China's Six Domestic CPU Vendors: Architecture, Performance, and Roadmaps

Overview

This article is the final installment of a four‑part series that examines the current state and future outlook of China’s domestic CPU ecosystem from 2024 to 2026. It presents a comparative study of six major domestic CPU vendors, describing their architectures, product families, performance specifications, recent product launches, and upcoming roadmaps.

1. Huawei Kunpeng

Kunpeng processors are built on the ARM v8 instruction set with a permanent license, featuring full compatibility with the ARM ecosystem. Major models include the 912, 916, and 920 series, the latter being the first 7 nm data‑center‑grade chip. Recent iterations such as the 7260, 7261K, and 7265F continue the 920 line, but all Kunpeng CPUs remain limited to the ARM v8 architecture for further iteration.

2. Phytium

Phytium focuses on high‑performance, low‑power CPUs for servers, desktops, and embedded applications. The company has refreshed three product families: the Cloud S series, the Tianrui D series, and the Tianlong E series. Notable products include the S5000 and S6000 servers, the D3000 desktop chip, and the E3000 embedded processor. Like Kunpeng, Phytium’s CPUs are based on ARM v8 and therefore face a performance gap compared with leading global vendors.

3. HaiGuang Information

Founded in 2014, HaiGuang develops high‑end processors and accelerators compatible with the mainstream x86 ISA. Its C86 architecture supports national cryptographic algorithms, dedicated security acceleration, and trusted computing features. The C86‑3G processor entered mass production in Q3 2022 and achieved commercial sales in 2023, delivering 15‑30 % performance gains per generation.

4. Zhaoxin (兆芯)

Zhaoxin, a state‑owned company established in 2013, produces x86 CPUs for PCs and servers. Its flagship KH‑40000 series (released in late 2022) offers a 3.3 GHz clock and up to four times the graphics performance of previous generations. However, Zhaoxin’s products still rely on an aging x86 license from VIA, limiting their ability to adopt the latest Intel patents and widening the performance gap with leading competitors.

5. Loongson (龙芯中科)

Loongson, developed by the Chinese Academy of Sciences, uses the self‑designed LoongArch ISA (compatible with MIPS). The product line is divided into three series: Loongson 1 (low‑power MCU/SoC), Loongson 2 (low‑power general‑purpose), and Loongson 3 (high‑performance). Recent chips include the 2K1000LA, 1C102, 1C103, 2K2000, 2K1500, 3C5000, 3A6000, 3D5000, 3D6000, and 3A7000, featuring up to 32 cores, frequencies up to 3.0 GHz, and 20‑30 % performance improvements over previous generations.

6. ShenWei (申威)

ShenWei originated from the Alpha ISA and later replaced it with a self‑developed 64‑bit ISA. The first SW‑1 processor was released in 2006, and the SW26010 chip powers the Sunway TaihuLight supercomputer. Upcoming series (SW8A, SW8B, etc.) target low‑power, balanced, and high‑performance server segments. In 2024, ShenWei secured an order of 5,600 units, marking its first large‑scale entry into the telecom‑operator market.

Performance Comparison

Key CPU performance indicators include process node, clock speed, core count, maximum memory frequency, and PCIe lane count. HaiGuang’s C86‑3G, launched in Q3 2022, leads the domestic market in all these metrics, making it the highest‑performing Chinese CPU as of the latest data.