Home Blog Page 95

COUGAR Reveals Next-Gen PC Cases and Power Supplies at CES 2026

[Press Release] COUGAR returns to CES 2026 with a clear focus on long-term design instead of short-lived disruption. The new lineup showcases evolution in cooling, power delivery, and ergonomics, aiming to improve how gamers live with high-performance systems.

Showcased from January 6 to 8 at a private VIP showroom in the Venetian Resort, the portfolio looks stacked.

Modern gaming setups demand more airflow, stable power, and physical comfort during long sessions. COUGAR’s 2026 designs rethink internal layouts, turning unused space into active cooling paths and reducing friction during building and upgrades.

The goal is simple: hardware that performs better while staying quieter, cleaner, and easier to live with.

Next-Gen PC Cases Focused on Airflow

Cougar FV130 PC Case

The CFV235-G introduces an enhanced Central Floating Ventilation structure that transforms empty internal space into an active airflow channel. Combined with a full glass panoramic design, it balances strong cooling with a clean showcase aesthetic.

The MX600 Max refines airflow precision using optimized perforations and large 200mm ARGB fans guided by a dual-curve airflow ramp. A modular I/O panel and removable top cover simplify installation and placement.

The Duoair offers flexibility between mesh performance and glass aesthetics. Moving the PSU to the front creates an additional intake channel that improves cooling for GPUs up to 410mm without sacrificing style.

The FV130 trims excess bulk from panoramic dual-chamber designs. An angled bottom fan eliminates dead air zones while keeping the case compact enough for desk setups, even with large GPUs and modern motherboard layouts.

Terminator Air Gaming Chair

Cougar Terminator Air

The Terminator Air gaming chair extends COUGAR’s machine-first thinking into ergonomics. Its Dynamic Adaptive Support system adjusts in real time as posture changes, maintaining consistent back support.

Breathable mesh, automatic recline tension, and highly adjustable armrests reduce fatigue during long gaming or work sessions.

New Power Supplies

Cougar Polar V2 Power Supply

The Polar V2 series delivers fully modular 80 PLUS Platinum efficiency with support for extreme power spikes and dual-GPU systems. Built with Japanese capacitors and advanced protections, it maintains a stable output even at high temperatures while staying quiet.

The PV series focuses on high efficiency and next-generation readiness, offering native PCIe 5.1 support and low thermal waste for modern builds.

The GQ series provides a compact, cost-effective option with ATX 3.1 compliance and PCIe 5.1 support, fitting easily into a wide range of cases without compromising reliability.

Resident Evil Requiem Hits 300+ FPS at 4K on RTX 5090 – NVIDIA Showcases Future of 4K Gaming with DLSS 4

Story Highlight
  • Nvidia revealed a new Resident Evil Requiem trailer on RTX 5090, showcasing DLSS 4’s capabilities. 
  • The Path Tracing footage achieved over 300 FPS at 4K resolution using DLSS 4. 
  • The game failed to stick with 60 FPS without the upscaler. The ray tracing also massively improved visuals. 

Despite gamers’ dissatisfaction, Nvidia is confident in its decision to focus more on software than hardware in its gaming endeavors. DLSS 4 has been a huge performance booster for games using ray tracing, and a new performance comparison further solidifies it. 

Nvidia has released a new Resident Evil Requiem trailer, showcasing the path-traced game hitting over 300 FPS at 4K resolution on an RTX 5090. DLSS 4 has made this result possible, now available in over 400 games. 

Why it matters: The new DLSS 4.5 delivers even greater performance gains with its 6x dynamic multi-frame generation. The company promises smooth 240+ FPS, 4K path-traced gaming with DLSS 4.5, free of visual anomalies. 

The video shows that the game was unable to reach 60 FPS without DLSS 4 enabled with path tracing on, cementing the need for the upscaler for high-end performance.

A with-and-without path-tracing comparison also makes it harder to ignore the extreme visual gains, albeit at the cost of the aforementioned frames. So, DLSS 4 feels like a more attractive option than native frames here.

