RTX 5090 Astral and Matrix can hit 800W with a Chinese adapter, bypassing the limit

ASUS ROG Astral RTX 5090 Edition 20 and ROG Matrix RTX 5090 30th Anniversary cards reportedly need a Chinese adapter to bypass the power cap normally tied to BTF 2.5 motherboards. VideoCardz reported on the workaround, which uses a dual-power setup to push the cards beyond their standard limits.

The two flagship cards use a dual power system, and the new adapter converts the removable BTF GC-HPWR connector into a standard 16-pin power connection. That lets the card be powered directly by two PSU cables at once: one through the usual 12V-2x6 connector and the other through the converted GC-HPWR interface.

According to ASUS, this setup can deliver up to 800W and leave up to 10% extra overclocking headroom. The third-party converter effectively moves the second power path outside the motherboard, so in theory the scheme could also work with a regular motherboard. There is a catch, though. ASUS may deny warranty claims if it finds that a modified third-party cable was used. In other words, the workaround looks functional, but it may come with real risk for owners of these flagship cards.

Price is another factor. The adapter costs 599 yuan, while ASUS-styled cables are sold for 2999 yuan. That makes the cheaper accessory look tempting, even if the warranty issue may be hard to ignore.

Would you trust an 800W workaround if it could put your warranty at risk?