ASUS Republic of Gamers (ROG) has officially revealed the ROG Matrix GeForce RTX 5090 30th Anniversary Edition at Gamescom. It’s a special release that marks three decades of ASUS’s journey in graphics card development, and it’s definitely more than just a cosmetic celebration. This GPU is built with serious power in mind and comes packed with thoughtful engineering aimed at enthusiasts who like to push their hardware to the edge.
Key Takeaways
- The card is a limited-edition release, celebrating 30 years of ASUS graphics card innovation.
- It uses the ROG Matrix design, known for performance-first features and advanced cooling.
- The GPU reaches up to 2730 MHz in overclocking mode, far exceeding NVIDIA’s reference specs.
- It supports power draw up to 800 watts using two connectors: a 12V-2×6 and a GC-HPWR (BTF) connector.
- A custom cooling setup includes a copper vapor chamber, liquid metal thermal compound, and four fans.
A Closer Look at the Anniversary Card
What makes this edition especially interesting is how much legacy ASUS has embedded into the design. Their graphics card story began all the way back in 1996 with the ISA-375, and since then, the evolution has been steady and ambitious. The ROG brand itself was born in 2006 to cater to gamers and hardware enthusiasts. The Matrix series, launched a couple of years later, made a name for itself by blending cutting-edge specs with bold ideas like onboard load monitoring and tunable settings.
Now, with this new model, ASUS is pushing the envelope once again. The card is based on NVIDIA’s latest Blackwell architecture, built around the GeForce RTX 5090 GPU. That alone gives it serious muscle: 21,760 CUDA cores and 32 GB of GDDR7 memory. But ASUS doesn’t stop there. The card ships with a factory overclock that hits 2580 MHz, and in OC mode, it can reach up to 2730 MHz. That’s a significant leap from NVIDIA’s reference boost clock of 2407 MHz.
Handling the thermal output of such a powerhouse is no small feat. ASUS has crafted a custom cooling system using a full copper vapor chamber combined with a liquid metal thermal compound on the GPU die. It’s a setup that maximizes thermal conductivity and helps move heat away from the GPU core more effectively than traditional pastes.
Cooling airflow is another area where ASUS took a different path. The card uses a four-fan layout, three fans on the front and a fourth positioned on the back. That extra rear fan pulls air through the dense fin stack, similar to what we’ve seen in the ROG Astral series. This approach boosts overall thermal efficiency while maintaining a quieter operation.
Power delivery is perhaps the boldest aspect of this card. It can draw up to 800 watts from the PSU, which is a significant jump compared to the standard RTX 5090’s 575W. To support this, ASUS included both a standard 12V-2×6 connector and the newer GC-HPWR connector. The latter is designed for BTF (Back-To-the-Future) motherboards that have hidden rear connectors. This dual setup not only spreads the power load more safely but also gives builders a cleaner look, especially when using BTF-compatible boards.
In a way, this card serves as both a milestone and a manifesto. It’s a reminder of where ASUS started, how far they’ve come, and just how committed they still are to the high-end gaming and enthusiast space. It’s expensive, power-hungry, and unapologetically overbuilt. But for the right kind of user, all of that is part of the appeal.
Related FAQs
Q1. What is the difference between ROG Matrix and other ASUS graphics cards?
A. The ROG Matrix series is the top-tier of ASUS’s graphics card lineup. These cards are known for their most advanced cooling systems, highest factory overclocks, and special designs. They are designed for serious PC builders and overclockers.
Q2. What is the price of the ASUS ROG Matrix GeForce RTX 5090 30th Anniversary Edition?
A. The official price has not been announced yet, but with its limited-edition status and high-end features, it is expected to be more expensive than other GeForce RTX 5090 models.
Q3. How can I buy the limited edition ROG Matrix GeForce RTX 5090?
A. ASUS has not yet released details on how the card will be sold. It is a limited edition, so it might be available in a small number or through a specific promotion.
Q4. What is a BTF graphics card?
A. BTF, which stands for “Back-To-the-Future,” is a design by ASUS where the power and other connectors are moved to the back of the motherboard and graphics card. This makes cable management easier and creates a clean, cable-free look from the front of the PC case. The ROG Matrix GeForce RTX 5090 supports this design with its GC-HPWR connector.
