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Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →No, China did not ban Intel, AMD or Windows across the country. The widely reported 2024 move concerned government procurement: agencies were directed toward evaluated “safe and reliable” domestic processors and operating systems for new purchases, with foreign database software also in scope. It does not establish that consumers or private companies must stop using those products, or that every existing government computer must be replaced immediately.
What China’s reported rules actually do
Reuters summarized Financial Times reporting on March 24, 2024, that Chinese government agencies above the township level were instructed to include “safe and reliable” processor and operating-system criteria when purchasing computers and servers. The reported procurement shift also sought to favor domestic database software over foreign products. Reuters’ report describes a government purchasing policy, not a nationwide prohibition on owning or using Intel, AMD, Windows, or foreign databases.
The distinction matters: procurement criteria affect what covered agencies can specify for qualifying purchases. They do not, by themselves, make every unlisted product illegal. The reporting does not establish an order to remove all existing foreign-made systems, nor a universal replacement deadline.
- Directly reported scope: government personal computers and servers, with the cited coverage threshold of agencies above township level.
- Separate product categories: processors, operating systems, and centralized database software.
- Not established by that reporting: a blanket restriction on private companies, consumers, or every device already in service.
The national summary is not a substitute for the procurement document governing a particular purchase. A tender can make the evaluation-list requirement explicit: a 2024 forestry-sector tender, for example, required CPU and operating-system products to appear in the relevant evaluation results. The tender document illustrates implementation in an individual procurement, not a universal replacement order.
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#1 Best Overall
- The world’s fastest gaming processor, built on AMD ‘Zen5’ technology and Next Gen 3D V-Cache.
- 8 cores and 16 threads, delivering +~16% IPC uplift and great power efficiency
- 96MB L3 cache with better thermal performance vs. previous gen and allowing higher clock speeds, up to 5.2GHz
- Drop-in ready for proven Socket AM5 infrastructure
- Cooler not included
What “safe and reliable” means—and does not mean
China’s Information Security Evaluation Center describes an assessment of products and their developers that considers areas such as core technology, security assurance, ongoing development, manufacturing, supply guarantees, and after-sales maintenance. The stated approach is a lifecycle evaluation. The center’s explanation also says vendor participation is voluntary and users may choose whether to use the results.
So “listed” means a product has been evaluated under this framework and may be favored or required by relevant procurement rules. “Not listed” does not, on its own, mean unlawful to own or use. Nor does listing constitute a global security ranking, a benchmark, or proof that a product is faster or free of vulnerabilities.
A 2023 Chinese government procurement standard for operating systems directed purchasers to consult the safe-and-reliable evaluation lists, showing how the evaluation could become a practical procurement requirement. The standard is more specific than the evaluation list alone.
Which domestic products appeared on the 2023 list?
The official announcement dated December 26, 2023, covered processors, operating systems, and centralized databases. It stated that the results would remain valid for three years from publication—nominally through December 26, 2026. The announcement and product list establish evaluation status, not sales, market share, or procurement awards.
Rank #2
- AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D Gaming and Content Creation Processor
- Max. Boost Clock : Up to 5.7 GHz; Base Clock: 4.3 GHz
- Form Factor: Desktops , Boxed Processor
- Architecture: Zen 5; Former Codename: Granite Ridge AM5
Processors
The 2023 CPU entries included products associated with Huawei/HiSilicon, Loongson, Sunway, Phytium, Hygon, and Zhaoxin. Examples named in the list include Kunpeng 920; Loongson 3A5000 and 3B5000; Sunway SW421 and SW3231; Phytium FT-2000 and D2000; Hygon C86 products; and Zhaoxin ZX-E and ZX-D products.
These suppliers do not represent one interchangeable architecture. Chinese processors include x86-compatible, Arm-based, and domestic-architecture designs. Compatibility depends on the exact CPU, operating system, applications, drivers, and hardware configuration; a vendor’s presence on the list does not guarantee that a particular workload will run without adaptation.
Operating systems
The listed desktop and server systems included Kylin Desktop Operating System V10, Kylin Advanced Server Operating System V10, UnionTech UOS Desktop Operating System V20, UnionTech UOS Server Operating System V20, and NeoKylin desktop and server products. These are Linux-derived or Linux-based alternatives, not Microsoft products.
For an organization, the hard question is not simply whether a Linux-based system can start on a computer. It is whether it supports the agency’s identity and authentication systems, office workflows, device-management and security tools, peripherals, and required applications. Web-based services and Linux-compatible server workloads may be easier to move than desktop programs built specifically for Windows.
Rank #3
- Can deliver fast 100 plus FPS performance in the world's most popular games, discrete graphics card required
- 6 Cores and 12 processing threads, bundled with the AMD Wraith Stealth cooler
- 4.2 GHz Max Boost, unlocked for overclocking, 19 MB cache, DDR4-3200 support
- For the advanced Socket AM4 platform
Centralized databases
The database category included Chinese products such as Dameng Database, Alibaba Cloud PolarDB, Tencent Cloud TDSQL, KingbaseES, GBase, HighGo, Vastbase-related products, and SeaboxSQL. This is a distinct part of the procurement shift: replacing a database is not merely another way to replace Windows.