It’s unclear whether DLSS 4.5 was used in the Resident Evil Requiem trailer. Still, comparisons between DLSS 4 and 4.5 on Nvidia’s blog revealed significant visual and other technical improvements in the new version.

DLSS 4.5 makes gameplay smoother with higher FPS thanks to its 2nd-generation transformer and 6x multi-frame generation, and it also reduces ghosting and artifacts.

The edges in games are rendered much better, with more visual clarity in movement. The overall temporal stability at 4K also feels more enhanced in different AAA games. 

Do you think Nvidia’s DLSS 4.5 is a major improvement over the baseline 4 version? Are you looking forward to using it in AAA games? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below, or join the discussion on the Tech4Gamers forum.

ASRock Introduces Its Next-Generation AIO Liquid Cooling Lineup

[Press Release] ASRock has officially unveiled its complete next-generation AIO liquid-cooling lineup, expanding its role beyond motherboards and graphics cards into full-system thermal solutions. Built on decades of engineering experience, this new portfolio targets enthusiast PCs, professional workstations, gaming systems, and everyday builds with a focus on performance, stability, and long-term reliability.

The lineup spans multiple series, each tailored for a specific audience while sharing ASRock’s core design principles. From flagship cooling solutions to mainstream options, every model is designed to meet modern CPU thermal demands and evolving system requirements.

Taichi AQUA Series

ASRock Taichi Aqua

 

The Taichi AQUA series stands at the top of ASRock’s AIO range. It combines extreme cooling capability with a distinctive design, featuring a dual-mode top cover that lets users switch between a 3.4-inch full-color LCD display and a transparent coolant-flow window. A dual-pump architecture supports a TDP of over 500W, paired with a thick 38mm radiator and high-end LCP fans with IP54-rated protection, delivering uncompromised performance and durability.

WS Series

ASRock WS Series AIO

Designed for high-end desktop and workstation CPUs, the WS series focuses on sustained performance under continuous heavy loads. A full-coverage cold plate ensures uniform contact on large CPU heat spreaders, while a dual-pump design and thick radiator maintain stable temperatures during 24/7 operation. Industrial-grade fans further reinforce reliability for professional environments.

Phantom Gaming Series

ASRock Phantom Gaming Liquid Cooler

The Phantom Gaming series targets gamers who want strong cooling and bold aesthetics. A 3.4-inch LCD display provides real-time system monitoring, while a high-performance pump and optimized radiator support demanding gaming and overclocking scenarios. A dedicated VRM cooling module helps maintain system stability during intense workloads, complemented by high-output fans and immersive ARGB lighting.

Steel Legend Series

ASRock Steel Legend Liquid Coolers

The Steel Legend series emphasizes durability and consistent performance for long-term daily use. It integrates an LCD display, a robust pump design, and VRM cooling support to ensure stable operation over extended periods. High-quality fans with dual-ball bearings maintain steady airflow, aligning with the series’ focus on dependable engineering.

Challenger and Pro Series

ASRock Challenger Series Liquid Cooler

The Challenger series focuses on efficiency and ease of installation, offering practical cooling performance with a smart digital display and builder-friendly design. The Pro series balances performance, aesthetics, and accessibility, featuring ARGB elements and optimized acoustics, making it suitable for a wide range of mainstream PC builds.

After Micron, SK Hynix Also Expanding Operations Rapidly To Meet Global DRAM Demand

Story Highlight
  • Micron and Samsung recently revealed they’re expanding their DRAM manufacturing lines.
  • Following this, SK Hynix has also announced it is expediting work at its new fab.
  • The goal is to meet the HBM chip demand made with DRAM and used in AI chips.

The global memory crisis is at its peak, with RAM prices reaching astronomical levels that are now unaffordable for most people. Amid all this, major manufacturers are trying to meet the demand by expanding their operations. 

Micron revealed that it is investing a whopping $200 billion to increase its DRAM production limits. Following this, SK Hynix is also expanding its operations by building new, larger manufacturing lines. 

