NVIDIA's RTX 5090 laptop GPU users could very well squeeze out a lot of extra performance from their builds through the iconic "shunt mod" method, which has also been tested.
NVIDIA's RTX 5090 Laptop GPU Becomes a Lot More Capable Under Higher Power Limits
For those unaware of the shunt mod technique, it is a method used by professionals and modders to squeeze out extra GPU performance by bypassing power limit restrictions on the GPU. This is mainly done by changing the shunt resistor by adding a low-resistance parallel resistor. Now, this tricks the GPU into thinking it is using less power, but in reality, power levels are way higher than the set limits. In a test done by the YouTuber GizmoSlipTech, he has pushed the power limits of the GeForce RTX 5090 laptop GPU from 175W to 250W, and the performance bump is simply amazing.
Now, when you think about it, many of the GeForce RTX 5090 laptops out there aren't rated for GPU power draw beyond 175W, but there are some options, and the device used in this particular testing was the Eluktronics Hydroc 16 G2, which featured Intel's Arrow Lake-HX CPU, along with the Prema Mod BIOS. After adjusting the shunt resistor, the YouTuber managed to test out the 250W GeForce RTX 5090 laptop GPU across a variety of gaming titles, and on average, we saw a massive 20% performance uplift, compared to the stock 175W version.
The YouTuber disclosed one important point: for this setup to work, the stock curve must be adjusted to higher wattage ratings; otherwise, the performance impact is minimal. Anyways, starting with Black Myth: Wukong, the performance difference was up to 23.3% higher than the 175W version, and similarly, Cyberpunk 2077 showed a 21.7% bump. Here's how the performance differences were stacked up, including synthetic testing:
- Steel Nomad – +41.16%
- Witcher 3 (Ultra, Ultra RT, DLSS-Q, 2x FG) – +29.73%
- Cyberpunk 2077 (Ultra, Ultra RT, DLSS-Q, 2x FG) – +23.89%
- Black Myth Wukong (Cinematic, RT Ultra, 2x FG) – +23.33%
- GPU Bound Game Averages (No Tomb Raider) – +23.41%
- Rainbow Six Siege (Low Settings, Native) – +20.42%
- Hogwarts (Ultra, RT Ultra, DLSS-Q, 2x FG) – +14.21%
- Tomb Raider (Highest Settings, DLSS-Q, RT Highest) – +3.86%
Most modern AAA titles reported a 20% performance uplift, which shows that the GeForce RTX 5090 laptop GPU has the extra room for pushing higher FPS. There have been reservations from NVIDIA to increase power limits of its GeForce laptop GPUs, especially the higher-end models, due to thermal constraints and durability of these devices. Still, testing does show that laptops have been underutilized for several generations, and manufacturers seem to be interested in bringing out higher power limits, if NVIDIA gives out the "green signal".
About the author: Muhammad Zuhair is a hardware and technology reporter for Wccftech, specializing in the semiconductor industry and the complex interplay between technology, manufacturing, and geopolitics. His coverage focuses on the corporate strategies and technological roadmaps of industry giants like TSMC, NVIDIA, Samsung, and Intel. Zuhair's expertise lies in deconstructing complex topics such as fabrication nodes (e.g., 2nm process), the economic impact of policies like the CHIPS Act, and the strategic development of AI infrastructure from NVIDIA, AMD and Intel.
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