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1Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute2Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors3Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesThe “RTX 4090 Dragon” is NVIDIA’s GeForce RTX 4090D, a graphics card made for the China market after U.S. export controls restricted shipments of the original RTX 4090 there. The 4090D was designed to meet the export-control thresholds in effect when it launched; that is regulatory compliance, not evidence of a public, individual U.S. approval letter. Its key differences from the original are fewer CUDA cores and lower board power, while it retains 24 GB of GDDR6X memory.
What is the RTX 4090 Dragon?
“Dragon” is a nickname for the GeForce RTX 4090D, NVIDIA’s China-market variant of the GeForce RTX 4090. NVIDIA’s China product page specifies an Ada Lovelace GPU with 14,592 CUDA cores, a 2.52 GHz boost clock, 24 GB of GDDR6X memory and a 384-bit memory bus. The listed starting price is ¥12,999 in China. NVIDIA’s product page also presents it for gaming and content creation and lists support for ray tracing, DLSS 3.5, Reflex, Broadcast and Studio.
NVIDIA’s Chinese product page describes the card as a major advance in performance, efficiency and AI-powered graphics; that is a translation of the vendor’s marketing statement, not an independent performance finding.
How does the RTX 4090D compare with the RTX 4090?
| Specification or context | GeForce RTX 4090D | GeForce RTX 4090 |
|---|---|---|
| Intended market | China-market variant, according to NVIDIA and Tom’s Hardware (2023) | Original model; shipments to China were subject to U.S. licensing rules from 16 November 2023, according to Tom’s Hardware |
| CUDA cores | 14,592 (NVIDIA product page) | 16,384 (Tom’s Hardware, 2023) |
| Board power | 425 W (Tom’s Hardware, 2023) | 450 W (Tom’s Hardware, 2023) |
| Memory | 24 GB GDDR6X; 384-bit bus (NVIDIA product page) | not stated in the cited comparison sources |
| Boost clock | 2.52 GHz (NVIDIA product page) | not stated in the cited comparison sources |
| China starting price | ¥12,999 (NVIDIA product page) | not stated in the cited comparison sources |
The clearest documented hardware cuts are in core count and board power; those specifications alone do not establish a universal gaming-performance percentage. NVIDIA reports average game performance using 22 games tested at 4K, 1440p and 1080p under its stated configuration. That is NVIDIA’s own test methodology, not an independent laboratory comparison. See NVIDIA’s product information and methodology.
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#1 Best Overall
- 16,384 NVIDIA CUDA Cores
- Supports 4K 120Hz HDR, 8K 60Hz HDR and variable refresh rate as indicated in HDMI 2.1A
- New streaming multiprocessors: up to 2x power and power efficiency
- Fourth generation tensor cores: up to 2x AI power
- Third-generation RT cores: up to 2x ray tracing performance
What did U.S. “approval” mean?
The phrase “with U.S. approval” can be misleading. The available reporting describes the 4090D as designed to remain within the export-control limits then applicable, not as having a publicly documented, card-specific approval letter. The distinction matters: export rules define what may be shipped and under what conditions; they do not create permanent approval for a product under every later rule or in every country.
November 2023: license requirement for the original RTX 4090
Tom’s Hardware reported that, from 16 November 2023, shipments of the RTX 4090 and specified data-center GPUs to China and certain other countries required a U.S. Commerce Department/Bureau of Industry and Security license. Read the November 2023 report.
Rank #2
- TRI FROZR 3-Stay cool and quiet. MSI’s TRI FROZR 3 thermal design enhances heat dissipation all around the graphics card.
- TORX FAN 5.0-Fan blades linked by ring arcs and a fan cowl work together to stabilize and maintain high-pressure airflow.
- Copper Baseplate-Heat from the GPU and memory modules is captured by a copper baseplate and then rapidly transferred to Core Pipes.
- Core Pipe-Precision-machined heat pipes ensure max contact and spread heat along the full length of the heatsink.
- Airflow Control-Sections of different heatsink fins disrupt unwanted airflow harmonics and reduce noise.
December 2023: 4090D introduced against the then-current threshold
When reporting the China-market launch on 28 December 2023, Tom’s Hardware described the 4090D’s reduced core count and power draw and the 4,800 TPP threshold relevant to that launch context. The article reported the 4090D at 4,707 TPP and the original RTX 4090 at 5,285 TPP. Those figures describe the comparison in that report, not an enduring legal status. Read the launch coverage.
April 2024: revised rule language
On 3 April 2024, Tom’s Hardware reported revised U.S. language that included a 70 Weighted-TeraFLOPS threshold and discussed its relationship to the 4090D. Because rules can change, a historical report about meeting an earlier threshold should not be treated as confirmation that a particular shipment is permitted today. Read the April 2024 report.
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Rank #3
- NVIDIA Ada Lovelace Streaming Multiprocessors: Up to 2x performance and energy efficiency
- Tensor Cores of the 4th Generation: up to 2x AI performance
- RT-cores of the 3rd Generation: up to 2x raytracing performance
- OC mode: Boost clock 2595 MHz (OC mode) / 2565 MHz (gaming mode)
- Axial Tech fans deliver up to 23% higher airflow
What to check before buying or shipping one
The 4090D is the relevant model name if you are looking at NVIDIA’s China-market RTX 4090 variant. Availability and legality depend on destination and the rules in force when a shipment is made; the product’s China-market designation does not establish that it can be shipped to every country. Check the exact card model, seller’s destination-country shipping terms and applicable export requirements before ordering or arranging shipment.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
