NVIDIA is set to release a new graphics card, the GeForce RTX 5090 D V2, only in China on August 12, 2025. This follows new US trade rules that limit the sale of high-performance graphics cards in China. The card will be shown to the public on August 5, with sales starting a week later. Here’s a simple overview of what’s new and why it matters.
What’s Special About the RTX 5090 D V2
- This card is made specifically to meet US rules that limit certain tech exports to China. It replaces the older RTX 5090 D, which can no longer be sold due to these restrictions.
- The new card has 24GB of memory instead of the 32GB found in the original RTX 5090. This makes it less powerful for some tasks, like AI work, but it should still perform well for gaming.
- It uses the same main chip (GB202-240) with 21,760 cores and has a power draw of 575W, which can go up to 600W for some versions. This means it’s still a strong card for high-end gaming.
- Early reports suggest the RTX 5090 D V2 will play games almost as well as the original RTX 5090, though it may be slightly slower in tasks needing lots of memory, like 8K gaming or heavy video editing.
Why the Change?
The US has rules that stop companies from selling very powerful graphics cards to China if they can be used for advanced AI tasks. The original RTX 5090 D was banned because its memory speed was too high (over 1,400 GB/s).
The RTX 5090 D V2 has a slower memory setup (1.34 TB/s) to follow these rules, making it legal for sale in China. This lets NVIDIA keep selling high-end cards to Chinese gamers, even if they’re not as strong for AI work.
Price and Availability
The RTX 5090 D V2 will launch in China on August 12, 2025, at 9 PM local time. Pricing hasn’t been confirmed, but the older RTX 5090 D cost around 16,499 RMB ($2,250). Since the new version has less memory, it might be slightly cheaper. The card will only be sold in China through retailers like JD.com and system builders, not globally. Some older RTX 5090 D cards have appeared on resale sites like eBay for high prices, like $5,500, due to limited stock.
This launch ensures Chinese gamers can still get a powerful graphics card despite US trade limits. The RTX 5090 D V2 keeps most of the original’s gaming power, making it great for playing demanding games like Cyberpunk 2077 or Battlefield 6.
However, the reduced memory could affect performance in very high-resolution gaming or professional tasks. The launch also shows NVIDIA’s effort to stay in the Chinese market, which is a big part of their business.
For now, gamers in China can look forward to the RTX 5090 D V2, while those outside China will stick with the standard RTX 5090 or other models like the RTX 5080.
