Many of us know that from 2023 – 2025 a mix of U.S. export controls, Chinese regulatory steps, and commercial compliance choices by 'Nvidia' and its partners has produced region-specific outcomes for high-end GeForce cards in China, because On October 7, 2022, the U.S. government created some export rules to block very powerful computer chips from being sold to China. These rules mainly target chips that can be used for advanced AI training or supercomputers and some Nvidia GPUs (even gaming ones) also had performance levels or memory bandwidth so high that they could be repurposed for AI work. So, to keep selling some products in China without breaking the rules, Nvidia created "D" versions of their GPUs such as - RTX 4090D and RTX 5090D.
For Nvidia, creating "D" versions of their GPUs and selling them in China was the best option as these models have reduced power, lower memory bandwidth, certain performance limits and are also modified so they stay below the threshold set by U.S. export restrictions. If i say in short, Nvidia had to weaken certain GPUs so they could legally sell these products in China. However, the export restrictions has been expanded in the year 2024–2025, Nvidia reportedly suspended or halted shipments of some China-targeted flagship 'SKUs' (GeForce RTX 5090 D), and Chinese authorities also stepped up inspections and controls around high-end chip imports.
Multiple outlets report that undelivered purchase orders for the "RTX 5090D" were canceled or shipments were paused. Nvidia and board partners have even discussed additional cut-down variants (e.g., "5090D V2 / DD"), Nvidia did this to comply with export compliance reviews. At the same time, Chinese customs and state projects are being pushed to favor domestic chips and to examine deeply of previously declared imports, meaning the availability, warranty support, and official distribution of certain top-tier 'GeForce cards' in China are more constrained than in other markets. "Reuters" and other outlets reported tighter customs scrutiny and inspections on advanced GPUs and AI chips entering China and this can delay shipments, block grey-market channels, and reduce availability for retailers and enthusiasts.
Nvidia's leadership signaled that China revenue will be materially affected. The company has publicly said Chinese restrictions are painful and has at times excluded China from some forecasts because of export controls. Now, if we talk about current situation, not every GeForce card is banned in China, but certain flagship cards and advanced variants have been restricted, modified, or had shipments halted due to a mix of U.S. export controls and regulatory enforcement as well. Anyway, what do you guys think of these U.S. export rules and restriction of Nvidia products when they try to sell them in China? What might be the consequences of this declaration in future? Let us know your own opinion in the comments.