Why it matters: The global DRAM manufacturing is mainly handled by three companies: Samsung, Micron, and SK Hynix, so if they are to meet the requirements, they do need to expand rapidly for things to go back to normal.

SK Hynix
SK Hynix is expanding operations to meet the global DRAM demand.

The Elec has confirmed that SK Hynix will open its first cleanroom at its new fab in Yongin, South Korea, in March next year, 2 months ahead of the initial timeline. It’s also doing the same for its M15X plant in Cheongju. 

The general aim is to meet demand for the HBM4 chip amid the AI boom. The demand for these chips has surged in recent months, and they are made using DRAM, which is then used in AI chips, causing a massive global shortage.

DRAM manufacturers
The DRAM manufacturing is led mainly by three companies.

While AI software companies primarily require those AI chips because DRAM is used in them, this affects global RAM manufacturing as well. This is what has led to the drastic price increase in DDR5 RAM.

Samsung also recently announced the expansion of its operations. Unfortunately, most of these manufacturing lines will be operational from 2027, which means the prices will remain high throughout this year, and budget gamers will have to stick with DDR4. 

What are your thoughts on SK Hynix expanding operations to meet the global DRAM shortage? Let us know your opinions in the comments or join the discussion at the official Tech4Gamers Forum.

AMD Officially Unveils Ryzen 7 9850X3D — World’s Fastest Gaming CPU With 5.6GHz Turbo Boost

Story Highlight
  • Ryzen 7 9850X3D is essentially a 9800X3D with a +400MHz boost (up to 5.6GHz), same cores, cache, and 120W TDP.

  • No new X3D flagships announced (no 9800X3D2 or 9950X3D2), making this feel like a minor refresh at a higher price.

  • Strong 1080p gaming gains vs Intel, but minimal 7% improvement over 9800X3D.

AMD announced its new flagship processor for Gaming PCs at CES in Las Vegas: the AMD Ryzen 7 9850X3D. This is essentially a boosted AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D, with higher clock frequencies. In terms of specifications, the two processors are exactly the same, except that the AMD Ryzen 7 9850X3D offers significantly higher Turbo Boost speeds. However, the amount of cache memory remains unchanged.

The biggest disappointment is that the company didn’t announce either the AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D2 or the Ryzen 9 9950X3D2. These processors incorporate double the L3 cache for even greater performance. So, basically, the only announcement related to gamers is offering the same CPU they already offered, but with higher frequencies. And yes, a higher price.

Ryzen 7 9800X3D will be slightly more expensive. The company didn’t announce its price or release date. According to the French retailer LDLC, this processor will go on sale on January 29th at an expected price of around €500.

Specifications of AMD Ryzen 7 9850X3D

AMD Ryzen 7 9850X3D Specifications Comparison
AMD Ryzen 7 9850X3D Specifications Comparison

Unsurprisingly, the AMD Ryzen 7 9850X3D is an 8-core, 16-thread processor based on the AMD Zen 5 architecture. The only difference compared to the AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D is that this processor will reach a maximum operating frequency of 5.60 GHz. This represents an increase of 400 MHz compared to the 5.20 GHz reached by the Ryzen 7 9800X3D.

Leaks had already indicated that this processor offers a base clock speed of 4.70 GHz, the same as the Ryzen 7 9800X3D. There are no improvements in cache memory; it offers the same 104 MB of L2 + L3 cache. This means the CPU has 96 MB of L3 cache thanks to the 3D V-Cache technology, which adds 64 MB. Despite the increased clock speeds, the TDP remains at 120W.

What We Know About Ryzen 7 9850X3D Performance

AMD Ryzen 7 9850X3D vs Intel Core Ultra 9 285K
AMD Ryzen 7 9850X3D vs Intel Core Ultra 9 285K

According to the benchmarks provided by AMD, its Ryzen 7 9850X3D is capable of delivering, on average, 27% more performance than an Intel Core Ultra 285K at 1080p resolution.

