兆芯（上海兆芯半导体有限公司；/ ʒ aʊ ʃ ɪ n /，中文：兆芯；拼音：Zhàoxīn [ʈʂâu ɕín]）是一家无晶圆厂半导体公司，成立于 2013 年，是威盛科技与上海市政府的合资企业。[1]该公司生产兼容x86 的台式机和笔记本电脑CPU。[2] Zhào xīn一词的意思是百万核心。[注 1]处理器主要为中国市场打造：该合资企业旨在减少中国对外国技术的依赖。[3] [4]
背景[编辑]
兆芯是威盛科技与上海市政府的合资企业。[1]据报道，2021年威盛持有该公司14.75%的股权。[5]中国的国内政策是到 2023 年“用本土解决方案替换其公共基础设施中的所有外国硬件和软件”（所谓的 3-5-2 政策）。[6]威盛持有 x86 许可证，允许其子公司生产兼容的微处理器；这让兆芯得以开发 x86 计算机芯片。[5]
架构[编辑]
最初的 ZX 系列处理器的架构是威盛Centaur Technology x86-64 Isaiah 设计的延续。[7] [8] ZX-A 和 ZX-B 基于威盛 Nano X2 C4350AL。[9] ZX-B 与 ZX-A 相同，不同之处在于它由上海华力微电子公司（HLMC）制造。[9] ZX-C 基于威盛 QuadCore-E 和 Eden X4。[9]兆芯称此架构为“张江”，但据认为其基础是威盛Isaiah 2 架构。[8]就像它们所基于的威盛处理器一样，早期的 ZX 处理器是球栅阵列出售的芯片预先焊接到主板上。
兆芯在 2017 年底和 2018 年初推出了 ZX-D 处理器并透露了未来产品的计划，引起了北美和欧洲技术媒体的注意。[1] [2]兆芯称ZX-D架构为“五道口”；这是对 VIA Isaiah 的完全重新设计。它也不同于早期的微架构，例如张江，它是威盛科技 (Centaur) 架构的轻微修改版本。五道口是全新的完整SoC设计。[10] [8] ZX-D 中实施的更改包括集成北桥，就像在现代 x86 设计中一样，以及添加中文密码功能。[8]ZX-D 系列还有一个基于S3 Graphics技术（以前属于威盛）的集成图形处理单元(iGPU)。[11] [12]
之前的 ZX 命名在 2018 年左右被取消，取而代之的是台式机处理器的 KX（“KaiXian”）名称和服务器处理器的 KH（“KaisHeng”）名称。
ZX-D 的后继产品 KX-6000片上系统（也称为 ZX-E）于 2018 年 9 月向媒体展示。[11]该架构是 ZX-D 架构的演变，被称为“陆家嘴”。[10] KX-6000 于 2019 年正式推出。[13]据报道，2019 年 6 月，KX-6000 采用台积电 16 纳米工艺制造。[14]该芯片具有兼容 DirectX 11.1 的 iGPU。[11] [12] 2022 年，兆芯被注意到为GNU 编译器集合添加了 ZX-E 特定编译器支持。[13]
KX-6000 的继任者，即 ZX-F 或 KX-7000 处理器系列，最初计划于 2021 年发布。但是，截至 2022 年 12 月，还没有发布，也没有关于这些处理器的进一步公告。KX-7000 芯片计划在支持 DDR5 的 7 nm 工艺上发布。[13]
离散 GPU [编辑]
架构总结[编辑]
家庭微架构代号引入年份过程内核时钟速度特征笔记
ZX-A [2] [7]通过以赛亚201440纳米533 兆赫至 1066 兆赫基于威盛 Nano X2C4350AL
ZX-B [2] [7]通过以赛亚2014–201540纳米533 兆赫至 1066 兆赫等同于ZX-A [9]
ZX-C [2]张江2015年28纳米4个2.0 吉赫SSE4.2、AVX
ZX-C+ [2]张江2016年28纳米4/82.0 吉赫AVX2、AES-NI [15]35W 的 TDP [16]
ZX-D / KX-5000 [2] [17]/ KH-20k [16]五道口2017年28 纳米[18]4/8 [18]2.0 吉赫双通道DDR4 [16]
PCI Express 3.0
USB 3.1（第一代和第二代）
USB 2.0
SATA 3
台积电代工
ZX-E / KX-6000 [19] / KH-30k [16] [12]陆家嘴[20]201916 纳米[11] [12]8（最多）[11]3 GHz（最高）[11]DDR4 [11]
PCIe 3.0 [21]
支持 RDSEED、RDRAND、SHA、UMIP [22]
KX-6000G [24]陆家嘴[20]2022年16 纳米[25]4（最多）3.3 GHz（最高）[25]GPU 支持：DX12、OpenCL1.2、OpenGL4 .6。
DDR4 [25]
PCIe 3.0
片上系统
使用 Glenfly GT-10C0 集成 GPU [26] [27]
KH-40000 [25]永丰[28]2022 [29]16 纳米[25]32（最多）[25]2.2 GHz（最高）[25]DDR4 [25]
PCIe 3.0
片上系统
ZX-F / KX-7000 [1]待定待定[30] [31]7 纳米（待定）[16]DDR5
单片机[16]
家庭代码名称引入年份过程内核最大速度特征笔记
使用[编辑]
兆芯处理器主要用于中国笔记本电脑。[14]
性能[编辑]
兆芯 ZX-C+ 4701 CPU 在 2020 年进行了评测，与较旧的 Intel (i5 2500K) 和 AMD (Athlon 3000G) 处理器相比，其性能明显更差。[32]人们注意到 ZX-D 的性能大致相当于Intel Silvermont (Avoton)处理器（于 2013 年推出）。[8]
据报道，ZX-E / KX-6000 的性能比 KX-5000 提高了 50%，性能与 2016 年的第 7 代英特尔 i5 核心处理器（即 Core i5-7400）相当。[11] [14] [12] Linus Tech Tips于 2020 年 8 月对 8 核 ZX-E U6780A 进行了评测。[33]评测处理器的基准测试速度略低于第三代英特尔 i5 四核处理器（最初于 2012–2013 年发布）使用Cinebench。[33]游戏性能被认为很差，而根据 2020 年的标准，机器本身的性能被认为是昂贵的。[33]汤姆的硬件还审查了 U6780A 并报告了 2020 年游戏性能不佳。[10]
