The GeForce RTX 4090 laptop GPU reached the performance level of RTX 5090 with a simple shunt mod, which unlocked the GPU's full potential.
Redditor Unlocks RTX 4090 Laptop GPU's Potential by Adding 1m Ohm Resistor to Allow Higher Power Draw; Results in Performance Boost in Double Digits
Shunt modding is a common way of unlocking a GPU's potential, which essentially allows the GPU to draw more power for achieving higher scores. A shunt resistor is used by the GPU's power management controller that measures current flow, and one can trick the GPU by adding it in the circuit to lower the total resistance, which makes the GPU think that it's consuming less power.
This is what the Redditor u/thatavidreadertrue did with his RTX 4090 laptop GPU on the Zephyrus M16 GU604VY gaming laptop. The user says that he simply stacked a 1m Ohm resistor on top of the existing 5m Ohm resistor, which lowered the resistance to about 0.83m Ohm. So, this tricked the GPU in thinking it is consuming 6X less power, which is why the power draw reading showed around 40-45W, but the actual power draw was near 240W (1.6x higher).
Since such a power increase will lead to a lot of heat generation, the user repasted the old liquid metal and the GPU, accompanied by Honeywell PTM 7950, which is a phase-change thermal interface material known for its excellent performance. He also upgraded the VRM thermal pads with the Upisren UX Pro Ultra, and all of it was necessary since the Zephyrus M16 cannot handle the heat generated at such a high power consumption due to limitations in its cooling capabilities.
Unfortunately, we don't have the GPU temperature readings from him, but he did share several benchmark numbers comparing them with the original configuration and the GeForce RTX 5090 laptop GPU, which is the fastest GPU in gaming laptops. The results speak for themselves, and we can see as much as 35.5% higher performance vs without shunt modding, and over 20% improvement in most 3D Mark tests.
Remember that this isn't for everyone since there is a high risk of overheating if important cooling measures are not implemented. Also, it voids the warranty, so it isn't worth the risk.
News Source: Reddit
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