HardwareChina launches an antitrust investigation into Nvidia as it wrestles with the US over AI chip sanctionsWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
HardwareChina launches an antitrust investigation into Nvidia as it wrestles with the US over AI chip sanctionsWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
(Image credit: Getty Images)

China has launched an antitrust investigation into Nvidia over possible violations of the country’s anti-monopoly laws in connection with its 2020 acquisition of Israeli chip maker Mellanox Technologies. ABloombergreport (viaThe Verge) says the Chinese government approved the $7 billion deal on the condition that Nvidia not discriminate against Chinese companies, and that Mellanox provide samples of new products to competing companies within 90 days of making them available to Nvidia to ensure they can maintain performance parity.
The US government indicated itsdispleasure with that approachin 2023, however: US Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo said at the Reagan National Defense Forum in December of that year that “we cannot let China get these chips, period,” before warning, “If you redesign a chip around a particular cut line that enables them to do AI, I’m going to control it the very next day.”
China was a major export market for Nvidia prior to the sanctions, according toThe Guardian, but it now faces increasing competition from Chinese manufacturers: The country was responsible for 17% of Nvidia’s revenue over the year ending in January 2024, down significantly from 26% just two years earlier.
The investigation into Nvidia isn’t China’s only pushback against aggressive US sanctions against the country.CNNreported last week that, following the introduction of new restrictions on the sale of equipment used to manufacture semiconductors and other points of access to US technology, China banned the sale of various materials used in the construction of semiconductors and electric vehicle batteries including gallium, germanium, antimony and other “super hard” materials.
“Nvidia wins on merit, as reflected in our benchmark results and value to customers, and customers can choose whatever solution is best for them,” an Nvidia representative said in a statement provided to PC Gamer. “We work hard to provide the best products we can in every region and honor our commitments everywhere we do business. We are happy to answer any questions regulators may have about our business.”
The biggest gaming news, reviews and hardware deals
TOPICSNvidia
TOPICS
More about hardwareThe Freewrite Wordrunner with a built-in word counter might be the keyboard to look out for if you want to improve your writing processLenovo’s rollable laptop screen isn’t just a CES party trick—you’ll be able to pick one up yourself in JuneLatestToday’s Wordle answer for Friday, January 10See more latest►
More about hardwareThe Freewrite Wordrunner with a built-in word counter might be the keyboard to look out for if you want to improve your writing processLenovo’s rollable laptop screen isn’t just a CES party trick—you’ll be able to pick one up yourself in JuneLatestToday’s Wordle answer for Friday, January 10See more latest►
More about hardwareThe Freewrite Wordrunner with a built-in word counter might be the keyboard to look out for if you want to improve your writing processLenovo’s rollable laptop screen isn’t just a CES party trick—you’ll be able to pick one up yourself in June
More about hardware
The Freewrite Wordrunner with a built-in word counter might be the keyboard to look out for if you want to improve your writing processLenovo’s rollable laptop screen isn’t just a CES party trick—you’ll be able to pick one up yourself in June
The Freewrite Wordrunner with a built-in word counter might be the keyboard to look out for if you want to improve your writing process
The Freewrite Wordrunner with a built-in word counter might be the keyboard to look out for if you want to improve your writing process
Lenovo’s rollable laptop screen isn’t just a CES party trick—you’ll be able to pick one up yourself in June
Lenovo’s rollable laptop screen isn’t just a CES party trick—you’ll be able to pick one up yourself in June
LatestToday’s Wordle answer for Friday, January 10See more latest►
Latest
Today’s Wordle answer for Friday, January 10
Today’s Wordle answer for Friday, January 10
Today’s Wordle answer for Friday, January 10
See more latest►
