MSI Teases GeForce RTX 5090 "Lightning" Special Edition Models at CES 2025

[T0@st]

MSI has gone all in with NVIDIA's freshly debuted GeForce RTX 50 "Blackwell" GPU series at CES 2025—an impressive number of custom models have been unveiled on the showroom floor. The TechPowerUp team has sifted through many of MSI's latest and greatest, but also noticed an intriguing set of placards positioned next to the tech firm's vast selection of physical products. The "exclusive" information at hand points to two in-progress GeForce RTX 5090 models—informally named as "Lightning" Special Editions. Company representatives have revealed that the engineering team is concocting a purpose-made PCB design for the two upcoming cards. This board supposedly sports enough differences to distinguish itself from NVIDIA's reference layout (as seen on their Founder's Edition)—industry experts reckon that the majority of AIBs will be utilizing Team Green's standard GeForce RTX 5090 PCB.

The printed graphic indicates that MSI's mysterious liquid cooled Special Edition GeForce RTX 32G will arrive with the "ultimate all-in-one (AIO) water cooling solution"—referred to as their "HydroCool System." A twin STORMFORCE fan configuration is teased alongside advanced airflow channels and a next-gen dual 120 mm AIO liquid cooling system. Custom-engineered water channels are advertised as being capable of flowing "directly through" the card's onboard memory. Dual front intakes and exhausts are said to assist greatly in cooling this Special Edition model, as well as neighboring PC components. Users can implement independent custom fan speed tunings; presumably via MSI software. It will be interesting to see how this in-the-works AIO-based model stacks up against the premium-tier "two-piece" MSI RTX 5090 SUPRIM LIQUID SOC.




MSI's air-cooled GeForce RTX 32G "Lightning" Special Edition is teased as sporting an unusual "FiveFrozr" fan configuration—three shroud-mounted STORMFORCE fans will work together as intakes, while the remaining two (positioned on the backplate) take on exhaust duties. MSI engineers reckon that this advanced five-fan configuration has been designed with "exceptional thermal management" in mind—like its liquid cooled sibling, this five-fan solution is said to be powerful enough to cool surrounding hardware. Custom fan speed tuning is also on offer here—some unusual settings could be implemented across the five STORMFORCE fans.

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[T4C Fantasy]

i still have my R9 290X Lightning, came with a briefcase with a draw, a certificate and military grade components. if they ever release this I would appreciate they do the same xD

 

[Nostras]

Where's my GPU reactor

 

[kapone32]

They did a Live Stream today and did not even mention this card. I had a 6950 Lightning edition and that was one of the coolest running GPUs I ever bought.

 

[T4C Fantasy]

They did a Live Stream today and did not even mention this card. I had a 6950 Lightning edition and that was one of the coolest running GPUs I ever bought.

i feel the same about my R9 290X Lightning

 

[docnorth]

I”m afraid “RTX 5090 lightning special edition” correlates also with pricing.

Edit. Other than that it should be a fantastic GPU.

 

[kapone32]

I”m afraid “RTX 5090 lightning special edition” correlates also with pricing.

There is one that may be more expensive. You get a Lucky plush Dragon with it.

 

[Space Lynx]

I”m afraid “RTX 5090 lightning special edition” correlates also with pricing.

Edit. Other than that it should be a fantastic GPU.

yeah just for the nostalgia of the naming scheme I kind of want one, or a Twin Frozr named card, lol

lightning series was always too pricey. would like to see them bring back the old twin frozr models though, those things were like pure nickel everywhere, ice cold to touch

 

[Scattergrunt]

Looks pretty cool, I bet the price is gonna be like $2,500 USD or something though. The two fans on the liquid cooling model (if im understanding correctly) looks alot like the old 20 series FE's and gives me a lil dopamine boost.

I wonder what they'll look like in person.

