from the who-remembers-when-a-mini-computer-was-the-size-of-only-three-large-refrigerators? dept.
China's Zhaoxin CPU Is in Its First Mini-PC
Networking specialist Ruijie Networks on Tuesday launched its first mini-PC featuring China's homegrown Zhaoxin KaiXian KX-U6780A processor.
[...] The RG-CT7800 takes the form of a 2.4-liter, black chassis. The device features a custom motherboard for the KaiXian KX-U6780A, since the processor is ball grid array-based. The motherboard comes with two SO-DIMM DDR4 RAM slots too.
[...] Ruijie Networks offers the RG-CT7800 with 8GB of DDR4 memory and a 256GB SSD. One of the product images show the device with what appears to be four USB 2.0 ports and two 3.5mm jacks for heaphones and microphones. It's unclear what other ouputs are on the RG-CT7800.
The RG-CT7800 is compatible with the Chinese-developed UOS (Unity Operating System) and NeoKylin operating systems, which are both based on Linux. Ruijie Networks has made the necessary software modifications so that the RG-CT7800 can run streaming software and office suites, such as Kingsoft WPS Office and Yongzhong Office. The mini-PC also supports a bunch of peripherals, including Pantum printers, CZUR document scanners, digital drawing tablets and bar code scanners.
KaiXian KX-U6780A is a "high-end" 8-core x86-64 CPU from Zhaoxin, a joint venture between Via Technologies and the Chinese government. Any way you measure it, performance is relatively low, but that is not the point:
According to GeekBench, the Zhaoxin KX-U6780A comes in at a 1910 on single core score and a 8670 on a multi core score. This is roughly comparable to a modern high-end Intel Atom, or 2012 era four-core Intel Core i5-3550U.
However, where this gets interesting is how it fits into China's "3-5-2" plan. This is Beijing's mandate to wean China's public sector off foreign technology. By the end of 2020, 30% of the technology infrastructure needs to be domestic, while by the end of 2021 this number jumps to 50%, while the remaining 20% would need to be replaced by the end of 2022. The RG-CT7800 -- while technically unremarkable -- will be a perfect cog in the machine for this plan.
Related Stories
Zhaoxin's x86-Compatible CPUs for DIY Enthusiasts Now Available
Zhaoxin, a joint venture between Via Technologies and the Chinese government, has been selling processors for various client systems for years, but recently the company rolled out its latest CPUs that some of the local PC makers position as solutions for DIY enthusiasts. At least initially, Zhaoxin's KaiXian KX-6780A will be available only in China.
Zhaoxin's KaiXian KX-6780A is an eight-core x86-64 processor with 8 MB of L2 cache, a dual-channel DDR4-3200 memory controller, modern I/O interfaces (PCIe, SATA, USB, etc.), and integrated DirectX 11.1-capable graphics (possibly S3 based but unknown). The CPU cores are in-house designed LuJiaZui cores, built around a superscalar, multi-issue, out-of-order microarchitecture that supports modern instruction sets extensions like SSE 4.2 as well as AVX along with virtualization and encryption technologies. The processor is made using TSMC's 16 nm process technology.
Zhaoxin formally introduced its KaiXian KX-6000-series CPUs back in 2018, but it looks like higher-end models like the KX-U6780A and the KX-U6880A are entering the consumer market this quarter.
Also at Wccftech.
Previously: Zhaoxin KaiXian KX-6000: A Chinese x86 SoC
Zhaoxin is ready to enter the domestic (Chinese) consumer market with its homegrown x86 CPUs, the KaiXian KX-6000 series. The CPUs will be used by Chinese ODM, IP3 Technology, in more than 50 products which include desktop PCs, notebook PCs, all-in-ones, Mini PCs & even industrial machines.
The Zhaoxin x86 CPU powered product portfolio was announced by IP3 Technology (Yingzhong Technologies) at an event hosted by the ODM. As mentioned above, there are a range of PC devices that will make use of Zhaoxin's KX-6000 series processors which are the only chips besides AMD & Intel to make use of an x86 architecture. While several products were showcased, IP3 Technology didn't unveil their respective specifications and prices yet.
[...] As for performance numbers, Zhaoxin x86 CPUs, while offering a 50% boost in performance per watt, don't necessarily have to come close to current Intel and AMD CPUs. Beijing primarily wants replacement of hardware made by international vendors with its homegrown Zhaoxin CPUs in various government organizations.
