Good news for hardware enthusiasts and high-end PC gamers in China! There’s a recent report suggesting that Nvidia is considering the launch of a slightly toned-down version of its flagship GPU, the RTX 4090, which faced a ban in China.
The restrictions on the RTX 4090’s availability in China were influenced by US sanctions. This powerful GPU holds capabilities in AI computing, and the current US administration, led by President Biden, aims to restrict several countries, including China, from advancing in AI innovation.
So, a peculiar situation: a gaming graphics card gets banned in China for being overly powerful. But it seems Nvidia has a solution in the works. According to a report from tech media outlet WCCFTech, Nvidia plans to reintroduce its flagship gaming GPU in China! However, this new GPU is anticipated to be a toned-down version to comply with US sanctions.
Supposedly dubbed the Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090 D, with the ‘D‘ indicating ‘Dragon‘ as mentioned in the report, this label will prominently feature on the new retail boxes. Expected to be a China-exclusive GPU, it won’t see any price reductions, set to retail at 12,999 CN¥, roughly equivalent to ~$1834 in the US. For context, the RTX 4090 initially launched at an MSRP of $1599 last year, yet the US market is currently witnessing prices as high as $2000 due to the sanctions. Allegedly, existing AIB brand partners like Colorful, Asus, among others, are slated to sell this new Nvidia RTX 4090 D ‘Dragon’ GPU.
According to the report, Nvidia’s upcoming RTX 4090 D aims for the consumer market rather than the AI sector. Let’s delve into its potential performance. Regrettably, the new RTX 4090 variant for China might exhibit reduced performance due to limitations on AI computing. However, it’s anticipated that the advantages of the VRAM capacity will remain intact. The RTX 4090 is renowned for its impressive 24GB GDDR6X video memory.
The RTX 4090 D, designed exclusively for China, may need to display lower Total Processing Performance (TPP) to comply with the metric used by the US government to regulate graphics card export to China. Official confirmation on this matter is eagerly awaited, and it’s prudent to approach these reports with cautious optimism as developments could evolve.
The hardware leaker on X, previously known as Twitter, operating under the handle @MEGAsizeGPU, recently commented on this topic. They shed light on the internal GPU processor anticipated for use in the forthcoming China-exclusive RTX 4090 D ‘Dragon.’ Additionally, when questioned about the GPU’s specifications, this X user highlighted that the detailed specs for the RTX 4090 D haven’t been officially confirmed yet.
Regarding the term ‘AD102-250,’ it likely refers to the internal GPU processor code. The original Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090 uses the AD102-300 chip, while the RTX 4080 employs the AD103-300 chip. Therefore, in the case of the RTX 4090 D, the internal GPU chip is expected to differ somewhat (lower) to adhere to the US sanction requirements for a ‘legally exportable GPU‘ to China.
What performance impact do you anticipate for Nvidia’s China-exclusive RTX 4080 D ‘Dragon’? Doesn’t this evoke memories of the mining surge when Nvidia introduced LHR variants to ensure fair access for gamers amidst high demand from miners? Feel free to share your thoughts and perspectives in the comments section!
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