MSI goes hard on liquid cooled RTX 5090 graphics cards

Something's bubbling at MSI's CES 2025 booth, with an assortment of sparkling new graphics cards to showcase.

Performance discussion aside, Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090 is nothing short of a behemoth graphics card with its lofty 575W power draw. While traditional blowers might be able to tame the beast just fine, MSI has put its cooling expertise to the test so you can get the most out of the GPU, offering two liquid cooled models and a special edition five-fan variant.

Getting rid of the Founder’s Edition vapour chamber, MSI GeForce RTX 5090 32G Suprim Liquid shrinks the card’s chassis down to the size of the PCB. It uses a hybrid design with a single Stormforce fan on the main body to effectively manage heat, but most cooling is outsourced to the AIO (all-in-one).

The micro-fin copper base draws the heat away from core components using automotive-grade coolant, which in turn passes through the bespoke waterway above the GPU and VRAM to the aluminium radiator.

It looks a treat on the CES show floor, too, with a sleek brushed aluminium casing and dashes of RGB lighting you can control through MSI Center. As an MSI product, it’s fully compatible with Afterburner to take control of overclocking, and the dual BIOS lets you switch between gaming or silent mode at the click of a few buttons.

MSI GeForce RTX 5090 32G AIO Special Edition takes a similar approach but with its next-generation HydroCool system on chilling duty instead. This features dual 120mm radiators, advanced dual airflow channels, Targeted Memory Cooling and Custom Fan Speed Tuning for precise airflow adjustments. Unfortunately, it wasn’t at MSI’s booth for a closer look, but the press image below whets our appetite for the time being.

The other bespoke beauty missing from the event is the similarly named MSI GeForce RTX 5090 32G Special Edition, which ditches liquid cooling for a whopping five Stormforce fans. Each features a claw-textured seven-blade design integrated with FiveFrozr tech. I do question just how loud it’ll be but there’s no doubt in my mind it’ll be a smooth operator when it comes to temperatures.

As you might expect, there are plenty more models on the way, from MSI’s Vanguard range, Ventus line-up, and renowned Gaming Trio series. Each uses the TORX Fan 5 design with seven blades apiece, linked by ring arcs and a fan cowl to stabilise high-pressure airflow.

There’s no sign of any white models just yet, but I’m keeping my eyes firmly peeled. Ventus 3X comes the closest with its sleek silver tones, which would still fit nicely into a bleached rig.

Peripherals

Elsewhere at the event, MSI has a range of new peripherals, from a 4TB Datamag 40Gb/s doubling the bandwidth of the current portable SSD to its BE6500 WiFi 7 USB Adapter granting any system the latest wireless speeds and features like Multi-Link Operation.

It’s MSI’s Forge GK600 TKL Wireless gaming keyboard that takes the cake for me, though. This $80 typer contains premium features that feel at home on models often double the price, putting alternatives to shame.

Solid linear KTT HiFi mechanical switches lie underneath, but the entire thing is hot-swappable if they don’t tickle your fancy. That alone is gobsmacking at this MSRP but combined with a choice of 2.4GHz and Bluetooth wireless connections, a 40,000mAh battery that’ll last, impressive gasket mount, and a small status screen make this incredible value.

It comes in two colourways that alter the gorgeous custom keycaps you get, but I’m partial to the Sky model pictured above. In fact, I’m happy to see this same design approach across all MSI’s portfolio, including Strike 700 Wireless with a splash of indigo.

Damien Mason
Damien Mason
Senior hardware editor at Club386, he first began his journey with consoles before graduating to PCs. What began as a quest to edit video for his Film and Television Production degree soon spiralled into an obsession with upgrading and optimising his rig.

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