ASUS has unveiled a groundbreaking new graphics card prototype in the hardware world. The company’s new model has been announced as the RTX 5090 ROG Astral Real Gold Edition. The card’s most striking feature is its coating of 5 kilograms of pure gold. Weighing in at 7.2 kilograms, it becomes one of the heaviest graphics cards ever released. The value of the gold alone is reported to be around $500,000.

RTX 5090 ROG Astral Real Gold Edition Announced

The new model reaches an extraordinary level compared to the luxury versions ASUS has previously released. The company previously introduced a limited-edition Dhahab version as part of the RTX 5090 Astral series. This previous model contained only 6.5 grams of gold. However, the Real Gold Edition contains almost 800 times that amount of gold.

The RTX 5090 ROG Astral Real Gold Edition is not part of any production series and is not available for sale. ASUS hasn’t officially announced the purpose of this card. Currently, there’s speculation that the graphics card is being prepared for a potential auction or special event. The possibility of the prototype being offered for sale at a charity auction is being considered.

The first images of the card have generated significant interest since they were released on social media. It’s clear that ASUS wasn’t aiming to push engineering or design boundaries, but rather to create a striking and symbolic piece. While no information about its performance specifications has been released, it appears the card’s true value lies in its aesthetics and material appeal.

The Real Gold Edition is currently aimed more at collectors than technology. Whether it will enter mass production or how much interest it will garner at auction remains to be seen. However, ASUS’s move rekindles the debate about both the industry’s boundaries and the concept of luxury hardware.