PC-Partner, the company behind ZOTAC, Manli and Inno3D, moves its headquarters from Hong Kong to Singapore to avoid US restrictions

When choosing a new graphics card, there are many brands to choose from, offering models with different cooling systems. Most brands offer similar designs and the cheaper option is often chosen. Brands such as ZOTAC, Manli and Inno3D are known for offering graphics cards closer to the recommended retail price (RRP) in most cases. They are currently in the spotlight as their parent company, PC Partner, has decided to move its headquarters from Hong Kong to Singapore while US restrictions remain in place. Especially as PC Partner is also an OEM for other companies (AMD).

Graphics cards are an essential component in PCs, especially for playing video games or using certain programs that rely on the computing power of the GPU. In the age of Artificial Intelligence (AI), many companies and countries are trying to capitalize on this emerging market sector. Companies like NVIDIA have benefited significantly from this development, and countries like the United States are taking advantage of the situation to maintain their leadership position and thwart their biggest competitor, China.

A few years ago, the US introduced a series of restrictions to deny China access to key chips and machines. Despite these restrictions, China and other countries such as Russia have continued to source thousands of chips through Hong Kong. Given the tense geopolitical situation between the US and China, this is a sensitive issue, which is why PC Partner has decided to play it safe.

The company, which owns GPU brands such as ZOTAC, Manli and Inno3D, wants to avoid being caught up in sanctions and restrictions in order to continue its business. For this reason, PC Partner has moved its headquarters from Hong Kong to Singapore, directly affecting the ZOTAC and Inno3D brands. The move comes amid concerns that ongoing tensions between the US and China could restrict the manufacture and distribution of future RTX-50 series GPUs.

This decision should help to avoid future problems, as the situation between the US and China is unlikely to change any time soon. There are fears that the future RTX 50 will not be able to be exported to China as the restrictions could prevent this. Should this occur, PC Partner would be severely affected and they are trying to avoid this potential challenge. Another reason for moving the headquarters to Singapore is the expected tariffs on hardware, which would further drive up prices.

The relocation of PC Partner’s headquarters to Singapore is seen as a strategic move to secure future business operations and avoid potential sanctions and trade restrictions. This relocation will allow the ZOTAC, Manli and Inno3D brands to continue to operate in the global market and distribute their products without significant restrictions. Given the dynamic and often unpredictable developments in international trade and the technology industry, this decision is a step to ensure the long-term stability and competitiveness of the company.

Source: PC Partner, own (images from Igor Wallossek)