It’s worth noting that the impact of the CPU performance gains is less noticeable at higher resolutions. Therefore, at 4K resolution, the difference could be less than 5%. These X3D processors are ideal for new HD monitors with a resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels at +500 Hz, specifically designed for competitive gaming. In these environments, this CPU will be significantly faster than any other Intel processor.

AMD Ryzen 7 9850X3D vs Intel Core Ultra 9 285K vs 9800X3D productivity performance
AMD Ryzen 7 9850X3D vs Intel Core Ultra 9 285K vs 9800X3D productivity performance

In terms of productivity, the situation is more balanced for Intel. And in this specific case, for some reason, only Ryzen 7 9800X3D is mentioned. According to the data provided, the AMD Ryzen 7 9850X3D is 5.6% faster than the Intel Core Ultra 9 285K, while the Ryzen 7 9800X3D is practically tied with Intel, with a performance difference of just 0.9%.

Latest Updates

[/su_note]

This falls within a certain margin of error, so they are practically even. The company only indicated a launch for the first quarter of the year, although no details regarding the price were mentioned.

What’s your take on the Ryzen 7 9850X3D? Is a price increase justified for just a 400MHz boost? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

Lies of P Studio Working On 5 New Games, Plans to Introduce Successful Long-Lasting Franchises

Story Highlight
  • Neowiz CEO has confirmed that they are currently working on 5 PC/console games.
  • The publisher aims to release new IP that will develop into long-term franchises.
  • The success of Lies of P and its DLC helped them push forward to new highs.

Neowiz launched Lies of P in 2023 to massive praise from both the critics and the audience. It became a sleeper hit that nobody really saw coming. Nonetheless, it cemented Neowiz as a great studio, and the studio wants to capitalize on it. 

The studio CEO in a recent interview revealed that Neowiz is currently working on 5 games, including a Lies of P sequel. The head says that the studio plans to introduce long-lasting franchises that people will play for many years. 

Why it matters: Based on Lies of P’s success, Neowiz is now primarily associated with that series; however, they want to expand further and make a bigger name for themselves with multiple successful franchises

Lies of P Featured
The studio is working on 5 new titles

Talking to Gameinformer, Neowiz co-CEO Sean Kim went into detail about the studio’s future. He said Lies of P was a massive success, and its DLC, Overtrue, helped it further by adding new players, increasing the fan base. 

 We are internally developing more than five new PC and console titles. Our goal is to consistently introduce successful IP that fans will continue to support and look forward to over the long haul, even five or ten years down the line.

– Sean Kim

Kim said that the studio wants to explore as many options as possible; therefore, they plan to collaborate with Western studios as well for future titles. They also highlighted their third-party indie games like Shape of Dreams. 

Souls-Like Lies of P Remnant 2 Lords of the Fallen
2023 introduced us to some great new IPs

Neowiz believes that a game’s success is oriented through fans, so no matter how much they like the game, it is ultimately the fans who decide if it’s good. The studio is also looking to explore AI to expedite various things. 

Lies of P helped Neowiz reach a global audience that it had never had before. This has helped them push forward with more IPs, which they plan to support long-term and listen to fan feedback to continually improve.

What are your thoughts on Lies of P studio wanting to make long-lasting, successful franchises? Let us know your opinions in the comments or join the discussion at the official Tech4Gamers Forum.

No RTX 50 Super as NVIDIA Skips CES Consumer GPU Reveal for the First Time in 5 Years

Story Highlight
  • Nvidia has not announced any new GPUs at its CES presentation this year.
  • It skipped over the reveal of the RTX 50 Super series, suggesting it has been delayed or cancelled.
  • A lack of new GPU reveals can be directly attributed to the ongoing DRAM shortage. 

The memory apocalypse has proven to be devastating for the GPU market, making high-end GPUs rare around the globe as sellers run out of inventory. Drastic price hikes are also expected to strike the RTX 50 and the Radeon RX 9000 series soon.

