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Godson-2 Microprocessor Is China's Great Leap Forward
(from Microprocessor Report)
A 64-bit microprocessor went into production last quarter that
demonstrates China is capable of designing world-class microprocessors,
according to a new article published by In-Stat's Microprocessor Report. The
Chinese processor, named Godson-2 (also known as Dragon), is the second
chip in the Godson family. The Godson architecture is an unauthorized
variation of the popular MIPS architecture from MIPS Technologies, a
U.S. company.
Based on detailed analysis, In-Stat's Microprocessor Report has reached
several conclusions, including the following:
- hina already is capable of designing world-class microprocessors. The
only restraint on their performance is that Chinese chip-fabrication
technology lags about two generations behind the rest of the industry.
However, China is catching up fast, and the Chinese could gain access to
state-of-the-art fabrication technology by outsourcing some
manufacturing to independent foundries outside China.
- The Godson architecture is a close imitation of the MIPS architecture
and is about 95% MIPS compatible. The Godson-2 is similar to the MIPS
R10000, introduced in 1995. These similarities could raise some
controversial intellectual-property issues, because MIPS Technologies has no
connection with Godson and hasn't licensed any technology to the Godson
designers.
- For now, at least, the Chinese are producing Godson processors solely
for their own domestic market. However, international exports are
possible in the future, especially if the Chinese embed their processors in
consumer-electronics products and other finished goods shipped to world
markets. China's ambition to make its own microprocessors will affect
microprocessor vendors all over the world.
In-Stat's conclusions are based on independent analysis and an
exclusive interview with Weiwu Hu, Godson's chief architect. Weiwu is a
professor at the Institute for Computing Technology at the Chinese Academy of
Sciences in Beijing. A sidebar to the main article has excerpts from
this fascinating interview.
"China's Emerging Microprocessors" is available now to MPR subscribers
and can also be purchased on the In-Stat website by nonsubscribers for
$99. The article was written by Tom R. Halfhill, an In-Stat senior
analyst and senior editor for Microprocessor Report. For more information,
visit www.in-stat.com or contact Halfhill at thalfhill@reedbusiness.com
or (408) 345-1635.
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