The process of creating large monolithic multi-core processors is extremely difficult even for well-known chip designers. In China, where access to advanced manufacturing technologies is largely limited, the only way to create a processor with a large number of cores is to use a chiplet design, where several chips are combined and placed on a single substrate. This is exactly what Chinese manufacturer Loongson did with their 32-core 3D5000 processor.
Earlier this year, Loongson began shipping the 16-core LA464 3C5000 processor based on the LoongArch architecture. This model has 64MB cache and supports DDR4-3200 ECC RAM. Loongson 3D5000 is actually two 3C5000 processors placed on a single substrate. As a result, we have a 32-core processor with 8 memory channels, supporting up to 4 simultaneous multiprocessor configurations. Accordingly, it is possible to build a server with 128 cores.
The developer said that he had already finished testing his new processor. The Loongson 3D5000 uses an LGA 4129 socket. At 2.0GHz it consumes 130W and at 2.2GHz it consumes 170W. Despite the fact that the creation of a 32-core processor based on its own microarchitecture is already an achievement, this product is just a test of the possibility of creating chiplet configurations. Chinese semiconductor giant SMIC, which manufactures processors for Loongson, is gradually adopting more advanced technical processes. However, it lags far behind market leader TSMC. That’s why companies like Loongson can’t currently offer products comparable to those from AMD and Intel.
Chiplets represent a real opportunity for Loongson to build high-core processors and server platforms with proprietary architectures that are advanced for servers and supercomputers. As for the performance of the Loongson 3D5000 processor, it scored 400 points in the SPEC CPU2006 baseline test, and doubled the result in a dual-processor system. The company is confident that a computer with four processors will gain 1600 points. Deliveries of the first samples of the 32-core Chinese processor are expected in the first half of 2023. A commercial version is promised later.
Source: Trash Box
Charles Grill is a tech-savvy writer with over 3 years of experience in the field. He writes on a variety of technology-related topics and has a strong focus on the latest advancements in the industry. He is connected with several online news websites and is currently contributing to a technology-focused platform.
