NVIDIA removed the hotspot temperature sensor API from its GeForce RTX 50 series "Blackwell" GPUs, but the physical sensor remains accessible through the company's internal Modular Diagnostic Software (MODS). According to Brazilian repair specialist Paulo Gomes, MODS can still read hotspot data, though the tool is restricted to NVIDIA employees in testing labs.

Some MODS builds have circulated among repair technicians, but the software requires a bootable Linux drive and specific packages, making it impractical for average enthusiasts. During testing of a GIGABYTE GeForce RTX 5070 Ti, the repair crew found that hotspot temperatures hit the 107°C thermal limit five times, while the average GPU temperature reported only 68°C.

This discrepancy reveals how hotspot readings detect localized cooling issues—such as misaligned coolers or water blocks—that average temperatures miss. The GeForce RTX 40 series "Ada Lovelace" cards continue to expose hotspot data through standard monitoring APIs, unlike the newer Blackwell architecture.