Imagine you’re playing your favourite game and suddenly your graphics card goes up like a torch. That’s exactly what happened in a recent incident where a ZOTAC RTX 5090 Amp Extreme Infinity graphics card literally caught fire while playing. The fire whipped for about ten seconds, the PCB melted and the motherboard suffered serious damage along with it. The case immediately spread among gamers and sparked a heated debate about the safety and reliability of the most powerful graphics cards.
ZOTAC RTX 5090 Amp Extreme Infinity card design and specifications
At first glance, the ZOTAC RTX 5090 Amp Extreme Infinity looks massive, premium and futuristic. The edition is distinguished by crisp lines, bold RGB elements, and robust metal reinforcement that protects the PCB from sagging. Cooling is taken care of by the IceStorm 3.0 system with three high-performance fans and a huge aluminum passive. During normal work or watching videos, the fans go completely silent as they automatically stop, so the card remains quiet and economical. ZOTAC has also used high-end power components to ensure that the graphics can handle long-term loads and extreme overclocking.
Beneath the premium looks is performance that pushes the limits. The card is based on NVIDIA’s latest Blackwell architecture, an improved 4th generation ray tracing core and 5th generation Tensor cores for AI computing. It features 21,760 CUDA cores and 32GB of ultra-fast GDDR7 memory connected via a 512-bit bus. This combination delivers massive real-time data throughput. In practice, this means smooth gaming at 8K resolution, with maximum detail and with ray tracing fully enabled.
The combination of bold design, extreme performance, and efficient cooling makes the RTX 5090 Amp Extreme Infinity not only a cutting-edge gaming tool, but also a visual landmark in any high-end build.
How the incident happened
The incident was described by a user with the nickname “york4517” on the Gamer TW forums. During an intense gaming session in Battlefield 6, the game suddenly stuttered. Subsequently, visible flames erupted from the area where the graphics card’s PCB approaches the motherboard. The graphics card fire lasted approximately ten seconds and left visible traces such as melted PCB parts, burnt connectors and a scratched motherboard.
According to a visual analysis of the damage, the outbreak of the fire was near the MSVDD power branch that supplies the memory modules. Experts point out that this part of the card did not have active cooling. This could have led to extreme overheating of the power supply MOSFETs. While the components should only melt or smoke if they fail, in this case there was a flash fire, which is extremely rare in modern electronics.
Some experts also point out a possible design flaw in the specific ZOTAC RTX 5090 Amp Extreme Infinity edition . Without additional cooling at critical points, dangerous heat buildup can occur under prolonged load. The manufacturer hasn’t officially commented on the case yet, the card is on its way back for analysis. And if you’re interested in more details, visit user profile “york4517“
How to prevent similar problems
Although a graphics card fire is an extremely rare occurrence, a few precautionary steps can significantly reduce the risk:
- Inspection and maintenance – regularly clean the GPU of dust that impedes airflow.
- Adequate case cooling – ensure good airflow and sufficient fans.
- Temperature monitoring – use software such as HWMonitor or MSI Afterburner to monitor critical values.
- Quality power supply – cheap or poor quality power supplies can cause unstable power and overload components.
- Careful overclocking – aggressive “OverClocking” without cooling adjustments can shorten life and increase the risk of failure.
- Genuine parts and cables – do not use non-genuine or cheap replacements; they are more likely to overheat, can spark, and increase the risk of fire.
While these precautions won’t guarantee complete protection, they greatly reduce the likelihood of your gaming machine turning into an impromptu torch.
Conclusion
The case with the ZOTAC RTX 5090 Amp Extreme Infinity shows that even a high-end and expensive graphics card can fail in a way that surprises even experienced gamers. A graphics card fire is not only financially painful, but can put the entire computer and even the safety of the home at risk.
If you are investing in a high-end GPU, make sure it is properly installed, with quality cooling and regular maintenance. Technology is constantly improving, but as this incident proves, even the most powerful components can hide risks. So don’t hesitate to order your RTX 5090 through us here, and take good care of it so that nothing happens to it.