The lighting here is also minimal and stylish, and by default, it is a cool white color to complement the 'diamond-cut' inspired look of the new SUPRIM design.

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Of course, MSI has also improved the cooling and thermal design with its latest flagship, which the company calls 'Hyper Frozr Thermal, ' a fancy way of naming various components. The MSI GeForce RTX 5090 32G SUPRIM SOC sports three of the company's new STORMFORCE fans, which are optimized for airflow and minimal noise. It also sports an advanced built-in Vapor Chamber for both the GPU and VRAM, square-shaped core pipes, and heatsink fins shaped and contoured in a certain way to ensure that only cool air comes in and hot air goes out.

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There are many other premium touches, including a thickened copper layer inside the PCB to improve heat dissipation, high-quality thermal padding, a Dual BIOS mode, a bundled GPU stand (sporting one of the best designs we've seen), a color-coded 16-pin power connector so you can be sure it's plugged in correctly, and several power management and delivery improvements for long-term reliability. And it all works flawlessly; the MSI GeForce RTX 5090 32G SUPRIM SOC runs quiet and cool even when overclocked.

The Games and Tests

PC gaming not only covers a wide range of genres and styles, from indie games with simple 2D graphics to massive 3D worlds lit by cutting-edge real-time ray tracing technology. With that, the needs and requirements of each gamer vary. High refresh rates and latency reduction become more important than flashy visuals or playing at the highest resolution possible for those who live and breathe fast-paced competitive games. For those who want to live in a cinematic world and become a key player in an expansive narrative, ray-tracing, and high-fidelity visuals are a stepping stone toward immersion.

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Our chosen benchmarks cover various games, engines, APIs, and technologies. For the GeForce RTX 5090, all tests are run at 4K and 1440p and include results for performance-boosting Super Resolution technologies like NVIDIA DLSS 4 - including Frame Generation and the new Multi Frame Generation. In many ways, DLSS numbers are more important in 2025 than native rendering - a title with ray tracing isn't meant to be played without Super Resolution. Also, DLSS technologies like Ray Reconstruction and the new RTX Mega Geometry dramatically improve visual fidelity and detail compared to native rendering. However, our benchmark results are still sorted using 'raw performance' or native rendering.

Here's the breakdown of games, settings, and what's being tested.

Games and Settings Benchmarked

GameDetails
Black Myth: WukongA high-impact Unreal Engine 5 test showcasing a detailed cinematic world. The in-game benchmark tool with the 'Very High' fidelity setting without ray-tracing and with DLSS and FSR.
Cyberpunk 2077Competitive multiplayer FPS test with DLSS and FSR. The in-game multiplayer benchmark tool is used with 'Ultra' quality settings.
Counter-Strike 2Competitive multiplayer FPS test running on Valve's Source 2 engine. A stress test mod map is used to showcase CS2 at its most demanding.
Cyberpunk 2077Cinematic open-world test with stunning visuals and DLSS and FSR. The in-game benchmark tool is used with 'Ultra' quality settings without ray-tracing.
Cyberpunk 2077 (RT)Cinematic open-world test with stunning visuals and DLSS and FSR. The in-game benchmark tool is used with the demanding 'Ray Tracing Ultra' quality setting.
DOOM Eternal (RT)Fast-paced single-player FPS gaming running on the id Tech and Vulkan with DLSS. The Mars Core campaign mission is used to benchmark.
Dragon Age: The Veilguard (RT)Cinematic RPG from veteran studio BioWare, benchmarking the action-packed introduction sequence with Ultra quality settings including ray-tracing with DLSS and FSR.
F1 24 (RT)Racing game with hardware-intensive in-race ray-traced visuals and DLSS and FSR. The in-game benchmark tool is used, with 'Ultra High' quality settings on a single lap of the Bahrain track.
Hogwarts Legacy (RT)Cinematic open-world game set in the iconic Harry Potter universe. The halls and rooms of Hogwarts used to benchmark, with 'Ultra' quality settings, ray-tracing, DLSS and FSR.
Horizon Forbidden WestCinematic open-world test with stunning visuals and DLSS and FSR. The opening section is tested using the 'Very High' quality setting.
Marvel RivalsMultiplayer hero shooter set in the Marvel universe, in-game Practise Range map used to benchmark with 'Ultra' quality settings, DLSS and FSR.
Resident Evil 4 (RT)Capcom's visually impressive remake, Chapter 1 - The Village used to benchmark with 'Max' settings.
Total War: Warhammer IIIAction-packed real-time strategy with hundreds of on-screen characters. The in-game 'Battle' benchmark tool is used with the 'Ultra' quality setting.
Warhammer 40K: Space Marine 2Cinematic third-person action game with impressive visuals. Opening mission tested using 'Ultra' quality setting with DLSS and FSR.

