Key Takeaways
- China’s Lisuan G100 GPU has emerged as a domestic competitor to NVIDIA’s mid-range offerings, with initial benchmarks suggesting performance comparable to the GeForce RTX 4060.
- The G100 is reportedly built on a 6nm process, likely by SMIC, placing it a generation behind NVIDIA’s custom TSMC 4N node and raising questions about power efficiency and thermal performance.
- While the chip’s development is a significant step towards China’s technological self-reliance, it faces substantial hurdles in software optimisation, driver support, and building a developer ecosystem to challenge NVIDIA’s established dominance.
- NVIDIA’s substantial revenue from China, which constituted roughly 17% of its total in Q2 2025, is vulnerable to erosion if domestic GPUs like the G100 successfully capture market share.
China’s push into high-end semiconductor technology has taken a significant step forward with the emergence of Lisuan Technology’s G100 GPU, a chip reportedly designed to compete with established mid-range offerings like NVIDIA’s GeForce RTX 4060. Recent benchmarks suggest that this domestically developed graphics card, built on a 6nm process, could mark a turning point for Chinese firms aiming to challenge Western dominance in the gaming and AI hardware space. While the data is promising, a deeper look into performance metrics, manufacturing constraints, and market implications reveals a more nuanced picture of this development.
Performance Benchmarks: A Closer Look
Initial reports from synthetic benchmarks, such as OpenCL tests on Geekbench, indicate that the Lisuan G100 delivers scores competitive with NVIDIA’s RTX 4060, a popular choice in the mid-range gaming segment. Specifically, results from tests conducted in Q3 2025 show the G100 achieving strong performance in compute-heavy workloads, with some sources noting it edges out the RTX 4060 by a small margin in certain scenarios. For context, the RTX 4060, launched in 2023, typically scores around 100,000 to 110,000 points in OpenCL, while the G100 has reportedly hit upwards of 112,000 points in similar tests.
However, synthetic benchmarks only tell part of the story. Real-world gaming performance, driver optimisation, and power efficiency remain critical factors where NVIDIA has historically held a strong advantage. Early indications suggest that the G100 can handle demanding titles like Black Myth: Wukong at 4K resolution with playable frame rates on high settings, though detailed comparisons across a broader range of games are not yet widely available. Until comprehensive reviews emerge, these results should be treated as preliminary.
Technical Specifications and Manufacturing
The Lisuan G100 is reportedly fabricated on a 6nm node, likely by SMIC, China’s leading foundry, which operates under significant constraints due to US export restrictions on advanced semiconductor equipment. This places the G100 a generation behind NVIDIA’s RTX 4060, which uses a custom TSMC 4N process (effectively a variant of 5nm), offering better efficiency. Reported specifications include models with up to 24GB of memory and compute performance claimed to reach 24 TFLOPs, positioning it as a viable option for both gaming and AI workloads, although the figure is not yet independently validated outside company statements.
Below is a comparative overview of key specifications based on available data as of Q3 2025:
| Specification | Lisuan G100 | NVIDIA RTX 4060 |
|---|---|---|
| Process Node | 6nm (SMIC) | TSMC 4N (optimised 5nm) |
| Memory (Max) | Up to 24GB | 8GB GDDR6 |
| Compute Performance | Up to 24 TFLOPs* | ~15 TFLOPs |
| Target Segment | Mid-to-High End Gaming/AI | Mid-Range Gaming |
*G100 figures based on company statements, awaiting independent verification.
While the G100’s higher memory capacity offers an edge for memory-intensive applications, the older process node could limit power efficiency and thermal performance, areas where NVIDIA’s architecture excels. Moreover, SMIC’s production capacity and yield rates remain a question mark, especially for a chip as complex as a high-end GPU.
Market Implications and Challenges
The development of the Lisuan G100 aligns with China’s broader strategy to achieve technological self-reliance amid geopolitical tensions and trade barriers. If the chip proves competitive in both price and performance, it could capture significant domestic market share, particularly in gaming and AI sectors where demand for GPUs continues to soar. NVIDIA’s dominance in China has already been curtailed by export controls, creating an opening for local players to fill the gap.
That said, breaking into the global market will be an uphill battle. Software ecosystems, particularly driver support and developer tools, are areas where NVIDIA’s CUDA platform and decades of optimisation provide a formidable barrier. Lisuan will need to invest heavily in building a comparable ecosystem to attract developers and end-users outside China. Additionally, while sentiment on platforms like X, including commentary from accounts such as HyperTechInvest, highlights excitement around this breakthrough, global adoption hinges on consistent performance and reliability data, which are still forthcoming.
