MSI RTX 5090 result hits 53,207 points and takes the top spot on 3DMark Time Spy
It looks like the RTX 5090 LIGHTNING card is not the same model as the SPECIAL EDITION shown at Computex. At least the newly shared photos on HWBOT suggest otherwise.
Yesterday a 3DMark Time Spy entry lists an MSI-submitted NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 scoring 53,207 points, putting it at 1st rank on the leaderboard. The result was submitted on January 2, 2026, by “Dr.Antoine.” There are now more scores on HWBOT, so it looks like we have some kind of embargo lifting up. Photos are from “OC_windforce” and “Lucky_N00b”, both very well-known overclockers.
Source: HWBOT
The listing shows an Intel Core i9-14900KF system on an ASUS ROG Maximus Z790 Apex. 3DMark also reports a 3,457 MHz GPU clock , 32,640 MB of VRAM, and an 18,000 MHz memory clock, which means memory was overclocked to 36 Gbps) .
Source: 3DMark
What we do know is that the reported temperature was 6°C, which suggests the card was heavily overclocked and cooled using exotic methods such as liquid nitrogen. If we had to guess, this is MSI preparing for an RTX 5090 Lightning announcement with a world record claim.
Source: HWBOT
The board shows a dual 12V-2×6 power connector design, making it the first such model on the market. Previously, this connector layout was only available on the GALAX RTX 5090D HOF and later the 5090D V2. The closest we got to a similar approach was the ASUS ROG MATRIX 5090, which combines 12V-2×6 with the GC-HPWR connector.
The new PCB shots also reveal a 40 power-stage design , 32 GB of memory, and the name “MSI RTX 5090 32G LIGHTNING Z OCER.” What’s missing are pictures of the cooler itself, since in OC sessions overclockers usually remove it for testing. This is also why the board is coated with insulation material.
More details should follow soon from MSI, as the company is expected to reveal the new card shortly.
Source: HWBOT , HWBOT , 3DMark via Uniko’s Hardware
