China Continues to Excel in Semiconductor Production Amid US Trade Bans
Loongson's Impressive Advancements in Server-Grade Processors
In the face of US trade restrictions, China's domestic semiconductor production is showing no signs of slowing down. Loongson, a Chinese semiconductor company, has recently announced the successful return of the first samples of their new server-grade processors, the Loongson 3C6000, 3D6000, and 3E6000 series. These processors are expected to be released in the fourth quarter of 2024 and are reported to be meeting expectations.
The 3C6000 design, which features 16 cores and 32 threads, is said to significantly enhance the performance-price ratio of server CPUs. With a hexa-issue LA664 processing core, DDR4-3200 4x4 RAM, and a PCIe 4.0 x64 interface, the 3C6000 offers double the general processing performance and multiple times the memory bandwidth over its predecessor, the 3C5000. Additionally, it supports high-speed national encryption standards with SM3 encryption bandwidth exceeding 20Gbps.
Advancements in Chiplet Architecture and Coherent Link Technology
The 3D6000 and 3E6000 models take things a step further by connecting multiple 3C6000 chiplets using Loongson's Coherent Link technology. This innovative approach allows for the creation of a 32-core/64-thread processor in the 3D6000 and a 64-core/128-thread processor in the 3E6000. This chiplet architecture is increasingly viewed as the future of microprocessors.
Loongson's Coherent Link technology, similar to Nvidia's NVLink and AMD's Infinity Fabric, provides core cache coherent interconnects between multiple devices, enabling dynamic allocation of resources. The technology is said to be compatible with mainstream hardware ecosystems and supports interconnection and upgrading of up to eight chips.
Although there is no independent verification of the 3C6000's performance, Loongson's advancements are undeniable. By leveraging its in-house MIPS-based LoongArch ISA and domestic Chinese fabs, the company is progressively narrowing the gap with its competitors in the semiconductor industry.
China's CPU industry continues to make significant strides and is rapidly becoming a notable player in the global semiconductor market. With companies like Loongson leading the charge, the future of China's semiconductor production looks bright, even in the face of regulatory constraints.
