Bolt Graphics’ Zeus GPU Claims to Outperform NVIDIA RTX 5090 by 10x in Rendering Performance with Laptop-Grade Memory

Bolt Graphics has made an unexpected entrance into the GPU market with the introduction of its innovative Zeus GPU. This new offering promises to utilize laptop memory, positioning it as a formidable competitor against current-generation options.

Zeus GPU: A Potential Groundbreaker in Expandable Memory

As the landscape of GPU technology evolves, many startups have emerged, making bold proclamations about revolutionary features and innovations. However, few have delivered market-ready solutions. Nevertheless, Bolt Graphics appears poised to change the narrative, as they aim to launch the Zeus GPU by 2027, boasting performance and specifications that are both astonishing and impressive.

Bring your ideas to life with Zeus, a new type of GPU: – Expandable memory: 32/64/128 GB soldered + 2x/4x SO-DIMM slots for up to 384 GB memory! – Massive improvements to path tracing performance! – 400 GbE QSFP-DD port! – Built-in high-performance RISC-V CPU cores capable of… pic.twitter.com/ITJyFInLGV

— Bolt Graphics (@BoltGraphicsInc) August 3, 2025

Interestingly, discussions around the absence of expandable VRAM in GPUs recently surfaced, making Bolt Graphics’ announcement even more relevant. The Zeus GPU promises users the ability to enhance memory capacity significantly, offering an impressive total of 384 GB. The key differentiator here is the incorporation of DDR5 SO-DIMM slots, as opposed to the conventional GDDR options, thus allowing for configurations with either 2 or 4 slots based on user choice.

However, there are inconsistencies in Bolt Graphics’ claims. The stated specifications suggest high TDP ratings, yet the GPU is allegedly powered by a single 8-pin PCIe connector, which can deliver approximately 120W to the system. This raises questions about the feasibility of powering such advanced components with a limited power supply—leading one to speculate whether the announcement is more of a publicity stunt or indicative of a significant breakthrough that even major players like NVIDIA and AMD have missed.

Performance metrics of ZEUS CPU compared to popular GPU tasks

In terms of performance, Bolt Graphics boasts that in hypothetical, pre-silicon benchmarks, the Zeus GPU is projected to surpass the GeForce RTX 5090 in rendering tasks by a staggering tenfold, even under full-quality 4K path-traced scenarios. While these performance claims are certainly eye-catching, the feasibility of such an extraordinary advancement seems questionable. Moreover, the inclusion of an RJ45 port on the GPU adds another layer of curiosity to the design, leading us to remain cautious about labeling the Zeus GPU as a viable consumer product at this stage.

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