ZX-F 系列的目标是与 2018 系列Ryzen处理器（即 AMD Zen+微架构，AMD Zen 2的前身）实现性能对等。[8]
Zhaoxin (Shanghai Zhaoxin Semiconductor Co., Ltd.; /ˈʒaʊʃɪn/, Chinese: 兆芯; pinyin: Zhàoxīn [ʈʂâu ɕín]) is a fabless semiconductor company, created in 2013 as a joint venture between VIA Technologies and the Shanghai Municipal Government.[1] The company manufactures x86-compatible desktop and laptop CPUs.[2] The term Zhàoxīn means million core.[note 1] The processors are created mainly for the Chinese market: the venture is an attempt to reduce the Chinese dependence on foreign technology.[3][4]
Background[edit]
Zhaoxinis a joint venture between VIA Technologies and the Shanghai Municipal Government.[1]In 2021 it was reported that VIA has a 14.75% shareholding in the company.[5]China has adomestic policyto "replace all foreign hardware and software from its public infrastructure with homegrown solutions" by 2023 (the so-called 3–5–2 policy).[6]VIA holds a x86 licence which allows its subsidiaries to produce compatible microprocessors; this allows Zhaoxin to develop x86 computer chips.[5]
Architecture[edit]
The architecture of the initial ZX family of processors is a continuation ofVIA'sCentaur Technologyx86-64 Isaiah design.[7][8]The ZX-A and ZX-B are based on theVIA NanoX2 C4350AL.[9]The ZX-B is identical to the ZX-A, except that it is manufactured by Shanghai Huali Microelectronics Corporation (HLMC) .[9]The ZX-C is based on the VIA QuadCore-E & Eden X4.[9]Zhaoxin calls this architecture "Zhangjiang", however it is thought that the basis is the VIA Isaiah 2 architecture.[8]Like the VIA processors they were based on, early ZX processors wereball grid arraychips sold pre-soldered onto a motherboard.
Zhaoxin came to the attention of the Northen American and European technology press when, in late 2017 and early 2018, it launched the ZX-D processor and revealed plans for future products.[1][2]Zhaoxin calls the ZX-D architecture "Wudaokou"; this is a complete re-design of the VIA Isaiah. It is also a departure from earlier microarchitectures, such as ZhangJiang, which were a lightly modified version of a VIA Technologies (Centaur) architecture. WuDaoKou was a new and complete SoC design.[10][8]Changes implemented in the ZX-D included the integration of anorthbridge, like in modern x86 designs, as well as the addition of Chinese cryptographic functions.[8]The ZX-D series also had anintegrated graphics processing unit(iGPU) based onS3 Graphicstechnology (previously owned by VIA).[11][12]
The former ZX naming was dropped around 2018 in favour of the KX ("KaiXian") designation for desktop processors and the KH ("KaisHeng") designation for server processors.