 

[RogueSix]

I was 100% going to buy the RTX 5090 SUPRIM LIQUID but now they have made me curious with the Lightning. It will be interesting to compare them to each other. If I had to guess, I think that the Lightning will be the performance king with a few extra percent (nothing crazy though) over the Suprim. The Suprim will likely be the more silent option and cost a little less.

If that is how it turns out then I will stick with Suprim. I'm a silent PC aficionado so a more silent running card will always take precedence over the last couple single digit percent in performance for me.
I also like that the Suprim is pretty compact (dual slot) which will help with airflow inside the case. I would put the 360mm rad in the side of my case so it will be well out of the way of anything and push the hot air out.

In fact, thinking about it... yeah, I'm leaning way more towards the Suprim Liquid. It just seems like the better concept as long as you have space for another radiator which I do. The Lightning could be very interesting though for people who already have a CPU AiO taking up their only (reasonable) radiator option but who still want a LC graphics card.

 

[Guwapo77]

I was 100% going to buy the RTX 5090 SUPRIM LIQUID but now they have made me curious with the Lightning. It will be interesting to compare them to each other. If I had to guess, I think that the Lightning will be the performance king with a few extra percent (nothing crazy though) over the Suprim. The Suprim will likely be the more silent option and cost a little less.

If that is how it turns out then I will stick with Suprim. I'm a silent PC aficionado so a more silent running card will always take precedence over the last couple single digit percent in performance for me.
I also like that the Suprim is pretty compact (dual slot) which will help with airflow inside the case. I would put the 360mm rad in the side of my case so it will be well out of the way of anything and push the hot air out.

In fact, thinking about it... yeah, I'm leaning way more towards the Suprim Liquid. It just seems like the better concept as long as you have space for another radiator which I do. The Lightning could be very interesting though for people who already have a CPU AiO taking up their only (reasonable) radiator option but who still want a LC graphics card.

If I get my hands on the Founder Edition, the Lightning Edition will certainly be next on my list.

 

[m6tzg6r]

I used to own many Lightnings back in the GTX 580,680,780 days, great cards. I mainly got them because they used better parts that meant they had no coil whine. Meanwhile the regular cards had coin while due to cheaper components.
But now days every card in general seems to be using better components because even standard Gigabyte Windforce cards that i have used over the recent years, or ASUS Dual RTX cards have no coil whine. So i no longer have a need for a Lightning model, but cool to see it i guess.

 

[Guwapo77]

I used to own many Lightnings back in the GTX 580,680,780 days, great cards. I mainly got them because they used better parts that meant they had no coil whine. Meanwhile the regular cards had coin while due to cheaper components.
But now days every card in general seems to be using better components because even standard Gigabyte Windforce cards that i have used over the recent years, or ASUS Dual RTX cards have no coil whine. So i no longer have a need for a Lightning model, but cool to see it i guess.

I'm so use to coil whine...I don't remember a card that didn't have it. 580, Fury X, and 6900XT when pushed whine their asses off.

 

[atomek]

I only wish Suprim cooler will have exactly same dimensions (or smaller) than one from 4080, as one milimeter more and it won't fit in my NR200 case.

 

[starfals]

I'm so use to coil whine...I don't remember a card that didn't have it. 580, Fury X, and 6900XT when pushed whine their asses off.

Really? I never had it. 760, 1070-1080, 3070-3080... nothing. I've heard about it, and one time i even heard it in person from a friend's PC. It seems like a rare thing. You must be unlucky, or the brands you pick are bad? Asus? People always complain from them. Overpriced too.

 

[atomek]

Really? I never had it. 760, 1070-1080, 3070-3080... nothing. I've heard about it, and one time i even heard it in person from a friend's PC. It seems like a rare thing. You must be unlucky, or the brands you pick are bad? Asus? People always complain from them. Overpriced too.

MSI 4080 Super Suprim here, I know it may depend on unit, but zero coil whine on mine.

 

[msiyyds]

LIGHTNING will be back?