Financial and Strategic Considerations
From an investment perspective, the rise of Chinese GPU manufacturers like Lisuan Technology poses both risks and opportunities. For NVIDIA, increased competition in the mid-range segment could pressure margins, especially if Lisuan undercuts on price. NVIDIA’s revenue from the China market, which accounted for approximately 17% of its total in Q2 2025 per recent filings and global coverage, remains vulnerable to further erosion if domestic alternatives gain traction.
Conversely, Lisuan’s success could signal a maturing Chinese semiconductor industry, potentially benefiting upstream suppliers and foundries like SMIC, assuming they can scale production. Investors should monitor upcoming quarterly reports and trade data for indications of Lisuan’s market penetration, particularly in Q4 2025, when more comprehensive performance reviews are expected.
Conclusion: A Promising Start, but Questions Remain
The Lisuan G100 represents a notable achievement for China’s tech ambitions, with early benchmarks suggesting it can hold its own against established mid-range GPUs like the RTX 4060. However, translating synthetic performance into real-world success requires overcoming significant hurdles in software, manufacturing, and global brand recognition. For now, the G100 is a compelling case study in China’s drive for technological independence, but its broader impact on the GPU market remains to be seen. As more data emerges, a clearer picture of its competitive standing will undoubtedly take shape.
References
- AnandTech. (2023, June 29). NVIDIA launches GeForce RTX 4060. Retrieved from https://www.anandtech.com/show/18887/nvidia-launches-geforce-rtx-4060-review
- CNBC. (2024, August 24). Nvidia’s China revenue could shrink amid chip export controls. Retrieved from https://www.cnbc.com/2024/08/24/nvidia-china-revenue-shrinks-amid-export-controls.html
- Guru3D. (2023, June 28). NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 8GB review. Retrieved from https://www.guru3d.com/articles-pages/nvidia-geforce-rtx-4060-8gb-review,1.html
- HyperTechInvest [@HyperTechInvest]. (2025). [Commentary on Lisuan G100 GPU development and market sentiment]. X. Retrieved from https://x.com/HyperTechInvest
- ITC.ua. (2025, July 25). Lisuan G100: Chinese video card outperforms NVIDIA RTX 4060. Retrieved from https://itc.ua/en/news/lisuan-g100-chinese-video-card-outperforms-nvidia-rtx-4060/
- NVIDIA Corporation. (2025). Q2 2025 Financial Results. Retrieved from NVIDIA Investor Relations website.
- TechPowerUp. (2025, May 30). Lisuan Unveils G100, China’s 6 nm GPU Targeting RTX 4060-Level Performance. Retrieved from https://www.techpowerup.com/337480/lisuan-unveils-g100-chinas-6-nm-gpu-targeting-rtx-4060-level-performance
- Tom’s Hardware. (2025, July 24). Lisuan G100 GPU shows promise, at least in OpenCL. Retrieved from https://www.tomshardware.com/pc-components/gpus/lisuan-g100-gpu-shows-promise-at-least-in-opencl-homegrown-chinese-chip-outguns-arc-a770-and-rtx-4060-in-new-benchmark-10-percent-slower-than-rtx-5060
- Tom’s Hardware. (2025, July 24). China’s first 6nm domestic GPU with purported RTX 4060-like performance has powered on. Retrieved from https://www.tomshardware.com/pc-components/gpus/chinas-first-6nm-domestic-gpu-with-purported-rtx-4060-like-performance-has-powered-on
- VideoCardz. (2025, July 23). Lisuan G100 GPU OpenCL scores revealed. Retrieved from https://videocardz.com/newz/lisuan-g100-gpu-opencl-scores-revealed-outperforms-geforce-rtx-4060
- Wccftech. (2025, July 25). China’s First High-End Gaming GPU, the Lisuan G100, Reportedly Outperforms NVIDIA’s GeForce RTX 4060. Retrieved from https://wccftech.com/china-first-high-end-gaming-gpu-lisuan-g100-outperforms-nvidia-geforce-rtx-4060/
- Wccftech. (2025, July 26). China Launches Its First 6nm GPUs For Gaming & AI, the Lisuan 7G106 12 GB & 7G105 24 GB. Retrieved from https://wccftech.com/china-launches-first-6nm-gpus-gaming-ai-lisuan-7g106-12-gb-7g105-24-gb-faster-than-rtx-4060-black-myth-wukong-4k
