When I first saw the details for the NVIDIA RTX 5090, I was impressed, to say the least. It sounded like a major step forward in gaming and content creation and did so while improving many aspects found in the 40-series. While the RTX 5090 Founders Edition looked stunning, it only makes sense to see how much more could be achieved if it were liquid-cooled, and MSI took this concept and ran with it, leading to the RTX 5090 SUPRIM LIQUID. Now that we have the card in our hands, there is no question that this liquid-cooled behemoth proves to be a compelling, if expensive, option for enthusiasts seeking the absolute pinnacle of graphics performance.
Out of the box, it is hard not to be impressed with what MSI has done with this GPU. The SUPRIM LIQUID stands apart from the air-cooled RTX 5090 Founders Edition with a sophisticated hybrid cooling solution that combines a 360-mm radiator with a custom pump block. The card itself maintains a relatively slim profile compared to the massive air-cooled variants, occupying just 2.5 slots instead of the typical 3.5-plus slots of high-end RTX 5090 cards, though it offers a similar girth to the Founders Edition card.
Looking at the GPU, it is immediately clear how much engineering and attention to detail went into the final product, even if it does not achieve the clean sophistication of the Founders Edition RTX 5090. MSI has crafted the card using premium materials throughout, featuring a brushed aluminum shroud and backplate that exude quality. The aesthetic is clean and understated, with minimal RGB lighting that can be controlled through MSI’s Center software. The build quality is exceptional, with the card including a rigid support frame that prevents PCB flex despite its considerable weight.
Even though the RTX 5090 SUPRIM LIQUID includes features that help it stand out from the crowd, at its core, it is still built on the same Blackwell architecture found in the air-cooled variants. It features 21,760 CUDA cores and a staggering 32 GB of GDDR7 memory. These specifications alone place it firmly at the pinnacle of gaming hardware, but what truly sets it apart is its integration of AI-driven technologies such as DLSS 4 and RTX Neural Shaders.
These advancements in the MSI GeForce RTX 5090 SUPRIM LIQUID GPU allow for real-time ray tracing and path tracing at frame rates previously thought impossible. I explored in detail how the improvements in DLSS 4 can enhance game performance in my review of the RTX 5090 Founders Edition, which included an overview of the features and limitations. Suffice it to say that NVIDIA was strategic with their improvements this generation and managed to enhance an already impressive concept. The new transformer models work behind the scenes to deliver a gameplay experience so smooth it is almost hard to believe.
Beyond being liquid-cooled, MSI has pushed the card beyond what is offered with the Founders Edition. The RTX 5090 SUPRIM LIQUID features a 2,017 MHz base GPU clock speed (up from 2,010 MHz on the Founders Edition) and a peak boost clock of 2,512 MHz (up four per cent from the 2,410 MHz on the Founders Edition card). Thanks to the improved thermals enabled by the liquid cooling, the card not only runs faster but also maintains peak speeds for longer, delivering better overall performance—even compared to the already powerful Founders Edition benchmarks.
“These advancements in the MSI GeForce RTX 5090 SUPRIM LIQUID GPU allow for real-time ray tracing and path tracing at frame rates previously thought impossible.”
We will examine this in more detail when we get into the benchmarks, but it is without a doubt a solid combination that delivers more frames for the end user. The RTX 5090 SUPRIM LIQUID even offers a bios switch that lets the user switch from a silent mode to a gaming mode, should you want your system to be a little extra quiet in exchange for a bit of performance.
As we did with the RTX 5090 Founders Edition, CGMagazine used two nearly identical systems, both running an AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D in an ASUS ROG Crosshair Hero motherboard, paired with 32 GB DDR5 G.Skill RAM running at EXPO 6000. For storage, the systems were equipped with a PCI Gen 4 SK Hynix 2 TB M.2 SSD, with an NZXT 1,200-watt PSU in one and a be quiet! 1,200-watt PSU in the other.
One system used an NZXT Kraken AIO, while the other used a Corsair Titan AIO. The SSDs were clones of each other to avoid any software issues, and the Windows 11 installation included all updates, with the latest NVIDIA press driver used when testing NVIDIA cards and the most recent AMD Radeon driver used when benchmarking the RX 7900 XTX for comparison.
