Exploring the RTX Pro 6000D, Nvidia's China-only GPU, which is now banned from sale — neutered specs cannot compete with grey-market chips

Nvidia's China-exclusive RTX 6000D GPU, designed to navigate U.S. export restrictions, has faced lukewarm reception due to its limited performance and high cost compared to grey-market alternatives like the RTX 5090. The 6000D lacks NVLink and relies on PCIe or external NICs for communication between GPUs, putting it at a disadvantage in large-model inference workloads. With China now banning its tech companies from acquiring Nvidia chips, interest in the 6000D has waned, especially as domestic AI hardware options like Huawei's Ascend and Biren's CloudMatrix gain traction. The ban raises questions about the future of Nvidia's presence in the Chinese market and the shift towards domestic AI hardware adoption.