The successor to the ZX-D, the KX-6000system on a chip(also called ZX-E), was demonstrated to the press in September 2018.[11]The architecture, an evolution of the ZX-D architecture, was called "Lujiazui".[10]The KX-6000 was formally launched in 2019.[13]In June 2019 the KX-6000 was reported to being built on a 16 nm TSMC process.[14]The chip has a DirectX 11.1 compatible iGPU.[11][12]In 2022, Zhaoxin was noted to have added ZX-E specific compiler support for theGNU Compiler Collection.[13]
The successor to the KX-6000, the ZX-F or KX-7000 processor series, was initially planned for release in 2021. As of December 2022 there had been no launch and no further announcements about the processors, however. The KX-7000 chip was planned to be released on a 7 nm process with DDR5 support.[13]
Discrete GPU[edit]
In 2020 Zhaoxin announced it was planning to release adedicated graphics card.[12]
Summary of architecture[edit]
FamilyMicroarchitecture codenameYear of introductionProcessCoresClock speedsFeaturesNotes
ZX-A[2][7]VIA Isaiah201440 nm533 MHz to 1066 MHzBased on theVIA NanoX2C4350AL
ZX-B[2][7]VIA Isaiah2014–201540 nm533 MHz to 1066 MHzIdentical to ZX-A[9]
ZX-C[2]Zhangjiang201528 nm42.0 GHzSSE4.2, AVX
SM3andSM4inVIA PadLock
Based on theVIA QuadCore-E&Eden X4
ZX-C+[2]Zhangiang201628 nm4/82.0 GHzAVX2,AES-NI[15]A TDP of 35W[16]
ZX-D / KX-5000[2][17]/ KH-20k[16]Wudaokou201728 nm[18]4/8[18]2.0 GHzdual channelDDR4[16]
PCI Express 3.0
USB 3.1 (Gen 1 and 2)
USB 2.0
SATA 3
System-on-a-chip(SoC) withDirectX11.1[16]
Manufactured byTSMC
ZX-E / KX-6000[19]/ KH-30k[16][12]Lujiazui[20]201916 nm[11][12]8 (up to)[11]3 GHz (up to)[11]DDR4[11]
PCIe 3.0[21]
RDSEED, RDRAND, SHA, UMIP supported[22]
KX-6000G[24]Lujiazui[20]202216 nm[25]4 (up to)3.3 GHz (up to)[25]GPU supports: DX12, OpenCL1.2, OpenGL4 .6.
DDR4[25]
PCIe 3.0
SoC
With Glenfly GT-10C0 integrated GPU[26][27]
KH-40000[25]Yongfeng[28]2022[29]16 nm[25]32 (up to)[25]2.2 GHz (up to)[25]DDR4[25]
PCIe 3.0
SoC
ZX-F / KX-7000[1]TBDTBD[30][31]7 nm (TBD)[16]DDR5
SoC[16]
FamilyCodenameYear of introductionProcessCoresMaximum speedFeaturesNotes
Uses[edit]
Zhaoxin processors have mainly been used for Chinese laptops.[14]
Performance[edit]
The Zhaoxin ZX-C+ 4701 CPU was reviewed in 2020, and showed significantly worse performance against older Intel (i5 2500K) and AMD (Athlon 3000G) processors.[32]The ZX-D was noted to have roughly the performance of theIntel Silvermont (Avoton)processors (which were launched in 2013).[8]
The ZX-E / KX-6000 is reported to have a 50% performance increase over the KX-5000, and comparable performance to a7th generation Intel i5 core processor from 2016(namely the Core i5-7400).[11][14][12]The 8-core ZX-E U6780A was reviewed byLinus Tech Tipsin August 2020.[33]The review processor was benchmarked to be slightly slower than a3rd generation Intel i5 quad-core processor(originally released in 2012–2013) usingCinebench.[33]Gaming performance was noted to be poor, whilst the machine itself was noted to be expensive for its performance by 2020 standards.[33]Tom's Hardwarealso reviewed the U6780A and reported poor gaming performance in 2020.[10]
The aim for the ZX-F series is for performance parity with the 2018 seriesRyzenprocessors (i.e. the AMDZen+microarchitecture, the predecessor to AMDZen 2).[8]
