Nvidia Cancels Undelivered RTX 5090D Orders in China Amid Speculation of GPU Ban

Nvidia has reportedly halted deliveries of its RTX 5090D GPUs to China, and all undelivered orders have been canceled. The move comes amid rampant speculation that the RTX 5090D might be included in an expanding U.S. export ban on advanced chips. While the AI performance of the RTX 5090D was reduced by 23% compared to the full-fledged RTX 5090, and it lacks features such as multi-GPU configuration, this reduced performance version is still widely used in China for building AI training systems. A popular hardware leaker known as HXL shared a WeChat post on X (formerly Twitter) confirming the cancellation. According to the translated content, "Nvidia has essentially confirmed that RTX 5090D series GPUs cannot be ordered during Q2. All orders for RTX 5090D chips that were placed but not delivered have been temporarily canceled, indicating that the RTX 5090D has been officially banned from sale." The post appears to be from a Chinese business or news outlet named Channel Gate Vision Conversion, published on the WeChat Official Accounts Platform. The U.S. administration recently adjusted the performance thresholds for AI chips requiring export licenses. These changes mean that specialized chips like the Nvidia H20, which continues to sell well despite its performance limitations, are now prohibited in China. The same criteria likely extend to the RTX 5090D. Despite its reduced capabilities, the GPU has been favored by Chinese manufacturers for smaller-scale AI training tasks due to its high memory capacity and powerful processing capabilities. A recent leak on Bilibili showcased a blower-style RTX 5090D equipped with the same GB202 chip used in the RTX 5090 and featuring 32GB of GDDR7 VRAM, further confirming its appeal in AI applications. However, Nvidia has not yet issued an official statement on the discontinuation of the RTX 5090D. The use of the term "temporarily" in the cancellation notice suggests that the company may still be in discussions with the U.S. government to resume shipments or at least liquidate its existing inventory. Chief Executive Officer Jensen Huang reportedly attended a presidential dinner at Mar-a-Lago in early April, where he allegedly secured a temporary suspension of the ban on the Nvidia H20. Despite his efforts, the White House proceeded with the broader export restrictions, leading Nvidia to write off $5.5 billion in lost sales and missed opportunities. The evolving landscape of export controls and their impact on the tech industry highlights the significant challenges faced by companies like Nvidia in navigating geopolitical regulations. As developments continue, tech enthusiasts and industry insiders will be closely monitoring any updates or statements from Nvidia regarding the future of the RTX 5090D in the Chinese market. For the latest news, analysis, and reviews, follow Tom's Hardware on Google News and hit the Follow button to stay informed.