We also used the same selection of games, adding Black Myth: Wukong, F1 24 and Returnal to our benchmark suite. Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, Watch Dogs Legion, Cyberpunk 2077, Shadow of the Tomb Raider and Metro Exodus were also included to provide a broader picture of how the new 50-series cards perform. Additionally, we tested Alan Wake 2 and Hogwarts Legacy to observe how they work with the RTX 5090. However, these two games were not part of the full benchmarks and were only used for reference and to assess how the Blackwell architecture and DLSS 4 performed overall.
| Synthetic Benchmarks | RTX 5090 | RTX 5090 SUPRIM LIQUID | RTX 4090 | RTX 4080 | RX 7900 XTX |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3D Mark Time Spy | 47148 | 49479 | 33 405 | 28 418 | 30 434 |
| 3D Mark DLSS | 81.36 | 82.75 | 56.89 | 39.26 | – |
| 3D Mark DLSS + FG | 434.79 | 452 | 192.86 | 149.24 | – |
| 3D Mark Port Royal | 35780 | 36554 | 25295 | 17885 | 16278 |
| V-Ray (RTX) | 15076 | 15088 | 10759 | 7519 | – |
| Procyon Video GPU Editing | 65694 | 66342 | 55 896 | 52868 | 52460 |
| Procyon PHI 3.5 | 6050 | 6240 | 5155 | 4285 | 2298 |
| Procyon MISTRAL 7B | 6674 | 6676 | 5242 | 3957 | 2426 |
| Procyon LLAMA 3.1 | 6492 | 6655 | 4933 | 3693 | 2264 |
| Procyon LLAMA 2 | 7002 | 7034 | 5147 | 3912 | 2567 |
| Blender – Junkshop | 3927 | 3931.59 | 2700 | 2062 | 1144 |
Starting with our suite of synthetic benchmarks, including AI testing, the RTX 5090 SUPRIM LIQUID delivered improved results across the board, scoring higher in every test. While the increases were not groundbreaking, they provided a clear picture of how the increased boost clock and better cooling can impact the GPU’s overall performance. Tests such as 3DMark Time Spy, DLSS and Port Royal highlighted the level of improvement. However, it should be noted that in most cases, the performance increase was only around four per cent—a minor gain considering the RTX 5090 SUPRIM LIQUID’s overall performance.
This level of improvement remained consistent, with DLSS 4 performance showing greater gains compared to non-frame-generated content. A particularly notable highlight was how well Black Myth: Wukong performed, as it demonstrated one of the most significant leaps in frame-generated content. The DLSS 4 test revealed a 33 per cent increase when comparing the RTX 5090 SUPRIM LIQUID to the RTX 5090 Founders Edition. Even so, given the demanding nature of Black Myth: Wukong, with settings maxed out and frame generation enabled, the game only managed to hit 139 FPS on the RTX 5090 SUPRIM LIQUID, compared to 99 FPS in our Founders Edition tests.
| 4K Benchmark | RTX 5090 | RTX 5090 SUPRIM LIQUID | RTX 4090 | RTX 4080 | RX 7900 XTX |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shadow of the Tomb Raider | 150.00 | 159.00 | 117.00 | 85.00 | 80.00 |
| Shadow of the Tomb Raider + Frame Generation | 269.00 | 285.00 | 211.00 | 168.00 | – |
| Returnal | 138.00 | 142.00 | 110.00 | 85.00 | 95.00 |
| Assassin’s Creed Valhalla | 142.00 | 148.00 | 138.00 | 108.00 | 108.00 |
| Watch Dogs Legion | 94.00 | 95.00 | 103.00 | 81.00 | 43.00 |
| Cyberpunk 2077 (Ultra) | 102.30 | 108.00 | 70.19 | 56.00 | 63.56 |
| Cyberpunk 2077 RT | 56.29 | 58.48 | 42.36 | 29.90 | 20.08 |
| Cyberpunk 2077 RT + Frame Generation | 351.77 | 382.85 | 169.00 | 79.25 | 59.12 |
| F1 24 (Ultra Preset) | 217.00 | 222.00 | 162.00 | 120.00 | 67.00 |
| F1 24 + Frame Generation | 259.00 | 272.00 | 197.00 | 147.00 | 112.00 |
| Metro Exodus (Extreme) | 96.85 | 98.47 | 74.37 | 52.18 | 61.62 |
| Black Myth: Wukong | 59.00 | 63.00 | 43.00 | 31.00 | 8.00 |
| Black Myth: Wukong + Frame Generation | 99.00 | 139.00 | 70.00 | 52.00 | 16.00 |
Looking at our 1440p and 1080p benchmarks, the results followed the trend, showing improved performance across the board, even if the gains were relatively minor, considering how far ahead the RTX 5090 is compared to other GPUs in our testing.
