Following the updated US semiconductor export ban issued on October 17, rumors of the Nvidia flagship consumer graphics card RTX 4090 being banned in China led to a sudden threefold increase in local prices.
After a few days of information collection, Chinese media seem to have concluded that rumors of RTX 4090 ban were not entirely accurate. Nevertheless, China-based contract manufacturers would still be unable to produce and assemble RTX 4090 in China - this seems to be the intention behind the updated ban by the US Department of Commerce.
Hong Kong's HKPEC pointed out that RTX 4090 can still be sold in the Chinese consumer market, meaning that Chinese gamers can still buy the 4090. Chinese media also noted that the import of RTX 4090 into China has not been severely affected. After a brief period of hoarding and speculation, market prices are expected to return to normal ranges. However, the import of HPC chips into China is increasingly limited, which is an undeniable fact.
Based on the details published by the Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS), Chinese consumer market can be exempted from the latest restrictions, as the ban on HPC chips primarily targets data center applications. Even though the performance of RTX 4090 has surpassed the threshold placed by the US, its positioning for consumer entertainment purposes allows it to be imported into China.
Without obtaining a license, however, the assembly of high-end graphics cards by local Chinese contract manufacturers will be restricted, according to Chinese media. Furthermore, in the process of production location adjustment, it remains unclear which companies will be impacted. Still, it can be foreseen that graphics card price fluctuations in the future Chinese consumer market must also factor in the controls placed on HPC chip import.
In the past few days, the question of "why the US is banning RTX 4090" has become a hot topic on Chinese social media From the perspective of Chinese consumers, the US attempt to restrict the rapid advancement of China's AI development has hurt Chinese gamers. Whether this sentiment will turn into further consumer support for domestic graphics card manufacturers like Jingjia Micro and Moore Threads remains to be seen.
Just as Apple's iPhone enjoys a high-end status among Chinese consumers, Nvidia's flagship graphics card RTX 4090 also holds an irreplaceable position among Chinese gamers. The trade-off between practical considerations and nationalistic sentiment will not only test Chinese consumers, but is likely to be a challenge faced by related businesses affected by this US ban in the future.
