Nvidia is preparing to introduce a new artificial intelligence (AI) chip designed specifically for the Chinese market, priced significantly lower than its previously restricted H20 model. This strategic move comes in response to ongoing U.S. export regulations, which have impacted Nvidia’s ability to sell high-performance GPUs to China.
According to multiple sources familiar with the matter, the upcoming chip will be part of Nvidia’s Blackwell architecture and is expected to enter mass production as early as June. It is projected to be priced between $6,500 and $8,000—substantially less than the $10,000–$12,000 price tag on the H20.
The new chip, reportedly based on the RTX Pro 6000D design, will utilize GDDR7 memory rather than the more advanced high-bandwidth memory (HBM). It will also forgo the use of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company’s (TSMC) advanced Chip-on-Wafer-on-Substrate (CoWoS) technology, helping reduce both cost and complexity.
While the final product name has yet to be confirmed, industry analysts suggest it may be marketed under names such as the “6000D” or “B40.” Nvidia has not officially commented on the specifications but has acknowledged its limited ability to operate in China under current U.S. export controls. A company spokesperson stated that Nvidia must finalize a compliant design and secure U.S. government approval before moving forward.
This marks Nvidia’s third attempt to tailor a GPU specifically for China following a series of increasingly stringent U.S. export restrictions aimed at slowing Chinese advancements in AI and supercomputing. The company’s H20 chip, which leveraged the older Hopper architecture, was recently banned due to its high performance metrics—specifically exceeding the allowable memory bandwidth threshold of 1.7–1.8 terabytes per second.
Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang recently admitted that continued limitations on GPU performance and architecture leave little room for further modifications to existing designs like the H20. As a result, Nvidia wrote off $5.5 billion in unsellable inventory and had to forfeit an additional $15 billion in potential deals.
Despite these challenges, China remains a key market, representing approximately 13% of Nvidia’s total revenue in the last fiscal year. The company’s market share in China has reportedly dropped from 95% prior to 2022 to around 50% today, largely due to increased competition from domestic manufacturers like Huawei, whose Ascend 910B chip has gained traction.
Industry forecasts suggest that Nvidia’s new chip, likely featuring 1.7 terabytes per second memory bandwidth using GDDR7, will align with export compliance thresholds. Another Blackwell-based chip is also reportedly in development, with production expected to begin around September, although details remain under wraps.
As geopolitical tensions continue to shape the global semiconductor landscape, Nvidia is adapting to maintain its foothold in the world’s second-largest economy—one carefully calibrated chip at a time.
