A hardware enthusiast has achieved more than a 20% performance boost on a Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090 laptop GPU through a daring shunt modification.
The Mod and Its Impact
Shunt Modding a Thin-and-light 4090 Laptop to Match 5090 Laptops – Success!
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This modification involved bridging the GPU’s current detection resistors (shunt resistors) in the power delivery system. This allowed the graphics card to draw more power than what its firmware normally permits. The mod was carried out on an ASUS Zephyrus M16 laptop.
The result was a notable increase in the power limit — from 150W up to 175W — enabling the GPU to sustain higher clock speeds. In performance tests, the modification achieved up to 20% more FPS in demanding games like Cyberpunk 2077, as well as significant gains in synthetic benchmarks such as 3DMark Time Spy.
Risks and Limitations
While the performance gains are impressive, this modification carries serious risks. Altering the power delivery components can lead to overheating, shorten hardware lifespan, or even cause irreversible damage. Furthermore, such modifications void the manufacturer’s warranty and require advanced knowledge of electronics and soldering.
The most striking part of this case is that it involves a laptop GPU, where both thermal and power limits are much stricter than in desktop models. Achieving such a substantial performance improvement in such a constrained environment highlights the untapped potential of these GPUs — which are usually limited by power restrictions that prevent them from reaching their full capabilities.
