Zhaoxin’s KX-7000 CPU Series Shows Promising Performance but Lags Behind Western Counterparts

After multiple delays, Zhaoxin, the Chinese semiconductor manufacturer, finally unveiled its highly anticipated KX-7000 CPU series in December. Boasting the new “Century Avenue Core” microarchitecture, the company promised a significant performance boost compared to its predecessors. Recent benchmarks from Geekbench 6.2.2 shed light on the initial performance of the KX-7000 series, revealing both its strengths and shortcomings when compared to Western counterparts.

Performance Analysis

The Geekbench results focused on an entry-level Zhaoxin KX-7000 CPU equipped with 8 cores, 8 threads, 4 MB of L2 cache, and 32 MB of L3 cache. Running at a base clock of 3.0 GHz with a boost clock of 3.3 GHz (below the standard 3.6 GHz boost profile), the KX-7000 demonstrated promising performance improvements over previous Zhaoxin models. In single-core tests, it scored 823 points, while in multi-core tests, it achieved 3813 points.

Comparison with Intel’s Core i3-10100F

To provide context, the KX-7000’s performance was compared to Intel’s Core i3-10100F processor, a well-established product in the Western market. Despite the advancements, the KX-7000 still fell short in comparison. The Core i3-10100F, featuring 4 cores, 8 threads, and a boost clock of up to 4.3 GHz, outperformed the KX-7000 by approximately 75% in single-core tests and 17% in multi-core tests within the same benchmark.

Achieving Double the Performance

Zhaoxin had aimed to double the performance of its previous-generation CPUs with the KX-7000 series. While the new CPUs indeed showed significant improvements in terms of higher clock speeds, doubled core counts, and thermal design power (TDP), achieving twice the performance compared to its direct predecessors seems to have been accomplished. However, when placed against older Western designs like Intel’s, the performance gap remains notable.

Competition from loongson’s 3A6000

In the broader landscape of Chinese semiconductor development, Zhaoxin faces competition from Loongson, whose 3A6000 processor has been generating considerable interest. Initial reports suggest that the 3A6000 chip offers performance levels that are comparable to mainstream AMD Zen 4 and Intel Raptor Lake products, further intensifying the competition in the CPU market.

Conclusion

The release of the Zhaoxin KX-7000 CPU series marks a significant step forward for the Chinese semiconductor industry. While the new architecture delivers on the promise of improved performance compared to its predecessors! it still trails behind established Western counterparts. With competitors like Loongson emerging with promising offerings, the landscape of the CPU market is becoming increasingly competitive. As Zhaoxin continues to refine its designs and close the performance gap! future iterations of its CPUs may pose a more formidable challenge to Western dominance in the industry.

Sources: Geekbench Browser, Wccftech