Previously: Zhaoxin KaiXian KX-6000: A Chinese x86 SoC
Zhaoxin x86 CPUs Available to PC Makers in China
China's Homegrown Zhaoxin KaiXian CPU Used in a Mini-PC
(Score: 2) by arslan on Tuesday February 25 2020, @11:45PM (16 children)
If the pricing is lower or helps drive overall price lower even better. But I do want to know how much "extra" stuff are built in though
(Score: 1, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday February 26 2020, @01:00AM (5 children)
(Score: 1, Interesting) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday February 26 2020, @12:37PM (2 children)
Tell that to the two commentators that were fired for being on-screen during the "Blitzchung" incident. They are not PRC citizens, and were punished by an American company for someone else mentioning freedom for Hong Kong. Reach of PRC is growing and is orders of magnitude more oppressive than US.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday February 26 2020, @03:41PM (1 child)
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday February 26 2020, @08:06PM
In other words, "it will be very difficult for them to (...) do offline mischief to you" is false.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday February 26 2020, @04:19PM
So far the US government hasn't seen fit to use the DRM embedded in my AMD and Intel devices to steal my credit card info or empty my bank account. I think the risk that someone in China would use their DRM to do it to me is extremely small but somewhat higher than the risk from the US government through AMD and Intel.
Of course, every US president seems determined to expand executive power. So in two years if I email my brother stating that I hate President Trump/Sanders/Buttigieg/Biden/Warren/whoever from my AMD box, maybe I'll find myself a victim of identity theft or arrest from my own government.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday February 26 2020, @11:25PM
Well I don't if its a curse or blessing, I'm not in China nor US, but both have very strong interests in our extending influence into our sovereign nation, I suspect most other countries would be in the same spot. So we're all kinda screwed.
It may not be apparent to Americans, so you can say things like "Unless you're Chinese or in Chinese Territory you have nothing fear". That's actually not true, they have been expanding their influence to other countries and some pretty aggressively including influencing local political constituents. Having dirt on corrupt politicians, directly or indirectly, is a leverage too tempting to avoid I'd say. We've had a recent case of a local MP candidate that blew the whistle on this and he had a fatal "accident" before going to the judicial panel.
(Score: 2, Funny) by Frosty Piss on Wednesday February 26 2020, @01:06AM (9 children)
You’ll be fine, the Chinese are not interested in your tentacle porn collection or your Yoda Fleshlight videos.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday February 26 2020, @01:42AM (2 children)
asking for a friend...
What kinky porn *is* glorious leader Xi into?
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday February 26 2020, @01:45AM
Winnie the Pooh rule 34
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday February 26 2020, @11:18PM
Recently, he's into Uighurs...
(Score: 2) by darkfeline on Wednesday February 26 2020, @04:33AM (4 children)
They are very interested in whether you spread dirty dirty lies about things that clearly never happened and were made up to discredit the Party.
God forbid the bytes 5469 616e 616e 6d65 6e ever enter your CPU's registers.
Join the SDF Public Access UNIX System today!
(Score: 2) by shortscreen on Wednesday February 26 2020, @04:52AM (1 child)
The CCP only approves of little-endian?
(Score: 2) by DannyB on Wednesday February 26 2020, @04:09PM
Big Indians are too frightening? Or just out of style?
The lower I set my standards the more accomplishments I have.
(Score: 2) by engblom on Wednesday February 26 2020, @10:14AM (1 child)
Or something as dangerous as 57 69 6e 6e 69 65 20 74 68 65 20 50 6f 6f 68.
(Score: 2) by DannyB on Wednesday February 26 2020, @04:10PM
That doesn't make sense in EBCDIC.
The lower I set my standards the more accomplishments I have.
(Score: 2) by arslan on Wednesday February 26 2020, @11:27PM
Actually they are. Especially if you're in a position of influence in some shape or form, regardless if you're not in China or US, as long as you're in a country they would like to exert economic leverage - which is pretty much most countries, especially in Asia, excluding the dirt poor ones.
(Score: -1, Flamebait) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday February 26 2020, @12:10AM (1 child)
I thought they were just for the Chinese market? Then again, we didn't want Chinese Originated Viral Infectious Disease 2019 and it looks like we're getting that.
(Score: 2) by takyon on Wednesday February 26 2020, @01:07AM
Maybe they'll be available on Alibaba. But these probably aren't intended for the Western markets and more attention should be paid to its successors.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zhaoxin [wikipedia.org]
This is the KX-6000 series on TSMC's "16nm" process. The next one will be the KX-7000 series on a "7nm" process. It says "2019 (planned)" in the table but I think they will launch in 2021 to coincide with availability of DDR5.
They may be looking to replace TSMC with SMIC [wikipedia.org] eventually.
