GeForce RTX 4090 in a series of graphics processors that is the latest target of US sanctions against China and other countries

The US administration has introduced new export rules that prohibit AMD, Intel and Nvidia from shipping certain high-performance processors to China, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Vietnam without permission from US authorities. Thus, the latest target of US sanctions is the product list, which includes, among others: Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090, A800 and H800 graphics, which are specially designed for other markets due to previous restrictions, L40, L40s and others.

The new restrictions are so severe, in fact, that not only is the GeForce RTX 4090 apparently being characterized as too powerful for China and other “enemy countries”, but shipments of AD102 processors are also limited. This may further affect the production and pricing of RTX 4090-based graphics cards, which are mostly made in China, writes Tom's Hardware.

In an attempt to comply with the new export rules, Nvidia will have to start production of this and other AD102-based products outside of China.

The transfer of production to Taiwan may not be a problem for the vast majority of brands, as many of them are also based on this island. However, there is one big exception. The company Colorful, which is one of the largest Nvidia customers and global graphics card manufacturers, works only in China. Nvidia may thus try to deliver as many AD102 GPUs as possible to its partner in the coming weeks, although it is still unclear how this will affect the supply of GeForce RTX 4090 products to other countries.

Thus, from November 16, 2023, these American companies, in addition to the already limited A100 and H100 graphics, can no longer deliver A800, H800, L40, L40s, RTX 4090 and modules for AI and HPC computers to the mentioned countries.

All of the mentioned products, except the RTX 4090, are GPUs for AI and HPC data centers and cloud applications.

“The licensing requirement may affect the Company's ability to complete product development in a timely manner, support existing customers of the Covered Products or supply customers of the Covered Products outside of the affected regions, and may require the Company to relocate certain operations from one or more countries,” Nvidia said in a statement.

However, given the demand for Nvidia AI graphics processors worldwide, the company does not expect the new export rules to affect its financial results in the near future.

With a new move, the USA heats up the already strained relations with China, but now also with other countries in the East, creating additional tensions in the general crisis that has engulfed the world from technological to economic to war. Thus, last week's rumors about the introduction of new measures turned out to be correct this time as well.