Most PopularTrack down a missing person in this ‘Geoguessr-inspired detective game’ set on an alien planetOld meets new as classic MMO players worship a famous Vtuber via gifts of bones so she can max out the Prayer skillHyper Light Breaker will cost $30 and for a limited time come with a free copy of DrifterFallout season 2 filming delayed due to massive LA firesAssassin’s Creed Shadows is delayed again ‘to better incorporate player feedback gathered over the past three months’The Freewrite Wordrunner with a built-in word counter might be the keyboard to look out for if you want to improve your writing process’I created it, let me move on’: Ex-Cloud 9 player, the Overwatch team whose blunder inspired the infamous ‘C9’ slang, watches in horror as the term moves onto Marvel RivalsLenovo’s rollable laptop screen isn’t just a CES party trick—you’ll be able to pick one up yourself in JuneNvidia CEO Jen-Hsun Huang’s simple reminder that useful quantum computing is a long way off has somehow caused industry stocks to plummetAfter 15 years, Minecraft has finally added two new pig variations: The warm pig and the cold pig, meaning I can delete one mod off my listIf you love a big laptop without a big price tag, this RTX 4070 17.3-incher is an ideal pick at $1,300
Most PopularTrack down a missing person in this ‘Geoguessr-inspired detective game’ set on an alien planetOld meets new as classic MMO players worship a famous Vtuber via gifts of bones so she can max out the Prayer skillHyper Light Breaker will cost $30 and for a limited time come with a free copy of DrifterFallout season 2 filming delayed due to massive LA firesAssassin’s Creed Shadows is delayed again ‘to better incorporate player feedback gathered over the past three months’The Freewrite Wordrunner with a built-in word counter might be the keyboard to look out for if you want to improve your writing process’I created it, let me move on’: Ex-Cloud 9 player, the Overwatch team whose blunder inspired the infamous ‘C9’ slang, watches in horror as the term moves onto Marvel RivalsLenovo’s rollable laptop screen isn’t just a CES party trick—you’ll be able to pick one up yourself in JuneNvidia CEO Jen-Hsun Huang’s simple reminder that useful quantum computing is a long way off has somehow caused industry stocks to plummetAfter 15 years, Minecraft has finally added two new pig variations: The warm pig and the cold pig, meaning I can delete one mod off my listIf you love a big laptop without a big price tag, this RTX 4070 17.3-incher is an ideal pick at $1,300
Most PopularTrack down a missing person in this ‘Geoguessr-inspired detective game’ set on an alien planetOld meets new as classic MMO players worship a famous Vtuber via gifts of bones so she can max out the Prayer skillHyper Light Breaker will cost $30 and for a limited time come with a free copy of DrifterFallout season 2 filming delayed due to massive LA firesAssassin’s Creed Shadows is delayed again ‘to better incorporate player feedback gathered over the past three months’The Freewrite Wordrunner with a built-in word counter might be the keyboard to look out for if you want to improve your writing process’I created it, let me move on’: Ex-Cloud 9 player, the Overwatch team whose blunder inspired the infamous ‘C9’ slang, watches in horror as the term moves onto Marvel RivalsLenovo’s rollable laptop screen isn’t just a CES party trick—you’ll be able to pick one up yourself in JuneNvidia CEO Jen-Hsun Huang’s simple reminder that useful quantum computing is a long way off has somehow caused industry stocks to plummetAfter 15 years, Minecraft has finally added two new pig variations: The warm pig and the cold pig, meaning I can delete one mod off my listIf you love a big laptop without a big price tag, this RTX 4070 17.3-incher is an ideal pick at $1,300
Most Popular
Track down a missing person in this ‘Geoguessr-inspired detective game’ set on an alien planet
Old meets new as classic MMO players worship a famous Vtuber via gifts of bones so she can max out the Prayer skill
Hyper Light Breaker will cost $30 and for a limited time come with a free copy of Drifter
Fallout season 2 filming delayed due to massive LA fires
Assassin’s Creed Shadows is delayed again ‘to better incorporate player feedback gathered over the past three months’
The Freewrite Wordrunner with a built-in word counter might be the keyboard to look out for if you want to improve your writing process
‘I created it, let me move on’: Ex-Cloud 9 player, the Overwatch team whose blunder inspired the infamous ‘C9’ slang, watches in horror as the term moves onto Marvel Rivals
Lenovo’s rollable laptop screen isn’t just a CES party trick—you’ll be able to pick one up yourself in June
Nvidia CEO Jen-Hsun Huang’s simple reminder that useful quantum computing is a long way off has somehow caused industry stocks to plummet
After 15 years, Minecraft has finally added two new pig variations: The warm pig and the cold pig, meaning I can delete one mod off my list
