Nvidia to launch RTX 5090 DD GPU in China with a nerfed memory specs
Nvidia nerfs its China-only RTX 5090D to comply with new US export restrictions
Back in May, Nvidia’s RTX 5090 D graphics card mysteriously disappeared from the Chinese GPU market. Now, it has been confirmed that the GPU faced new US export restrictions, preventing the GPU from being exported to China. Now, it appears that Nvidia is preparing to launch a new RTX 5090 DD GPU model, a variant of the RTX 5090 that complies with US export restrictions.
So what’s new about the RTX 5090 DD? While it features the same number of CUDA cores and the same 575W TDP as other RTX 5090 variants, its memory specifications have been nerfed hard. Instead of having 32GB of GDDR7 memory over a 512-bit memory bus, Nvidia’s new DD GPU features 24GB of GDDR7 memory over a 384-bit memory bus. That change reduces the bandwidth of Nvidia’s GPU by 25%.
5090 DD
GB202-240
PG145 SKU 40
*for China market only— MEGAsizeGPU (@Zed__Wang) June 18, 2025
Currently, it is unknown how these changes will impact the performance of Nvidia’s new DD GPU in games. The lost memory bandwidth will no doubt have a huge impact on AI and workstation workloads. However, it remains to be seen how memory-limited Nvidia’s RTX 5090 is in games.
RTX 5090 DD?
PG145-SKU40
GB202-240-K*-A1
21760FP32
384-bit GDDR7 24G 28Gbps
575W
and there's a surprise.— kopite7kimi (@kopite7kimi) June 18, 2025
Nvidia’s original RTX 5090 D was almost identical to its non-D counterpart. The only major difference was changes to its AI inferencing performance. This change did not impact gaming workloads, making it a non-factor for gamers.
If Nvidia’s new DD GPU design features lowered gaming performance, that would be hugely disappointing for Chinese gamers. However, having access to Nvidia’s new DD GPU is undoubtedly better than having nothing above Nvidia’s RTX 5080.
You can join the discussion on Nvidia’s RTX 5090 DD graphics card on the OC3D Forums.
