If you were hoping to grab an RTX 5090 during its release window, chances are you walked away empty-handed. Nvidia’s latest flagship GPU has been nearly impossible to find, with stock drying up almost instantly. And if you’re one of the lucky few who managed to secure one, you might not be celebrating for long. Reports are flooding in about a strange and frustrating issue: the RTX 5090 is bricking itself, and no one really knows why.
Users Report Widespread Failures After Driver Updates
Early adopters of the RTX 5090 and its Chinese counterpart, the 5090D, are running into a serious problem. According to multiple reports from tech forums and social media, these cards are suddenly becoming unusable after a simple driver update.
Once the new driver is installed, affected users say their screen goes black, and their system no longer detects the GPU. Some users can’t even access their BIOS with the card plugged in.
The issue isn’t limited to just one brand, either. Colorful, Manli, Gigabyte, and Asus models have all been reported as suffering from this mysterious bricking problem.
Theories Abound, But No Official Answers Yet
With Nvidia remaining silent so far, speculation is running wild. One user on a Chinese tech forum suggested the issue could be linked to a hardware flaw, potentially tied to the GPU core itself. The theory? A burned core may be rendering the cards completely non-functional.
Some key details from early reports:
- The bricking issue is most likely triggered by a driver update.
- Some users report total failure, while others see screen distortion before the card stops working.
- A small percentage of affected units may suffer from IC (integrated circuit) burns.
If true, this could be a major headache for Nvidia. Driver-related bricking is bad enough, but if there’s an underlying hardware defect, the fallout could be far worse.
Nvidia’s Silence Leaves Buyers in Limbo
So far, Nvidia has yet to acknowledge the issue, leaving buyers unsure whether a fix is coming or if their expensive new GPUs are permanently dead. The lack of communication is only fueling more frustration among affected users.
For now, those who haven’t updated their drivers are being advised to hold off. But that’s hardly a long-term solution. If the problem turns out to be tied to faulty hardware, software fixes may not be enough.
And let’s not forget about the stock situation. Even if Nvidia confirms a defect and agrees to replace affected units, it could take months before replacements are available. With supply already struggling to keep up with demand, a recall would only make things worse.
Could Intel’s Battlemage GPUs Benefit From Nvidia’s Misstep?
While Nvidia scrambles to address the RTX 5090’s issues, a door may be opening for a competitor. Intel’s long-anticipated Battlemage GPUs are set to make a splash in the high-end market, and this might be the perfect opportunity.
Right now, gamers and professionals alike are frustrated with Nvidia’s pricing, stock shortages, and now, reliability concerns. If Intel can offer a competitive alternative—especially one without hardware-killing driver issues—it could gain serious ground.
That’s not to say Intel is guaranteed success. The Arc lineup has struggled in the past, particularly with driver optimization. But if there’s one thing Nvidia’s missteps have proven, it’s that even the biggest names in tech aren’t invincible.