Path Tracing Games and Settings Benchmarked

GameDetails
Alan Wake 2Full Path Tracing tested in 4K using the new 'Ultra' setting with DLSS 4, Frame Generation, and Multi Frame Generation. Bright Falls town used to test.
Black Myth: WukongA high-impact Unreal Engine 5 test with DLSS 'Performance' and Frame Generation. The in-game benchmark tool with the 'Very High' setting and 'Full Ray Tracing.'
Cyberpunk 2077In-game benchmark tool used with the demanding 'RT Overdrive' or full Path Tracing mode, with DLSS 4 Performance, Frame Generation, and Multi Frame Generation.
Indiana Jones and the Great CircleFull Ray Tracing tested in this stunning first-person cinematic game, Marshall College walkthrough used to test with DLSS Performance and Frame Generation.
Star Wars OutlawsOpen-world Star Wars game with cutting-edge ray-traced visuals and DLSS 4 technologies tested, including Multi Frame Generation on Toshara.

Gaming Performance Analysis

Average Gaming Performance - 4K Results

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Like the GeForce RTX 4090 before it, the new GeForce RTX 5090 is, first and foremost, a 4K gaming GPU. Looking at native or rasterized performance, the MSI GeForce RTX 5090 32G SUPRIM SOC is 30% faster than the GeForce RTX 4090 and 3-5% faster than the GeForce RTX 5090 Founders Edition model. The 1% low figures are also higher than the Founders card. A 30% improvement in raw performance is impressive; however, even at 4K, the GeForce RTX 5090 can be underutilized and run into a few bottlenecks that hold it back from its true potential. A prime example of this can be seen in Warhammer 40K: Space Marine 2, where the MSI GeForce RTX 5090 32G SUPRIM SOC is only 16% faster than the GeForce RTX 5090 and barely breaking a sweat.

Things get interesting when looking at titles like F1 24 with full in-race ray tracing features enabled; here, the MSI GeForce RTX 5090 SUPRIM is 39% faster than the GeForce RTX 4090. Cyberpunk 2077 with the 'Ultra' ray tracing preset is 41% faster, and the intense real-time strategy action of Total War: Warhammer III also runs 41% faster than the GeForce RTX 4090. There is a catch, though: the performance gap drops when gaming using the DLSS 'Quality' preset in some games on account of the native rendering dropping to 1440p.

With the new Transformer model (which we enabled in a few of the games tested), DLSS 4 is a game changer for visual fidelity, and with Ray Reconstruction using the new model, native rendering or rasterized performance doesn't make any sense for games with RT. Even for those without RT. Looking at the overall performance across all 14 games tested, the 4K 163 FPS average with DLSS using the

Quality preset for the MSI GeForce RTX 5090 SUPRIM is remarkable. And this doesn't include Frame Generation, which we'll get in a bit.

Average Gaming Performance - 1440p Results

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1440p gaming with the MSI GeForce RTX 5090 SUPRIM can be impressive. Counter-Strike 2, tested with a super-intensive smoke and explosion-filled stress test map, hits an average FPS of 418 FPS. The Unreal Engine 5-powered smash-hit Marvel Rivals hits an impressive 222 FPS with DLSS. However, it's mostly a story of diminishing returns as the MSI GeForce RTX 5090 SUPRIM shifts into low gear at this resolution. You are looking at significantly less GPU usage for an average 12% performance improvement compared to the GeForce RTX 4090.

Still, the GeForce RTX 5090 is the only card that can run Black Myth: Wukong at 100+ FPS at 1440p using the game's Very High-quality reset, so there's that. In many games, you can only boost performance at 1440p on a GPU like the GeForce RTX 5090 or RTX 4090 by using DLSS in conjunction with Frame Generation. Multi Frame Generation in 1440p in games like Cyberpunk 2077 delivers incredible smoothness and responsiveness, and those benchmarks can be found below.

