Just imagine buying a two thousand dollar graphics card for gaming, only to have it transform into one expensive paperweight that’s no longer suitable for any known purpose after a single driver update. In 2025, that’s precisely what some RTX 5090 and 5090D owners have endured.
When these cards launched in January, they were hyped as the top choice for serious gamers and creators. But that excitement turned to frustration fast. Reports started coming in from around the world: brand-new GPUs were going completely dark after driver updates. No display. No BIOS detection. Nothing.
This is not a trivial issue — but a significant problem that has rattled a lot of people who have invested heavily in hardware that so far does not work well. Let’s unpack what’s actually going on, what NVIDIA has stated, and what you need to know if you happen to own, or want to own, one of these high-end GPUs.
What Does “Bricked” Mean?
When a graphics card is “bricked”, it becomes completely unresponsive. You power on your PC and… nothing. There is no display, no BIOS recognition, and no indication that the GPU is present. That’s what has been hitting owners of RTX 5090 and 5090D cards.
Reports from Around the Globe
Early incidents appeared around 2 February 2025, with users reporting that their cards stopped working after installing the latest NVIDIA drivers. These were not limited to one brand—cases have been logged with GPUs from Colorful, Manli, Gigabyte, ASUS, and even NVIDIA’s own Founders Edition models.
On Chinese forums like Baidu and Chiphell, users shared stories of black screens and complete loss of GPU detection. One person even tried clearing the CMOS and reinstalling Windows—with no luck.
On Reddit’s r/ASUS forum, another user described the same symptoms: a perfect card turned invisible overnight.
Possible Causes: Drivers, PCIe, or Firmware?
There’s no single confirmed culprit yet, but several suspects have emerged:
- Driver updates seem to trigger the problem. Some users say the GPU brick appeared immediately after installing new NVIDIA drivers.
- PCIe‑5.0 compatibility problems were blamed initially, though NVIDIA appears to be looking elsewhere.
- BIOS or low-level software bugs could be involved. Certain factory firmware might not handle new driver instructions, leaving cards unresponsive.
NVIDIA Steps In
By 11 February 2025, NVIDIA confirmed it was investigating the issue. The company told PC Gamer it was examining reports of driver-related bricking, especially on RTX 5090 and 5090D cards. This is a good sign for users. The situation is serious enough that NVIDIA isn’t ignoring it. Their investigation may lead to official fixes or recalls.
Other Issues with New 50‑Series GPUs
The bricking problem isn’t the only headache for RTX 5090 owners:
- Power connector fires: Even though NVIDIA introduced the redesigned 12V‑2×6 plug, some older power cables still overheat or melt—especially in the 5090D.
- Missing ROPs: A small number of 5090, 5090D and 5080 cards shipped with fewer render units, affecting overall performance by about 4%. NVIDIA is offering replacements.
- Scam cards on the market: Some buyers paid for RTX 5090s only to receive empty shells stripped of chips. One case involved a microcentre purchase that turned out to be fake.
What You Can Do Now
If you’ve just bought one of these GPUs or are thinking about it, here are some practical steps:
- Hold off on driver updates until NVIDIA fixes the issue, or stick with earlier drivers that worked.
- Confirm your power supply and cable are compatible—especially with 12V‑2×6 connectors.
- Check your card’s firmware. Your motherboard maker or GPU vendor may release a BIOS update.
- Buy from reputable sources only. Avoid deals that seem too good—they might be scams.
- Test your card before full use. Run easy diagnostics and verify it’s detected in BIOS before pushing driver installs.
Why It Matters
These issues show just how delicate top-end hardware can be at launch. Everyone wants the fastest card, but early batches often run hot—literally and figuratively. Driver bugs, connector flaws, and factory firmware can all collide.
Beyond the trouble, there’s a bigger question: can retailers handle returns and replacements fast enough? Supply is already tight for RTX 5090 GPUs, and a wave of RMAs could further strain stock.
Final Word
The RTX 5090 and 5090D are impressive on paper, packing power and advanced features at every turn. But the issues with bricking, connector failures, missing units, and fakes have made the launch feel like a bit of a mess.
If you already have one, you may want to hold off on updates and make sure your setup meets all of the specifications. If you’re looking to buy, it might pay you to wait for the bugs to be ironed out and for supply to balance.
Either way, it’s a reminder that new high-end tech rarely hits the mark perfectly at first. With time and caution, Nvidia and its board partners will iron things out a bit for everyone lucky enough to actually have their hands on these next‑gen cards.