RTX 5090 5090D Bricking Issues: Causes and Solutions

The graphics card world never stops buzzing with new releases, performance claims, and unfortunately—issues. One of the most anticipated releases in early 2025 was the NVIDIA RTX 5090 and its China-specific sibling, the RTX 5090D. Both GPUs are powerhouses on paper, boasting unprecedented performance levels, a new architecture, and support for bleeding-edge technologies like PCIe 5.0.

But as with many first-generation tech products, early adopters have been met with an unpleasant surprise—bricked RTX 5090 and RTX 5090D units.

If you’ve found yourself staring at a black screen after installing your brand-new GPU, or if you’re simply trying to figure out what’s happening in the tech community, this blog post will explain everything you need to know about the RTX 5090 bricked issue and what you can do to avoid—or deal with—it.

What Is the RTX 5090 and 5090D?

Before diving into the problem, it’s worth recapping what these GPUs are all about. The RTX 5090 is NVIDIA flagship GPU in the RTX 50-series lineup, based on the new Blackwell architecture. It boasts significant improvements over the RTX 4090, with faster ray tracing, AI-accelerated graphics, and support for PCIe 5.0.

The RTX 5090D is a regional variant tailored specifically for the Chinese market. While its specs are largely similar, some minor hardware or firmware modifications are often made in such regional versions to comply with trade or regulatory requirements.

Both cards are meant to push the boundaries of high-end gaming, 3D rendering, and machine learning—but not everything has gone as planned.

What Does “Bricked” Mean?

In tech terms, a “bricked” device is one that’s become completely unusable, as if it’s no more functional than a literal brick. For GPUs, this can mean they’re no longer recognized by your system, won’t output any video signal, or aren’t even detectable in the BIOS.

Sadly, this is exactly what some RTX 5090 and 5090D owners have reported.

Symptoms of the RTX 5090 and 5090D Bricked Issue

Users facing the RTX 5090 bricked issue often describe the same disturbing pattern:

• System won’t boot after GPU installation
• Black screen on startup
• GPU not recognized in BIOS or by the operating system
• Unrecoverable crashes after driver updates
• No response even when GPU is tested in a different system

These aren’t just bugs or minor glitches. In many cases, the GPU is completely unresponsive—making it unusable without advanced repairs or a replacement.

What’s Causing the RTX 5090 Bricked Problem?

The truth is, no single cause has been confirmed. But based on user reports, expert speculation, and tech community investigations, several likely culprits are emerging:

1. Driver Conflicts

One of the most common triggers of the RTX 5090 bricked issue seems to be related to NVIDIA’s driver updates. Several users claim that their GPU worked fine on first install, but once the latest driver was applied, the system either crashed or failed to boot afterward.

It’s possible that these early drivers for the RTX 5090 and 5090D are unstable or incompatible with certain motherboard configurations. A single bad update could brick the GPU permanently if it fails during firmware communication or power initialization.

2. PCIe 5.0 Instability

Another theory centers around PCIe 5.0 support. The RTX 5090 is among the first cards to fully support PCIe Gen 5, which brings faster bandwidth and lower latency. However, not all motherboards—even those claiming PCIe 5.0 compatibility—seem to be playing nicely.

In some cases, users have fixed their issues by manually switching their motherboard’s PCIe setting from Gen 5 to Gen 4 in the BIOS. This suggests potential compatibility instability between GPUs and motherboards at these extreme data rates.

3. Manufacturing Defects

Although relatively rare, some reports suggest that hardware defects might be to blame in a small batch of cards. Missing or malfunctioning Render Output Units (ROPs), faulty VRMs, or bad memory modules could all cause failure under load or during power-on.

It wouldn’t be the first time a new GPU line has had early production issues. Even the best quality control can’t always prevent defects in the first wave of units.

Why the RTX 5090D Is Also Affected

Despite being marketed as a separate model, the RTX 5090D bricked issue seems to mirror the problems seen in the global RTX 5090 units. That’s because the core silicon and design are largely the same.

In fact, some speculate that firmware or BIOS differences specific to the RTX 5090D could actually increase the risk of bricking when paired with certain motherboards or drivers not fully optimized for the regional variant.

Can the RTX 5090 Be Unbricked?

Unfortunately, once a card is bricked, recovery options are limited. Some advanced users have tried the following with mixed results:

• Flashing VBIOS manually using a secondary GPU
• Using a rescue boot method to force-detect the GPU
• Attempting hot-swaps of the GPU during POST (not recommended)

In most cases, though, these efforts fail. If your RTX 5090 or 5090D is truly bricked, you’re likely looking at a return or RMA process.

What Can You Do If Your RTX 5090 Is Bricked?

Here are the steps you should follow:

1. Do not panic or force reboots. A failed GPU may corrupt system files or even damage your PSU.
2. Check for basic hardware faults (loose cables, bad PCIe slot, PSU problems).
3. Try the card in a different system. If it’s still dead, it’s likely a GPU issue, not a system issue.
4. Open a support ticket with NVIDIA or the manufacturer.
5. Prepare for an RMA. If you’re still within the return window, this might be your fastest route.

Tips to Avoid the RTX 5090 Bricked Problem

If you haven’t bought the card yet, or you just installed one and want to play it safe:

• Delay updating drivers until a stable version has been confirmed by the community.
• Stick to PCIe Gen 4 settings unless you know your board fully supports Gen 5.
• Use a high-quality PSU with proper wattage and protection.
• Avoid third-party firmware flashes or experimental tweaks.
• Back up your system before installing any major GPU or driver changes.

Final Thoughts

The RTX 5090 and RTX 5090D are technical marvels, capable of delivering next-gen performance like never before. But their early release has not been without complications. The bricked GPU reports are real, frustrating, and serve as a reminder that early adopters sometimes pay the price for innovation.

If you’ve been affected by the RTX 5090 bricked issue, know that you’re not alone—and that solutions, while limited, do exist. For others, caution is the best approach. Stay informed, wait for mature drivers and firmware, and always keep your system backed up.