Nvidia is releasing a slower RTX 4090 in China to adjust to US restrictions

Nvidia is launching a graphics card particularly for China to adjust to US export controls. In a product web page on the Chinese language model of Nvidia’s web site, the chipmaker introduces the RTX 4090D: a GPU that’s much less highly effective than the flagship RTX 4090 it sells elsewhere.

The RTX 4090D has fewer CUDA cores than its RTX 4090 counterpart, topping out at 14,592 versus 16,384. It additionally has a barely decrease energy draw at 425W as a substitute of 450W. Though many of the different specs stay the identical between the 2 variations of the chips, the RTX 4090D continues to be round “5% slower in gaming and creating,” a Nvidia spokesperson tells Reuters.

“The GeForce RTX 4090 D has been designed to totally adjust to U.S. authorities export controls,” an Nvidia spokesperson says in an announcement to Reuters, including that the corporate “extensively engaged with the U.S. authorities” when growing the chip. Nvidia didn’t instantly reply to The Verge’s request for remark.

The RTX 4090D shall be accessible in China beginning in January for ￥12,999 (~$1,836 USD). Its launch could assist quell the growing demand for highly effective graphics playing cards in China, which has reportedly led some factories within the nation to dismantle and repurpose the banned RTX 4090 for AI.