Benchmarks - 3DMark Synthetic Tests

3DMark offers a suite of synthetic benchmarks built to test GPUs in various scenarios. 3DMark Steel Nomad is a cutting-edge DirectX 12 benchmark with newer, modern rendering techniques designed to push GPUs to their limit. The 'Light' version tests at 1440p, while the main Steel Nomad benchmark tests pure native 4K rendering. Port Royal is a benchmark focusing exclusively on real-time ray tracing for lighting effects like reflections, shadows, and more.

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As we saw with the Founders Edition model, the MSI GeForce RTX 5090 SUPRIM's synthetic 3DMark benchmark results paint a very different picture than actual in-game results. This is strange because 3DMark results usually align with real-world performance for GeForce RTX graphics cards. Here, we see the MSI GeForce RTX 5090 SUPRIM deliver a Steel Nomad score that is 56% higher than the GeForce RTX 4090's score. Likewise, the ray-tracing Port Royal score is 46% higher. However, there are titles with heavy ray-tracing, like Cyberpunk 2077, where the MSI GeForce RTX 5090 SUPRIM is 40% faster than the GeForce RTX 4090. Also, as Steel Nomad is still relatively new and designed for modern GPU features, it could indicate what we'll see as more games are released that take advantage of the RTX Blackwell's brand-new rendering technologies.

Benchmarks - 4K Gaming

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Benchmarks - 1440p Gaming

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DLSS 4, Frame Generation, and the new Multi-Frame Generation

DLSS 4 and Multi Frame Generation are impressive bits of technology, thanks mainly to the overall improvements to performance and latency on the Frame Generation side and the new 'Transformer' model for Super Resolution and Ray Reconstruction. We used the DLSS 'Quality' mode preset for these benchmarks, which often delivers better-than-native image quality.

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Focusing on the 4K results, without Frame Generation, you're looking at excellent performance across all of the games benchmarked - Cyberpunk 2077, Dragon Age: The Veilguard, Hogwarts Legacy, and Marvel Rival. What Frame Generation does primarily increases the smoothness of how a game plays. Multi Frame Generation allows you to select how many AI-generated frames you want it to create. Here, we've tested 2X (the current standard) and the new 4X, generating three additional frames.

With the 4X preset, Cyberpunk 2077's smoothness with ray-tracing sees a 4.7X increase in performance and frame rate, while the rest of the games see a 3.8X improvement. Regarding how it looks, yes, 2X does look better than 4X, but the image quality difference - in motion - is pretty minor, as is the increase in latency. The overall latency of Multi Frame Generation is excellent, maintaining the responsiveness of how it feels to play each of these titles at 100 FPS. Frame Generation is all about maxing out your display's refresh rate, so we tested on a 4K 240 Hz display that could lower the rate to 3X.

With fast movement, you can notice issues with the image, from ghosting to some general fuzziness - but for the most part, it's smooth sailing. Frame Generation's smoothness makes it a worthwhile technology - especially when it comes to Path Tracing or Full Ray Tracing.

Path Tracing Performance

Path Tracing, or Full Ray Tracing, arrived with the GeForce RTX 40 Series and DLSS 3 and is leveling up with the GeForce RTX 50 Series and DLSS 4. It's only possible thanks to AI technologies like DLSS Super Resolution, Ray Reconstruction, and RTX Neural Shader technology like RTX Mega Geometry. It's designed specifically for these technologies, and we're only including native or rasterized performance to highlight just how intensive it is on a GPU as powerful as the GeForce RTX 5090. In fact, outside of the massive increase in performance, these games also look notably worse without DLSS 4.

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Path Tracing is where we see the most significant performance gains for the MSI GeForce RTX 5090 SUPRIM, where, on average, you're looking at 40% faster ray tracing, with that number climbing to 46% when looking specifically at Alan Wake 2. Interestingly, the build we used for Alan Wake 2 was a special preview branch with DLSS 4 features, including the new Transformer model, Multi Frame Generation, and even RTX Mega Geometry on the rendering side. The result is mind-blowing, with the DLSS Performance preset looking as good as the previous DLSS Quality preset with the older AI model.