Database migration can affect schemas, SQL behavior, stored procedures, middleware, application connections, reporting, backup, replication, and disaster recovery. A product’s evaluation status does not show that it is a drop-in replacement for a particular system; compatibility and migration effort have to be assessed against the actual application and data.
Why the shift is difficult to implement
A computer or server is a stack of dependencies. Changing the CPU, operating system, or database can require changes elsewhere, and a procurement-compliant platform still has to support the work it is bought to do.
- Legacy software: determine whether each application runs natively, requires recompilation, can be emulated, or must be replaced.
- Drivers and peripherals: check support for printers, scanners, specialized equipment, storage, graphics, and security appliances.
- Infrastructure tools: validate virtualization, endpoint protection, centralized management, authentication, and backup systems.
- User workflows: test document formats, office software, intranet applications, and training needs.
- Servers and databases: test the full application stack, not just whether a service starts; include performance, failover, recovery, and vendor support.
- Supply and maintenance: confirm that a listed configuration is available at the required scale and that updates, parts, and support will continue.
Performance is workload-specific. It depends on processor generation, cores, clock speeds, memory, software optimization, and acceleration hardware. The evaluation list does not provide independent comparisons with current Intel Core, Xeon, AMD Ryzen, or EPYC processors, so it cannot substantiate a claim that domestic CPUs match those products across workloads.
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- Processor provides dependable and fast execution of tasks with maximum efficiency.Graphics Frequency : 2200 MHZ.Number of CPU Cores : 8. Maximum Operating Temperature (Tjmax) : 89°C.
- Ryzen 7 product line processor for better usability and increased efficiency
- 5 nm process technology for reliable performance with maximum productivity
- Octa-core (8 Core) processor core allows multitasking with great reliability and fast processing speed
- 8 MB L2 plus 96 MB L3 cache memory provides excellent hit rate in short access time enabling improved system performance
What happens to computers already in use?
The cited reporting establishes procurement criteria, not an across-the-board order to destroy or immediately replace all existing foreign systems. Existing equipment may remain in service under its contract and local implementation, while agencies transition through new deployments or ordinary refresh cycles. The timing can differ by agency and tender; a specific procurement document may set stricter conditions than a broad policy summary.
Why China is pursuing domestic substitution
The reported procurement guidance formalizes and accelerates a longer-running domestic IT substitution effort often called xinchuang. Its goal is broader than replacing a single chip: build a supply chain that connects processors, computers, operating systems, databases, middleware, and support.
That effort reflects concerns about reliance on foreign suppliers, supply-chain disruption and sanctions risk, and control over data, software updates, and long-term maintenance. It also sits within a wider U.S.–China technology split, including U.S. restrictions on advanced semiconductor exports to China. Those strategic concerns are not proof that Intel, AMD, Windows, or domestic products contain intentional backdoors. Replacing a supplier changes the risk profile; it does not eliminate cybersecurity risk.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Who is affected—and who may benefit?
The clearest direct effect is on covered government procurement. The cited reporting does not establish a general private-sector or consumer ban. State-owned enterprises or sensitive sectors may adopt similar requirements, but that should be confirmed from the specific rules or tender that applies to them rather than assumed from the government-agency report.
Best Value
- Pure gaming performance with smooth 100+ FPS in the world's most popular games
- 6 Cores and 12 processing threads, based on AMD "Zen 5" architecture
- 5.4 GHz Max Boost, unlocked for overclocking, 38 MB cache, DDR5-5600 support
- For the state-of-the-art Socket AM5 platform, can support PCIe 5.0 on select motherboards
- Cooler not included
Chinese processor, operating-system, and database vendors stand to gain a procurement opportunity, including Loongson, Phytium, Hygon, Zhaoxin, Huawei/HiSilicon, Sunway, Kylin Software, UnionTech, Dameng, Kingbase, GBase, HighGo, Alibaba Cloud, and Tencent Cloud. Evaluation-list inclusion does not show that every supplier will win contracts or gain equal market share. They still face questions of manufacturing capacity, application compatibility, support, tooling, and performance in particular workloads.
Intel and AMD
Reduced access to covered government PC and server tenders could limit opportunities for Intel and AMD in that segment and encourage buyers to standardize on domestic platforms. The available reporting does not quantify lost units, revenue, or the policy’s share of China’s total commercial market.
Microsoft
Windows faces a migration challenge that goes beyond the operating system itself. Applications, identity systems, document workflows, security tools, device management, training, and existing contracts all affect how quickly agencies can shift. That makes new procurement a clearer immediate pressure point than assuming all existing Windows installations will disappear at once.
What the 2026 status tells us
The 2023 evaluation announcement set a three-year validity period, which reaches December 26, 2026. The official evaluation center’s notices index includes updates in 2024, 2025, and 2026, including a notice dated January 16, 2026. The notices index and the January 2026 notice show that the evaluation framework continued to be updated. They do not, by themselves, prove that every Intel, AMD, or Windows device is illegal or that the 2023 list is the only current procurement reference.
How to read the headline
“China blocks Intel, AMD and Windows” is an overbroad shorthand. The substantiated story is that China’s government procurement rules favor evaluated domestic alternatives for covered purchases of PCs, servers, operating systems, and databases. The evidence supports a targeted procurement shift and potential gradual substitution—not a universal ban on foreign technology throughout China.
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