MSI’s most premium graphics card lineup, the LIGHTNING series, has surfaced again—this time in a China-focused version that keeps the same luxury presentation but trims one key spec. A new MSI LIGHTNING Z GeForce RTX 5090D V2 has been spotted in China, and while it still looks and feels like a flagship “collector-grade” GPU, it reportedly comes with less VRAM than the original model.
The LIGHTNING name has been closely associated with top-tier MSI designs, and the RTX 5090 LIGHTNING Z quickly became a standout among high-end GPUs thanks to its extreme enthusiast appeal. It’s also known for featuring one of the most aggressive BIOS ratings seen on a consumer graphics card, with reports pointing to a massive 2500W-rated BIOS—an eye-catching detail for overclockers and hardcore performance chasers.
According to footage shared on Bilibili by Hardware Patrick Star (as relayed by @hongxing2020), the RTX 5090D V2 variant is equipped with 24GB of GDDR7 memory. That’s a notable reduction compared to the original configuration, aligning with the “cut-down” nature typically associated with region-specific or revised models. Beyond the memory change, the rest of the card is believed to stay consistent with the toned-down RTX 5090D-style specifications intended for the Chinese market.
One of the more interesting details from the sighting is the unit numbering. The photos indicate the card shown is number 909 out of a planned 1300 units. That suggests MSI may be counting both the standard LIGHTNING RTX 5090 and the China-specific RTX 5090D V2 under the same limited production umbrella. If that’s the case, the V2’s reduced VRAM could make it a more practical product to move at retail, especially if it helps MSI hit pricing and availability targets without losing the exclusivity that the LIGHTNING branding is known for.
Pricing hasn’t been revealed in the shared footage, but expectations are that the RTX 5090D V2 could land at or below the standard model’s price. Demand for “D” variants in China is often intense, driven not only by gamers chasing top-end FPS performance, but also by users who want powerful GPUs for AI workloads and other compute-heavy tasks.
Even with the VRAM reduction, the premium angle doesn’t appear to be compromised. The LIGHTNING series has built a reputation for an upscale unboxing and presentation experience, and based on what’s been shown so far, the RTX 5090D V2 seems to keep that same high-end packaging and polished feel—exactly what buyers expect when they’re shopping at the very top of the GPU market.
