The new NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 & 5090D are here and are already causing issues for some gamers. Users report that their GPUs are no longer recognized after installing the latest drivers or have even become unusable.
Since the release of the RTX 5090 & 5090D on January 30, reports of serious problems have been increasing. The RTX 5090D, a variant of the RTX 5090 designed specifically for the Chinese market with reduced AI capabilities, is particularly affected. Many users report that their graphics cards become unusable after the first use.
The frustrating thing is that gamers have paid a lot of money for the RTX 5090. In Germany, you have to pay at least €2,329 (RRP) if the graphics card is not already sold out (via marketplace.nvidia.com). However, due to high demand, the price at release was significantly higher.
What problems are the cards experiencing? On Chinese platforms such as Chiphell, Baidu, and Bilibili, users report that their cards suddenly are no longer recognized after installing the latest NVIDIA drivers. The affected GPUs either show a black screen, are no longer recognized by the BIOS, or do not respond at all. One user describes that his RTX 5090D from Colorful stopped working immediately after the driver installation, with no signal available over HDMI or DisplayPort.
These cards are affected: It is reportedly the cards from Colorful and Manli that are particularly affected, but there are also reports of the same problems with Gigabyte models. Cards from Colorful and Manli are only sold in China, while Gigabyte also operates internationally. A seller on the Chinese platform Goofish also claims that all RTX 5090 & 5090D cards could be affected by this problem.
It is currently unclear why graphics cards fail to start
What is the cause of the problems? Although the exact cause of the issues is still unknown, there are some potential explanations. The new NVIDIA driver is suspected of causing the GPUs to no longer be recognized after its installation. The BIOS could also play a role, as some users report that their graphics card is not displayed in Windows or in the BIOS.
Another problem could be related to PCIe 5.0 compatibility. The RTX 50 series is the first fully Gen.5-capable GPU series, which could lead to signal disruptions on some older motherboards. Some users have resolved the issue by changing the PCIe interface from 5.0 to 4.0 in the BIOS, indicating that some motherboards or graphics cards with PCIe 5.0 may not function properly yet.
Could German buyers be affected? In principle, it is unlikely for now, as primarily the graphics cards from manufacturers Colorful and Manli are affected: both manufacturers only produce for the Chinese market. You also cannot purchase the D variant of the RTX 5090 in Germany.
However, it is unclear whether normal RTX 5090 models are also affected. Since, for instance, Gigabyte also sells graphics cards internationally, including in the German market. Therefore, we cannot give you an absolute guarantee that cards in DE are not affected.
We are asking NVIDIA for you whether German players could also be affected.
What can you do if you have such problems?
What you can do: If you have problems with your graphics card, there are generally several ways to check your GPU for errors or to test it. There are also warning signs for defects in your graphics card that may indicate that your card is already having issues and may fail.
- Switch PCIe to 4.0: Changing from 5.0 to 4.0 can help if the GPU is not recognized.
- CMOS reset of BIOS: The CMOS stores important BIOS and hardware settings. A reset to factory settings may help.
- Wait with driver installation: It may be wise to wait until NVIDIA confirms or resolves the problem.
- Check 16-pin cable: Ensure that it is properly seated and is the current version, as older cables can lead to damage.
- Return policy: In extreme cases, you can make use of a return.
The tense supply situation could inadvertently have positive effects on the new GPUs. Whether NVIDIA can solve the problem with a driver update or whether there are deeper hardware issues remains to be seen. However, not only NVIDIA has released new graphics cards, but AMD is launching a new graphics card this quarter as well.
