Introduction to the RTX 50-Series
NVIDIA’s GeForce RTX 50-series is set to make waves when it debuts at the CES 2025 show in January. This much-anticipated launch brings excitement to gaming enthusiasts all over the world, particularly within the Chinese market, where NVIDIA plans to release its special ‘Dragon’ versions of the top GPUs.
Understanding the ‘Dragon’ Variants
In response to export regulations that prevent Chinese companies from accessing GPUs powerful enough to train AI models, NVIDIA is preparing the ‘D’ variants for its RTX 5090 and RTX 5080 cards. So far, the only confirmed model is the GeForce RTX 5090D, highlighted by the leak from MegasizeGPU.
Hardware Specifications and Firmware Locking
Recent leaks from the Chinese Chiphell forum suggest that the RTX 5090D may share the same hardware specifications as its non-D counterpart, including the same GB202 “Blackwell” die, CUDA core count, and memory. However, NVIDIA will implement firmware locks to reduce tensor core capabilities and perhaps the overall chip frequency. This aligns with U.S. regulations aimed at limiting access to advanced GPUs for AI tasks in China.
While this might affect general-purpose AI applications, NVIDIA seems poised to ensure that gaming features like DLSS operate without significant hindrance. This strategy recalls the low hash rate cards released during the cryptocurrency boom, which utilized similar firmware limitations to regulate mining efficiency.
As we await the official announcement, NVIDIA’s innovative approach and strategic planning continue to shape the future of gaming in diverse markets.
