Loongson, a Chinese semiconductor manufacturer, is gaining ground in the CPU industry with its most recent products, the 3B6600 and 3B7000 servers. With an emphasis on single-core performance, these octa-core CPUs are aimed for China’s mass market. Loongson claims a notable improvement in single-core performance over their previous generation, but admitting they are still behind AMD and Intel in multi-core performance.
The 3B7000 offers features like PCIe 4.0 support, integrated INT8 Tensor accelerators, and OpenCL 3.0 computing. However, its iGPU capabilities and supported RAM interfaces remain unclear. Interestingly, conflicting information suggests these chips might be intended for both notebooks and desktops.
Loongson’s ambition to compete with established x86 and ARM architectures is fueled by China’s growing need for domestic chip production. With government restrictions on Intel and AMD CPUs and schools embracing locally-made chips, Loongson is poised to dominate the Chinese domestic market across various sectors.
While the recent IPC improvements are impressive, it’s debatable whether they close the gap entirely. Pat Gelsinger’s previous statement about Chinese CPUs being decades behind still holds some weight. Nonetheless, Loongson’s rapid progress raises questions about how quickly domestic chipmakers can catch up.
The sanctions imposed on China have arguably become a catalyst for their chipmaking industry, forcing them to rely on domestic resources and innovation. While Russia aspires to achieve similar success, it remains to be seen if they can replicate China’s progress.
Loongson’s advancements signal a potential shift in the global CPU landscape, with China emerging as a significant player. Their success could reshape the market, especially within their domestic sphere.