[SIG] 10/28/2017: Soylent Upgrade v14 [soylentnews.org]
(Score: 1) by Frosty Piss on Wednesday February 26 2020, @01:03AM (3 children)
With baked-in back door!
(Score: 4, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday February 26 2020, @09:22AM (2 children)
Isn't it becoming obvious yet..?
What do you think things like the Intel Management Engine [wikipedia.org] are for? If you're not familiar with that it is, essentially, a computer within your computer on intel processors. It's purpose remains classified and it's completely unnecessary. A few years back those pesky Russian hackers showed a way [wikipedia.org] that it can be disabled, though such usage was only intended for "High Assurance Platform" users, like... the NSA.
The big difference between China and the US is increasingly just optics. China is unabashedly spying and exploiting their population. The US is doing the same, while pretending -probably in large part because of our now shat upon constitutional protections- that we're not. I expect you're very likely correct that these machines may end up having hardware backdoors. But much like our backdoors they'll probably have toggles so the elite can use their computers without risk of being spied on, and those toggles will hopefully be discovered.
(Score: 2) by DannyB on Wednesday February 26 2020, @04:13PM (1 child)
Why risk having a switch to turn off the backdoor compromise?
Can't the elite simply use a special model of equipment reserved for the "inner party" while the "telescreens" with no off switch go to the "outer party" and
trollsproles.The lower I set my standards the more accomplishments I have.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday February 26 2020, @07:04PM
With a toggle, any computer is usable. Adds substantial simplicity as well as likely security.
It also means in a scenario where the backdoor is discovered and exploited by outside players, a patch can be distributed to disable it on a wide scale if desired. Also, I think China is clearly aiming to become the dominant superpower within the next few decades, and that's going to be driven in large part by their economy and manufacturing. Having all your hardware permanently backdoored is probably not a good idea when it comes to foreign hardware exports.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday February 26 2020, @10:16AM (3 children)
This is good, in that now people have another option to choose from (if these chips can be exported out of china, that is) but it's bad in that we know these chips are going to be pwned by the Chinese .gov straight out of the factory. But then US chips are too, by the US .gov.
But it seems to me there should be some way of exploiting the common ground of these chips to create something that isn't backdoored.
Consider a custom designed machine that has one of these new chips installed, and an intel / AMD chip right alongside it. 99% of the time, you feed the same input into the two chips, they are going to produce the same output. The remaining 1% is likely to be the area where the nasty shit is hidden. Shouldn't it be possible to create a virtual system running on this blended platform, a virtual machine that effectively averages the results of the two chips? That way any anomalous black helicopter shit outputted from from either chip would be smoothed into uselessness by noise from the other.
(Score: 2) by engblom on Wednesday February 26 2020, @10:53AM
This is impossible for a normal user and even if you had a factory with all the expert, it would be difficult to get a such main board made. Also, you need at least 3 different CPU from different manufacturers fitting in that main board. Now also if you are not the manufacturer of that main board yourself, how do you know that the "virtual CPU" consisting of at least 3 CPU is not having a backdoors. It would not be too difficult to add a bit of extra logic to the main board so it got backdoors too.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday February 26 2020, @02:31PM
That's not how the backdooring works. Look at the Intel Management Engine. [wikipedia.org]
It's basically a completely independent microcomputer within your computer that can access arbitrary systems within your computer. I imagine the Chinese backdoors will be something similar. Since the spy systems tend to be integrated into the hardware itself, they're impossible to physically disable. Only option [wikipedia.org] for our spy system is to toggle a completely undocumented setting, one discovered by those pesky Russian hackers, that was meant for 'high assurance platform' users, like the NSA.
(Score: 2) by DannyB on Wednesday February 26 2020, @04:15PM
Can China have three models of chips:
0. For the elites within the country -- no compromise, backdoors, etc
1. For domestic use -- compromise backdoors
2. For export use -- different compromise backdoors
The lower I set my standards the more accomplishments I have.
(Score: 2, Informative) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday February 26 2020, @11:22AM (2 children)
This is not a "homegrown" architecture, but a result of VIA's involvement. It is a direct descendant of Centaur-designed Isaiah architecture. It is very old and very inefficient, but will fit the intended use well in time.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday February 26 2020, @04:21PM (1 child)
The Chinese government can throw tens of billions into R&D. These devices will catch up with Intel and AMD rapidly. Or they can just cheat and take all of AMD and Intel's technology directly - aren't most of their fabs in China already?
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday February 26 2020, @11:23PM
Intel's fabs are not in China and TSMC is in... Taiwan.
Anyway VIA has a much more advanced design capable of AVX512 - CHA, designed also by Centaur.