Analysis of Six Major Domestic CPU Manufacturers (2022)

The article begins by noting that CPUs are the core of hardware infrastructure, with ARM and x86 dominating globally, and introduces China's "TaiShan" and 863 programs that promote domestic CPU development, leading to rapid growth of vendors such as Kunpeng, Feiteng, Loongson, Zhaoxin, HaiGuang, and Shenwei.

HaiGuang and Zhaoxin adopt licensed x86 IP cores, offering high performance and low ecosystem barriers but requiring royalty fees and limiting independent innovation; HaiGuang’s latest CPUs approach international high‑end levels and remain fully x86 compatible.

Kunpeng (Huawei) and Tianjin Feiteng use ARM instruction‑set licenses, allowing them to design their own cores and SoCs with higher autonomy; the Kunpeng 920 is the industry’s first 7 nm data‑center ARM processor, delivering competitive performance against x86 counterparts.

Loongson (LoongArch) employs a self‑developed instruction set with strong independence and reliability, providing extensive ecosystem support from IP licensing to system‑level integration.

Shenwei originally built on the Alpha ISA, later transitioning to a self‑designed 64‑bit instruction set focused on high‑performance computing and national security, with the SW26010 chip powering the world‑leading Sunway TaihuLight supercomputer.

Feiteng categorizes its products into high‑performance server, desktop, and embedded lines (S‑series, D‑series, E‑series), integrating custom security mechanisms and the PKS framework.

HaiGuang collaborates closely with AMD, licensing the Zen architecture and x86 IP to develop high‑performance CPUs that rival Intel’s server offerings.

Zhaoxin’s “KX” and “KH” series integrate CPU, GPU, and chipset on a single SoC, offering cost‑effective solutions for various desktop and server applications, though still lagging behind Intel i5 in single‑core performance.

Loongson’s 3A5000/3B5000 processors, based on the LoongArch LA464 micro‑architecture, target PCs and servers, achieving competitive SPEC CPU scores against comparable ARM and Intel CPUs.

The article concludes with references to several industry white papers and promotional links, emphasizing the ongoing evolution of China’s domestic CPU ecosystem.