Many gamers were still hopeful for the RTX 50 Super series to build their gaming rigs before the industry gets worse. However, Nvidia earlier announced that there will be no GPU reveals at its CES keynote presentation on January 5 at 9 pm PT.

Why it matters: Nvidia skipping new GPU reveals at CES 2026 confirms that the DRAM crisis is having a deep impact on the RTX 50 Super Series. Even the RTX 50 lineup has dried up significantly in the last few months due to a lack of stock.

Nvidia
Nvidia confirmed that the RTX 50 Super series won’t be announced at CES 2026.

This blunt heads up on Twitter earlier confirmed rumors that Nvidia either delayed the Super series or cancelled it entirely. The company’s 5-year streak of GPU reveals was also broken, leaving the Green Team with no new hardware for the foreseeable future.

The CES events have held a dear place in the hearts of gamers as iconic lineups like the RTX 50 and 40 series were revealed during these yearly events. But Nvidia’s keynote was dry in terms of hardware this time around.

The firm revealed DLSS 4.5 with an advanced second-generation transformer model and dynamic 6x frame generation. Nvidia’s presentation mostly focused on AI initiatives like Alpamayo, as its interests have largely shifted over to the growing industry.

While Nvidia hasn’t acknowledged, the DRAM shortage played a huge role in the lack of new hardware. The Blackwell GPUs require quite costly and rare DRAM to manufacture, so the Super series might have been scrapped due to the current market conditions.

On a side note, the company is expected to bring back the five-year old RTX 3060 to retail shelves to tackle the GPU shortage.

Do you think Nvidia will announce its RTX 50 Super series later down the road this year? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below, or join the discussion on the Tech4Gamers forum.

Cyberpunk 2077 Reaches 1 Billion Mod Downloads, Previously Only Achieved by Bethesda Titles

Story Highlight
  • Cyberpunk 2077 has reached over 1 billion mod downloads, according to Nexus Mods.
  • This was a feat previously achieved only by Bethesda titles like Skyrim and Fallout.
  • This shows the RPG has an engaging community that is dedicated to it.

Cyberpunk 2077 is perhaps the best example of not giving up on a project that you poured so much effort into. It is now one of the finest games of all time and has developed a massive community, and a sequel is already in the works. 

Bethesda games are typically known for mods, as they have a very dedicated fan base. Cyberpunk 2077 has now achieved a similar thing, becoming the first game other than a Bethesda title to reach 1 billion mod downloads on Nexus mods. 

Why it matters: Reaching this number of mod downloads highlights that CDPR’s RPG has a strong engagement, and fans are still dedicated to it, despite being over 5 years old at this point. 

Cyberpunk mods
Cyberpunk 2077 has reached over 1 billion mod downloads

On Nexus Mods, only Bethesda games like Skyrim, Fallout 4, and Fallout: New Vegas had over 1 billion mod downloads. However, Cyberpunk 2077 has joined the list and even surpassed Fallout with over 1 billion downloads. 

Many believe that Cyberpunk 2077 is so good that if it had launched in its current state, it would’ve won the GOTY award. Its community certainly loves the title as it still constantly appears in Steam’s top-selling games. 

Cyberpunk 2077
The title is often among Steam’s top sellers despite being over 5 years since launch

What’s more impressive is that the title is relatively new compared to others on the list. Also, while Bethesda titles have always had the Creation Engine, CDPR introduced REDmod later, seeing how much fans demanded it.

This synergy between the fans and community will only push CDPR to outdo itself with the sequel. Cyberpunk 2 is currently rumored to be arriving sometime in 2030, and unlike the original, it will also feature multiplayer. 

What are your thoughts on Cyberpunk 2077 reaching 1 billion mod downloads? Let us know your opinions in the comments or join the discussion at the official Tech4Gamers Forum.

Arc Raiders Has Reportedly Sold 12 Million Copies Since Its Launch Just Over 2 Months Ago

Story Highlight
  • Alinea Analytics has revealed that Arc Raiders has sold a whopping 12 million copies.
  • It recorded its most daily active users yesterday with over 3.2 million players.
  • The game has been a massive hit despite being a live service title and a new IP.

