We’ve already taken a deep dive into the RTX 5090 Founders Edition, and it was nothing short of a beast. Now, MSI is here with its top-tier offering – the RTX 5090 SUPRIM LIQUID SOC. This is MSI’s most premium take on the RTX 5090, featuring a 360mm liquid cooler, factory overclocking, and a hefty price tag to match. But how does it actually perform? Let’s find out.
Unboxing & First Impressions
Starting with the packaging, the box itself is massive – probably the biggest we’ve seen for an RTX 5090 so far. Inside, the included accessories are rather minimal, consisting of a user manual, screws for mounting the radiator, and a 4 x 8-pin PCIe to 12VHPWR adapter.
Unlike the RTX 5090 Founders Edition, which features NVIDIA’s new, improved adapter, MSI is still using the existing 12VHPWR adapter from the RTX 40 series. It works just fine, but it would’ve been nice to see MSI include the updated version.
The RTX 5090 SUPRIM LIQUID SOC is a hybrid-cooled GPU, combining liquid cooling with a blower-style fan on the GPU shroud. Thanks to this, the actual card itself is just about 2.5 slots thick, making it smaller than most air-cooled RTX 5090s that take up 3.5 to 4 slots. However, while the card itself is relatively compact, you’ll still need to make space for the 360mm radiator, which could be an issue for smaller cases. The card features MSI’s signature SUPRIM aesthetics, with a sleek black and silver design, RGB accents, and a reinforced metal backplate.
The display outputs remain the standard setup, offering three DisplayPort 1.4a connections and one HDMI 2.1.
Performance – Faster Than the Founders Edition?
Now, let’s get into the real reason you’re here – the benchmarks. MSI has given the SUPRIM LIQUID SOC a factory overclock, meaning it runs slightly faster than the RTX 5090 Founders Edition. The performance gain isn’t massive, but we did see around a 3-5% improvement in most scenarios, which might not sound like much, but when you’re dealing with a GPU this powerful, every bit counts.
In rasterized performance, the RTX 5090 SUPRIM LIQUID SOC is still the fastest GPU on the market, outperforming the RTX 4090 by a significant margin. In 4K gaming, it delivers anywhere from 20% to 30% better performance than the RTX 4090, depending on the game. The improvements at 1440p aren’t as dramatic since we start to see CPU bottlenecks, but for anyone gaming at 4K, this card is an absolute powerhouse.
Ray tracing performance is equally impressive, with DLSS 4 and improved ray tracing hardware making native 4K with full ray tracing a reality in most modern titles. Compared to the RTX 4090, the SUPRIM LIQUID SOC delivers roughly 30% better performance in ray-traced games, making it clear that NVIDIA continues to push boundaries in this department. However, as powerful as the hardware is, frame generation still plays a crucial role in keeping performance smooth in some of the most demanding games.
DLSS 4 – The AI Frame Generation Debate Continues
Just like we mentioned in our RTX 5090 Founders Edition review, DLSS 4 is one of the biggest selling points of the RTX 50 series. With frame generation multipliers (x3, x4) now available, we’re seeing huge performance improvements in supported games. The ability to generate additional frames allows for a smoother experience, especially in GPU-bound titles.
But is it worth it? That’s still up for debate. The AI-generated frames are better than what we’ve seen on DLSS 3 and 3.5, but they’re still not perfect. In fast-paced games, some minor artifacts are noticeable, though, in our experience, they are barely perceptible during actual gameplay. You’d have to actively look for them to even notice. As more games get DLSS 4 support, it’s only a matter of time before AI-enhanced performance becomes the norm. Whether you like it or not, this is the direction NVIDIA is pushing towards.
Power Draw & Thermals
The RTX 5090 Founders Edition was already a power-hungry beast, but MSI’s SUPRIM LIQUID SOC takes it even further. During our tests, we observed power consumption peaking at 689W in rendering and video editing workloads. This is higher than the Founders Edition’s but expected for a factory-overclocked, liquid-cooled GPU.
During gaming, power consumption varied depending on the game, but in heavy titles like Cyberpunk 2077, we recorded power draw fluctuating between 480W and 620W. The increased power draw translates to higher performance, but it’s also something to keep in mind if you’re concerned about power efficiency.
On the temperature side, the SUPRIM LIQUID SOC benefits greatly from its 360mm AIO cooler. During synthetic benchmarks, the peak GPU temperature reached 74.2°C, with memory junction temperatures hitting 78°C. However, during gaming, we observed slightly lower temperatures, with the GPU stabilizing around 71.4°C and memory junction temperatures at 74.6°C. Compared to air-cooled models, this is a notable improvement, though it comes at the cost of requiring additional space for radiator mounting.
Final Thoughts – Who Should Buy This?
The MSI RTX 5090 SUPRIM LIQUID SOC is, without a doubt, one of the most powerful GPUs on the market right now. But the real question is—should you buy it?
If you’re gaming at 4K and want the absolute best performance available, then yes, this is the card for you. However, if you’re on a 1080p or even 1440p monitor, this GPU is completely overkill. While the RTX 5090 is undoubtedly the most powerful consumer GPU available, it’s important to consider whether the extra performance justifies the cost.
One of the biggest advantages of this card is its cooling performance. The 360mm liquid cooler keeps temperatures lower than traditional air-cooled designs but at the cost of requiring additional space in your system for radiator mounting. If your case can accommodate it, the thermal benefits are significant. However, if you’re limited on space, you might want to consider an air-cooled RTX 5090 instead.
Then, there’s the price. At $2500, the RTX 5090 SUPRIM LIQUID SOC is an ultra-premium GPU with an equally premium price tag. It’s a substantial jump over the $1999 Founders Edition, and while the factory overclock and superior cooling are great, it’s hard to ignore that extra $500 price gap. For those who have the budget and want the best cooling solution available, this is an excellent choice. But for most users, the standard RTX 5090 Founders Edition or even an RTX 4090 remains an attractive option.
In the end, the RTX 5090 SUPRIM LIQUID SOC is a card designed for those who demand the absolute best, with no compromises on cooling or performance. It’s an exceptional piece of hardware, but whether it’s worth the premium price depends on how much value you place on the added cooling solution. If you’re already gaming at 4K and want the fastest GPU possible, this is the extra luxury you can get. Otherwise, you might be better off saving some money and going with the Founders Edition instead.
