Loongson, a Chinese semiconductor company, recently announced the successful return of the first samples of its new Loongson 3C6000/3D6000/3E6000 series of server-grade processors. These chips are said to be on track for release in Q4 2024 and are designed to compete with industry giants like Intel and AMD.
The Loongson 3C6000 processor features a single chip with 16 cores and 32 threads, promising to improve the performance-price ratio of server CPUs. It is equipped with a hexa-issue LA664 processing core, DDR4-3200 4×4 RAM, and a PCIe 4.0 x64 interface to enhance general processing performance and memory bandwidth significantly.
The 3D6000 model consists of two 3C6000 chips connected via Loongson Coherent Link technology, creating a 32-core/64-thread processor. On the other hand, the 3E6000 model connects four 3C6000 chiplets for 64 cores and 128 threads. This chiplet architecture is becoming increasingly popular in the semiconductor industry, and Loongson’s technology is compatible with mainstream hardware ecosystems and supports the interconnection and upgrading of 1 to 8 chips.
Loongson’s Coherent Link technology is comparable to Nvidia’s NVLink and AMD’s Infinity Fabric, enabling core cache coherent interconnects between multiple devices. This feature allows for dynamic allocation of devices and chips, ensuring all resources are virtualized. Despite the lack of independent verification of the 3C6000’s performance, Loongson continues to make significant progress within regulatory constraints, leveraging its in-house MIPS-based LoongArch ISA and Chinese fabs.
While Loongson may not directly challenge EPYC and Xeon chips at this point, the company is narrowing the gap and showing potential to compete with established players in the industry. With the increasing demand for high-performance server CPUs, Loongson’s new series of processors could be a viable option for businesses looking for cost-effective solutions with advanced technology.
In a time where US trade restrictions aim to limit China’s access to advanced semiconductor technology, the progress made by companies like Loongson showcases the growing capabilities of the Chinese semiconductor industry. As they continue to innovate and develop competitive products, the landscape of the global semiconductor market may see significant changes in the coming years.