In games like Cyberpunk 2077, Watch Dogs Legion, Assassin’s Creed Valhalla and Returnal, we observed around a 10 FPS uptick when comparing the RTX 5090 Founders Edition and the RTX 5090 SUPRIM LIQUID. This aligns with the average four per cent improvement seen in the 4K benchmarks, with the increased clock speed and the card’s ability to maintain the boost longer—thanks to the improved thermals—being a notable takeaway from all the tests up to this point.
| 1440P Benchmark | RTX 5090 | RTX 5090 SUPRIM LIQUID | RTX 4090 | RTX 4080 | RX 7900 XTX |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shadow of the Tomb Raider | 259.00 | 269.00 | 206.00 | 159.00 | 144.00 |
| Shadow of the Tomb Raider + Frame Generation | 338.00 | 335.00 | 281.00 | 238.00 | – |
| Returnal | 206.00 | 214.00 | 168.00 | 141.00 | 155.00 |
| Assassin’s Creed Valhalla | 191.00 | 201.00 | 205.00 | 178.00 | 170.00 |
| Watch Dogs Legion | 135.00 | 146.00 | 145.00 | 128.00 | 79.00 |
| Cyberpunk 2077 (Ultra) | 191.85 | 201.00 | 149.62 | 123.88 | 133.44 |
| Cyberpunk 2077 RT | 102.88 | 108.33 | 100.15 | 61.23 | 55.00 |
| Cyberpunk 2077 RT + Frame Generation | 467.57 | 525.22 | 251.34 | 135.72 | 83.45 |
| F1 24 (Ultra Preset) | 228.00 | 297.00 | 242.00 | 183.00 | 124.00 |
| F1 24 + Frame Generation | 374.00 | 388.00 | 308.00 | 241.00 | 219.00 |
| Metro Exodus (Extreme) | 155.88 | 156.54 | 128.72 | 141.84 | 104.41 |
| Black Myth: Wukong | 96.00 | 103.00 | 72.00 | 57.00 | 25.00 |
| Black Myth: Wukong + Frame Generation | 151.00 | 169.00 | 114.00 | 89.00 | 50.00 |
Much like the RTX 5090 Founders Edition card, the RTX 5090 SUPRIM LIQUID boasts all the same features content creators will undoubtedly appreciate, especially as new video formats and the need for fast encoding come into play. The card features three hardware encoders, compared to the two on the RTX 4090, making it a powerhouse for rendering. It also supports 4:2:2, making complex video work significantly more efficient compared to other GPUs currently on the market.
| 1080P Benchmark | RTX 5090 | RTX 5090 SUPRIM LIQUID | RTX 4090 | RTX 4080 | RX 7900 XTX |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shadow of the Tomb Raider | 319.00 | 321.00 | 264.00 | 218.00 | 200.00 |
| Shadow of the Tomb Raider + Frame Generation | 342.00 | 355.00 | 304.00 | 266.00 | – |
| Returnal | 242.00 | 254.00 | 208.00 | 181.00 | 199.00 |
| Assassin’s Creed Valhalla | 223.00 | 230.00 | 244.00 | 224.00 | 209.00 |
| Watch Dogs Legion | 165.00 | 169.00 | 152.00 | 147.00 | 112.00 |
| Cyberpunk 2077 (Ultra) | 249.25 | 249.00 | 235.53 | 200.88 | 194.58 |
| Cyberpunk 2077 RT | 150.05 | 150.75 | 141.50 | 99.06 | 65.53 |
| Cyberpunk 2077 RT + Frame Generation | 562.61 | 646.40 | 316.64 | 172.50 | 100.78 |
| F1 24 (Ultra Preset) | 326.00 | 317.00 | 286.00 | 220.00 | 172.00 |
| F1 24 + Frame Generation | 445.00 | 477.00 | 376.00 | 308.00 | 318.00 |
| Metro Exodus (Extreme) | 188.57 | 193.50 | 163.56 | 90.77 | 136.04 |
| Black Myth: Wukong | 119.00 | 124.00 | 96.00 | 79.00 | 25.00 |
| Black Myth: Wukong + Frame Generation | 183.00 | 207.00 | 143.00 | 117.00 | 49.00 |
With the improvements in performance, the RTX 5090 SUPRIM LIQUID takes a smart approach to cooling, and from our testing so far, it is working. Under full load, the SUPRIM LIQUID maintains temperatures around 65 C—roughly 12 degrees cooler than the Founders Edition model. The GDDR7 memory temperatures are equally impressive, staying below 74 C even during extended gaming sessions when used in the gaming mode and less when set to silent. This is very encouraging to see and great news for the GPU’s longevity, whether used for creative work or 4K gaming.