Arc Raiders was a breakout title of 2026. For a new IP, it has managed to deliver beyond expectations and is still showing no signs of slowing down. It has left massive names like Battlefield in the dust and has achieved yet another milestone. 

A reliable analysis firm has confirmed that Arc Raiders has sold 12 million copies in just over 2 months since its launch. It also recorded its highest ever daily active users on Januray 4, reaching over 3.2 million players. 

Why it matters: In the current industry, it is quite difficult to make a name for yourself. This is especially impressive as Arc Raiders is a new IP and also a live service title, which is a very saturated and risky genre. 

Arc Raiders sales
Arc Raiders has sold a whopping 12 million copies already

Alinea Analytics, in its latest report, has confirmed the 12 million copies sold across all platforms. Almost 50% of the sales came from Steam, whereas Xbox and PlayStation had almost equal sales among them. 

The combined revenue has surpassed a whopping $350 million. Embark Studios stated that the game has a modest budget, which isn’t comparable to most AAA games, so it has already become a huge commercial success

Arc Raiders
The title was also crowned as the multiplayer game of the year

What’s even more impressive is that it has achieved this feat in just over 2 months since its launch. The player base has also been very consistent. It has retained almost 86% of its players, which is nothing short of impressive. 

The studio has also shown intent to keep supporting the game for a long time. Even popular streamer Shroud claimed that it has the potential to even surpass other massive live service games like Fortnite. 

What are your thoughts on Arc Raider exceeding 12 million copies sold? Let us know your opinions in the comments or join the discussion at the official Tech4Gamers Forum

Nvidia DLSS 4.5 Will Feature An Advanced 2nd Gen Transformer Model And Dynamic 6x Frame Gen

Story Highlight
  • Nvidia is set to introduce the latest iteration of its upscaling tech, DLSS 4.5.
  • It will feature an advanced 2nd-gen Transformer Model with dynamic 6x frame gen. 
  • The super resolution will be available for all RTX cards, but frame gen will be exclusive to RTX 50 series.

Upscaling technologies have kind of become a necessity for gaming. They used to be more of a liability at first, but as the tech has advanced, upscalers like DLSS and FSR have become quite good and even help in better visuals in some cases. 

Nvidia introduced DLSS 4 with multi-frame generation with the RTX 50 series and will now reveal its latest iteration. DLSS 4.5 will feature an advanced 2nd-gen Transformer Model along with dynamic 6x frame gen

Why it matters: Upscaling tech is now quite decent, but people still complain about frame gen and the latency it introduces. The latest DLSS version aims to improve both the DLSS super resolution and frame times. 

DLSS 4.5
DLSS 4.5 will feature better image quality and improved frame generation

According to Videocardz, Nvidia will announce DLSS 4.5 at CES 2025. It features a 2nd-gen Transformer model that uses a much larger dataset for better temporal stability, less ghosting, and reduced chances of failures. 

The Dynamic 6x frame gen won’t be locked to a single multiplier; instead, it will dynamically switch between 3x to 6x frame generation depending on the requirement. However, it will be exclusive to the RTX 50 series

Frame gen features will be locked to RTX 50 series cards

The DLSS 4.5 Super Resolution will be available on all RTX cards and will be a day 1 launch via an update through the Nvidia app. The frame gen features will be rolled out later with an update. All in all, DLSS is apparently getting a big upgrade. 

What are your thoughts on Nvidia DLSS 4.5? Do you use frame generation in supported games? Let us know your opinions in the comments or join the discussion at the official Tech4Gamers Forum

Schedule I, REPO, And Dispatch Beat Expedition 33, KCD2, And More As The Highest-Rated Steam Games of 2025

Story Highlight
  • Indie titles have completely dominated Steam charts throughout the entire 2025.
  • Schedule l, REPO, and Dispatch were the highest-rated Steam releases of the year.
  • They managed to beat blockbuster hits like Expedition 33, Silksong, and more.

