Chinese chipmaker Loongson is making big strides in closing the performance gap with Western competitors. They’re doing this by switching up their approach to chip design.
Tick-Tock, Whoa
Up until now, Loongson had been following Intel’s lead by using a tick-tock approach. That means they’d design a new architecture (tock) and then port it to a smaller process node (tick). But with their fourth-gen chips, they’re doing things differently.
Tock-Tock2-Tick
Now, Loongson is adding an extra step to the process. They’ll optimize their chip designs twice before moving them to a new process node. This gives them more time to fine-tune their CPUs and make sure they’re competitive with Western manufacturers.
Meet the 3B6600
Loongson’s first chips to benefit from this new approach were the 3A6000, 3B6000M, and 3C6000. These were followed by the Loongson 3A6600, 3B6600, and 3C6600 – a trio of CPUs that have been impressing in recent tests.
The 3B6600: A Performer
This latest CPU has eight LA864 cores running at a clock frequency of just 3 GHz. That’s some serious horsepower. According to reports, the Loongson 3B6600 is capable of competing directly with Intel’s Raptor Lake CPUs.
A New Era?
With their fourth-gen chips still in development, it’s hard to say how they’ll compare to Western manufacturers’ top-of-the-line offerings. But one thing’s clear: Loongson is pushing the boundaries of innovation and closing the gap with Intel.