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Frame Generation and Multi Frame Generation are excellent additions, too, as you get the responsiveness of a 60+ FPS experience with the smoothness of a 200+ FPS game. Seeing is believing when it comes to both Path Tracing and DLSS 4; it's a glimpse at the future of gaming, and we can't wait to see how it looks at some of 2025's biggest releases like DOOM: The Dark Ages. As that will be running on id Tech, the same engine used in Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, we're expecting big things. Indiana Jones is the only Path Tracing game on the GeForce RTX 5090 that doesn't need Frame Generation.

Temperature and Power Efficiency

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When the GeForce RTX 4090 launched with a power rating of 450W, it felt like a lot, so the GeForce RTX 5090's 575W power rating was definitely on the extreme side. And with the MSI GeForce RTX 5090 32G SUPRIM SOC pushing that to 600W, you need a 1000W PSU to game with it. That said, the average 4K gaming power usage with the GPU was 490W, so it won't run at 600W the moment you fire up any game. In fact, with RTX Blackwell's MaxQ technologies, power management is impressive in providing what's required at any given moment.

The MSI GeForce RTX 5090 32G SUPRIM SOC's thermal performance is exceptional, especially when you factor in the additional power draw. During our tests, the temperature stayed below 65 degrees even when overclocked, and the fans were either silent or whisper-quiet the entire time. Compared to the Founders Edition model, this is a significant improvement (10 degrees cooler and quieter fans) and opens the door to additional tweaking and tuning.

Final Thoughts

The MSI GeForce RTX 5090 32G SUPRIM SOC is a beast; it's the most powerful gaming GPU we've reviewed, tested, and played games with. With some additional modest overlocking using MSI Afterburner, we were able to see it perform 5-6% faster than the Founders Edition model. Compared to the GeForce RTX 4090, you're looking at 32% faster performance on average with some OC action, with that figure climbing to 43% when looking at games like Cyberpunk 2077 and Alan Wake 2 with Path Tracing or Full Ray Tracing. These generational numbers are impressive; however, the 600W power rating and $2399.99 price point make it more of a luxury item or halo product.

MSI GeForce RTX 5090 SUPRIM SOC Review - Supreme Performance 16

The show's real star, however, is the arrival of DLSS 4 and RTX Neural Shaders. The latter will start showing up in more and more titles as time goes on, but from what we've seen in Remedy's Alan Wake 2 and the Half-Life 2 RTX demo we went hands-on with at CES, game visuals are seriously going to level up with the GeForce RTX 50 Series. The best part is that, outside of Multi Frame Generation, which currently relies on the new RTX Blackwell architecture for smooth performance, all of these features will work across every RTX GPU - from the GeForce RTX 2060 to the GeForce RTX 4090.

In fact, with AI becoming an integral part of the GeForce RTX 5090 and RTX 50 Series experience, from gaming to content creation, the industry (led by NVIDIA) has moved on from 'how many frames can it render natively.' Seeing is believing, and 4K 240 FPS with Full Ray Tracing is mind-blowing when you go hands-on. The flagship RTX Blackwell GPU is even more impressive in MSI GeForce RTX 5090 32G SUPRIM SOC form, and we can't wait to see how 2025's biggest releases use all of its advanced features and premium cooling. In the meantime, we'll use it to spend quality time in Cyberpunk 2077's stunning Night City.

Performance

100%

Quality

100%

Features

100%

Value

79%

Overall

95%

The Bottom Line

The MSI GeForce RTX 5090 32G SUPRIM SOC is more powerful than the Founder Edition model and offers exceptional thermal performance and an impressive premium design. It's a 4K powerhouse, and with DLSS 4 and RTX Neural Shaders, it's a gaming GPU built for the AI-enhanced future.

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* Prices last scanned on 2/6/2025 at 5:32 pm CST - prices may not be accurate, click links above for the latest price. We may earn an affiliate commission from any sales.

Senior Editor

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Kosta is a veteran gaming journalist that cut his teeth on well-respected Aussie publications like PC PowerPlay and HYPER back when articles were printed on paper. A lifelong gamer since the 8-bit Nintendo era, it was the CD-ROM-powered 90s that cemented his love for all things games and technology. From point-and-click adventure games to RTS games with full-motion video cut-scenes and FPS titles referred to as Doom clones. Genres he still loves to this day. Kosta is also a musician, releasing dreamy electronic jams under the name Kbit.

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