Indie games were on a roll in 2026. This year has proved that low-budget games can be as successful as AAA titles, if not more, as long as studios pour creativity and love into them. This is the reason indie games have topped charts all year. 

A new analysis reveals that Schedule l, REPO, and Dispatch were the highest-rated games of 2025, beating the likes of Expedition 33, Silksong, Hades 2, and Kingdom Come 2, out of which only the latter is a full-fledged AAA title. 

Why it matters: All these titles have dominated the Steam charts since their launches, and still boast a decent player base. This shows how games that used to fall under everyone’s radars have come out on top. 

Steam Top Rated Games 2025
Schedule l, REPO, and Dispatch were the highest-rated Steam games of 2025

Steam250, a site that tracks top-reviewed titles on Steam, has revealed its list of the highest-rated releases of 2025. It calculates the results based on the highest number of positive reviews on a game.

The games that managed to come out on top were Schedule l with a 98% positive rating based on 268K reviews, and REPO with a 96% positive rating based on a whopping 342K reviews. Dispatch holds the third spot. 

Silksong GOTY
Steam GOTY winner Silksong took the 19th spot

While the overall reviews on Dispatch are more positive than REPO at 98%, it has far less number of reviews at 151K. Most importantly, all these titles managed to beat super hit releases like Expedition 33, Silksong, and more. 

However, the 2025 GOTY winner isn’t too far behind, as it has a 96% positive rating with 240K reviews. Unfortunately, Steam’s GOTY winner, Silksong, slips quite below the others with 89% positive reviews. 

What are your thoughts on Schedule l and REPO being the highest-rated Steam games? Let us know your opinions in the comments or join the discussion at the official Tech4Gamers Forum.

First Look At MSI Rtx 5090 Lightning With Next-Gen AIO, Dual 12v-2×6 Power & 1600W PCB

Story Highlight
  • New confirmed details reveal that the MSI RTX 5090 Lightning is co-developed in collaboration with NVIDIA.
  • It supports up to 1600W TDP, next-gen AIO liquid cooling, and a huge LCD.
  • The GPU will also allow for extreme overclocking, as benchmark leaks showed.

Even amid the GPU crisis caused by a severe DRAM shortage, gamers are still looking forward to what the best models in the RTX 50xx series have to offer. MSI is pushing the limits with its upcoming RTX 5090 Lightning model that is already breaking benchmark records.

New details confirm that the model has been co-developed with Nvidia to enable extreme overclocking. It comes with an impressive next-gen AIO cooler with next-gen liquid cooling and supports up to 1600W TDP with a dual-connector power design.

Why it matters: MSI is arguably aiming for the most ambitious GPU design yet for its RTX 5090 Lightning model. The new benchmark records have also made it a highly anticipated product among all CES 2026 offerings.

MSI CES 2026 RTX 5090 Lightning Reveal.
The first official details for the RTX 5090 32G LIGHTNING Series have been confirmed.

A new CES blog gives us the first look at the cooler design of the RTX 5090 Lightning. It boasts the industry’s first full-surface display for real-time system personalization.

The details also mention a next-gen pump, a hybrid-density radiator, and a silent, high-pressure axial fan.

Our next-generation exclusive liquid-cooling architecture employs an integrated full-contact cold plate beneath the block, extending coverage across the GPU, memory, and all high-power stages.

-Ces.

The 1600W feeds a reinforced high-power PCB and a premium VRM, with advanced power delivery and thermal design, aiming to deliver sustained high-end performance beyond what the RTX 5090 is expected to deliver.

The recent PCB leaks also showed the impressive extreme 40-phase VRAM design and dual 12V-2×6 connectors.

The GPU achieved a record-breaking 53,207 score in 3DMark Time Spy, with memory overclocked to 36 Gbps.

Regardless, MSI is expected to reveal more details about the GPU in the coming days during CES 2026. 

Do you think the MSI RTX 5090 Lightning card will meet gamers’ expectations? Are you looking forward to it? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below, or join the discussion on the Tech4Gamers forum.