Even the noise level was impressive, with the RTX 5090 SUPRIM LIQUID managing to be nearly silent, even under load. In gaming mode, the liquid cooling system operated surprisingly quietly. The radiator fans rarely needed to spin up aggressively, and the pump noise was virtually imperceptible. This was even more evident in silent mode, where there was no noticeable sound from the PC, apart from the ambient noise typical of most home or office environments. This makes the SUPRIM LIQUID an excellent choice for users who prioritize both performance and acoustic comfort, especially considering how capable the GPU has proven to be.
Sadly, even though this is a third-party card and has changed the overall performance, the power draw remains relatively consistent. The SUPRIM LIQUID maintains the RTX 5090’s substantial power requirements, with a TDP of 600 watts in gaming mode. However, the superior cooling solution allows the card to sustain higher clock speeds while consuming slightly less power than air-cooled variants under similar loads.
“Even the noise level was impressive, with the RTX 5090 SUPRIM LIQUID managing to be nearly silent, even under load.”
MSI has implemented robust power delivery, with a 22-phase design for the GPU and a seven-phase setup for the memory. The RTX 5090 SUPRIM LIQUID requires the new 16-pin power connector, and MSI thoughtfully includes a high-quality adapter with yellow indicator tips to ensure proper installation. As we noted with the RTX 5090 Founders Edition, you will want at least a 1,000-watt PSU to use the GPU, and we recommend around 1,200 watts if you want headroom to modify your setup or add additional components.
Beyond the standard NVIDIA app that all NVIDIA cards can take advantage of, the RTX 5090 SUPRIM LIQUID also lets users take advantage of the MSI Center, giving some control over how the card runs. The software provides comprehensive control over the card’s operation, including thermal profiles, RGB lighting, and monitoring capabilities. The dual BIOS feature offers flexibility between silent operation and maximum performance modes, though, as I have mentioned throughout the review, due to the excellent cooling, the performance difference between modes is minimal.
“…but for those who demand the absolute best that NVIDIA consumer GPUs have to offer, few cards can match what the RTX 5090 SUPRIM LIQUID brings to the table.”
But with that cooling comes the fact you will need extra space on top of what you would need with the air-cooled alternative cards on the market. The 360mm radiator demands appropriate case clearance, and users need to plan their setup accordingly. MSI provides clear installation instructions and high-quality mounting hardware, though the process is more involved than installing a traditional air-cooled card. If you already have an AIO-cooled system, you will need to find the space in your case, and depending on the layout, it may be an issue of clearance, so check before choosing to invest in the RTX 5090 SUPRIM LIQUID.
This brings us to the price: $2,499.99. This represents a significant expense over the already high price of the RTX 5090 Founders Edition and is very much a luxury offering for those who want the best the 50-series has to offer. That said, for people who need this level of performance, it justifies its position through superior thermal performance, reduced noise levels, and consistent boost clocks. For users with the budget and case space to accommodate it, the liquid-cooled design offers tangible benefits over air-cooled alternatives. The results don’t lie—this is at a level no other GPU on the market can match.
At the end of the day, much like the RTX 5090, the RTX 5090 SUPRIM LIQUID is built for a very specific buyer, and for those individuals, it delivers on its promise. It represents the pinnacle of graphics card engineering and the top of the 50 series, combining raw performance with sophisticated cooling technology. This is not a card for everyone, but for those who demand the absolute best that NVIDIA consumer GPUs have to offer, few cards can match what the RTX 5090 SUPRIM LIQUID brings to the table.