If you love a big laptop without a big price tag, this RTX 4070 17.3-incher is an ideal pick at $1,300
HARDWARE BUYING GUIDESLATEST GAME REVIEWS1Best Steam Deck accessories in Australia for 2025: Our favorite docks, powerbanks and gamepads2Best graphics card for laptops: the mobile GPUs I’d want in my next gaming laptop3Best mini PCs in 2025: The compact computers I love the most4Best 14-inch gaming laptop: The top compact gaming laptops I’ve held in these hands5Best Mini-ITX motherboards in 2025: My pick from all the mini mobo marvels I’ve tested1Thank Goodness You’re Here! review2Shiren the Wanderer: The Mystery Dungeon of Serpentcoil Island review3WD Black SN850X 8 TB NVMe SSD review4Ikea Utespelare desk review5Asus ROG Harpe Ace Mini wireless mouse review
HARDWARE BUYING GUIDESLATEST GAME REVIEWS1Best Steam Deck accessories in Australia for 2025: Our favorite docks, powerbanks and gamepads2Best graphics card for laptops: the mobile GPUs I’d want in my next gaming laptop3Best mini PCs in 2025: The compact computers I love the most4Best 14-inch gaming laptop: The top compact gaming laptops I’ve held in these hands5Best Mini-ITX motherboards in 2025: My pick from all the mini mobo marvels I’ve tested1Thank Goodness You’re Here! review2Shiren the Wanderer: The Mystery Dungeon of Serpentcoil Island review3WD Black SN850X 8 TB NVMe SSD review4Ikea Utespelare desk review5Asus ROG Harpe Ace Mini wireless mouse review
HARDWARE BUYING GUIDESLATEST GAME REVIEWS1Best Steam Deck accessories in Australia for 2025: Our favorite docks, powerbanks and gamepads2Best graphics card for laptops: the mobile GPUs I’d want in my next gaming laptop3Best mini PCs in 2025: The compact computers I love the most4Best 14-inch gaming laptop: The top compact gaming laptops I’ve held in these hands5Best Mini-ITX motherboards in 2025: My pick from all the mini mobo marvels I’ve tested1Thank Goodness You’re Here! review2Shiren the Wanderer: The Mystery Dungeon of Serpentcoil Island review3WD Black SN850X 8 TB NVMe SSD review4Ikea Utespelare desk review5Asus ROG Harpe Ace Mini wireless mouse review
HARDWARE BUYING GUIDESLATEST GAME REVIEWS1Best Steam Deck accessories in Australia for 2025: Our favorite docks, powerbanks and gamepads2Best graphics card for laptops: the mobile GPUs I’d want in my next gaming laptop3Best mini PCs in 2025: The compact computers I love the most4Best 14-inch gaming laptop: The top compact gaming laptops I’ve held in these hands5Best Mini-ITX motherboards in 2025: My pick from all the mini mobo marvels I’ve tested1Thank Goodness You’re Here! review2Shiren the Wanderer: The Mystery Dungeon of Serpentcoil Island review3WD Black SN850X 8 TB NVMe SSD review4Ikea Utespelare desk review5Asus ROG Harpe Ace Mini wireless mouse review
HARDWARE BUYING GUIDESLATEST GAME REVIEWS
1Best Steam Deck accessories in Australia for 2025: Our favorite docks, powerbanks and gamepads
1Best Steam Deck accessories in Australia for 2025: Our favorite docks, powerbanks and gamepads
1
Best Steam Deck accessories in Australia for 2025: Our favorite docks, powerbanks and gamepads
2Best graphics card for laptops: the mobile GPUs I’d want in my next gaming laptop
2Best graphics card for laptops: the mobile GPUs I’d want in my next gaming laptop
2
Best graphics card for laptops: the mobile GPUs I’d want in my next gaming laptop
3Best mini PCs in 2025: The compact computers I love the most
3Best mini PCs in 2025: The compact computers I love the most
3
Best mini PCs in 2025: The compact computers I love the most
4Best 14-inch gaming laptop: The top compact gaming laptops I’ve held in these hands
4Best 14-inch gaming laptop: The top compact gaming laptops I’ve held in these hands
4
Best 14-inch gaming laptop: The top compact gaming laptops I’ve held in these hands
5Best Mini-ITX motherboards in 2025: My pick from all the mini mobo marvels I’ve tested
5Best Mini-ITX motherboards in 2025: My pick from all the mini mobo marvels I’ve tested
5
Best Mini-ITX motherboards in 2025: My pick from all the mini mobo marvels I’ve tested
1Thank Goodness You’re Here! review
1Thank Goodness You’re Here! review
1
Thank Goodness You’re Here! review
2Shiren the Wanderer: The Mystery Dungeon of Serpentcoil Island review
2Shiren the Wanderer: The Mystery Dungeon of Serpentcoil Island review
2
Shiren the Wanderer: The Mystery Dungeon of Serpentcoil Island review
3WD Black SN850X 8 TB NVMe SSD review
3WD Black SN850X 8 TB NVMe SSD review
3
WD Black SN850X 8 TB NVMe SSD review
4Ikea Utespelare desk review
4Ikea Utespelare desk review
4
Ikea Utespelare desk review
5Asus ROG Harpe Ace Mini wireless mouse review
5Asus ROG Harpe Ace Mini wireless mouse review
5
Asus ROG Harpe Ace Mini wireless mouse review