Nvidia is launching a China-specific graphics card to comply with U.S. export controls. On the product page on the Chinese version of Nvidia’s website, the chipmaker describes the RTX 4090D: a GPU that doesn’t perform as well as its flagship RTX 4090 sold elsewhere.
The RTX 4090D has fewer CUDA cores than the RTX 4090, up to 14,592 instead of 16,384. It also has slightly lower power consumption, at 425W instead of 450W. Nvidia spokesman Benjamin Berraondo said in an emailed statement that while most other specifications of the two versions of the chip remain the same, the RTX 4090D “is still about 5 percent slower in gaming and creation.” edge.
“The GeForce RTX 4090 D is designed to be fully compliant with U.S. government export controls,” Berraondo said, adding that the company “worked extensively with the U.S. government” in developing the chip.
The RTX 4090D will be available in China in January for 12,999 yen (approximately $1,836). Its release could help quell China’s growing demand for powerful graphics cards, which has reportedly led some factories in the country to remove banned RTX 4090s and repurpose them for artificial intelligence.
Updated December 29, 1:13 pm ET: Added Nvidia statement.
