Beijing: Nvidia’s latest attempt to navigate U.S. export restrictions and maintain its foothold in China’s booming artificial intelligence market is proving to be a tough sell. The company’s newly launched RTX6000D chip, designed specifically for Chinese customers, has entered the market with high expectations. However, according to industry insiders, the reception from major Chinese tech firms has been lukewarm at best, with skepticism mounting over both performance and cost.
The RTX6000D, which retails at around 50,000 yuan (approximately US$7,000), was marketed as a solution for large-scale AI inference tasks. Yet, sources close to procurement discussions say its capabilities fall short of expectations. In practice, companies have found that grey-market alternatives like the RTX5090 an older generation card available unofficially offer equal or better performance at less than half the price. This stark comparison has discouraged large-scale adoption of the RTX6000D among China’s top tech giants.
The RTX6000D is a product of necessity rather than innovation. U.S. restrictions on the export of advanced semiconductors to China forced Nvidia to develop modified versions of its powerful chips that meet compliance standards while still serving demand. Alongside the RTX6000D, two other models the H20 and the yet-to-be-approved B30A are being positioned as stopgap solutions for Chinese buyers seeking access to cutting-edge hardware.
However, China’s largest firms, including Alibaba, Tencent, and ByteDance, are treading cautiously. Some are waiting to see if the H20 shipments will proceed smoothly following recent U.S. approval, while others are holding out for the B30A, which promises stronger performance if cleared. This hesitation has left Nvidia’s RTX6000D standing on uncertain ground.
Financial institutions such as JPMorgan and Morgan Stanley had initially forecast that Nvidia could ship between 1.5 to 2 million units of the RTX6000D in the latter half of this year. But insiders suggest that demand is running significantly below those projections. Although shipping of the new chip has begun, market insiders note that enthusiasm is subdued and procurement orders are limited.
Beyond pricing and performance, Nvidia faces wider geopolitical and regulatory challenges. Chinese authorities are closely monitoring purchases of high-performance chips like the H20, asking firms to justify their usage amid concerns about data security and dependence on foreign technology. At the same time, Nvidia is reportedly under investigation in China for alleged violations of anti-monopoly law adding yet another obstacle to its market strategy.
The difficulties surrounding the RTX6000D also highlight the broader tech rivalry between the U.S. and China. While Nvidia continues to dominate global AI chip development, Beijing has doubled down on its push for technological self-reliance, encouraging local firms to accelerate the production of domestic alternatives. Against this backdrop, Nvidia’s China-only chip risks becoming an interim product that satisfies neither performance demands nor long-term strategic goals.
For now, the RTX6000D’s future looks uncertain. Its high price tag, underwhelming performance, and competition from cheaper grey-market models are discouraging buyers. Meanwhile, the looming arrival of the B30A and the ongoing rollout of the H20 are likely to overshadow it.
What was meant to be a bridge for Nvidia to maintain its relevance in China could end up being remembered as an expensive compromise that failed to meet the expectations of one of the world’s most important technology markets.