RTX 5090 Founders Edition / NVIDIA
As we have already written, Founders Edition is the most compact implementation of NVIDIA RTX 5090. But besides the design of the printed circuit board and the cooling system structure, there is another secret.
Typically, manufacturers, not only Founders Edition, use thermal pads and thermal paste. A metal thermal interface is a very unconventional material for factory computer components, more commonly used by enthusiasts. Usually, it is made from gallium alloys with exceptional thermal conductivity. Although they significantly improve the heat dissipation from hot components, their use involves significant risks. Liquid metal conducts electricity and can cause a short circuit, and it can also corrode some metals, such as aluminum.
The RTX 5090 Founders Edition video card has the same length and height as its predecessor — 304 mm x 137 mm. However, it only occupies 2.5 slots. To make this possible, NVIDIA created a three-component printed circuit board and essentially a dual air cooling system. A new thermal interface was also needed.
From well-known manufacturers, currently, only Asus relatively widely uses a liquid metal thermal interface in high-performance laptops and video cards — other manufacturers are generally more cautious. Some Acer and Alienware systems also use it. Likely, the most common case is the Sony PlayStation 5 console.
Source: Tom`s Hardware