Zhaoxin KaiXian x86 Processor Now Commercially Available to the DIY Channel

[btarunr]

Zhaoxin is a brand that makes multi-core 64-bit x86 processors primarily for use in Chinese state IT infrastructure. It's part of the Chinese Government's ambitious plan to make its IT hardware completely indigenous. Zhaoxin's x86-64 CPU cores are co-developed by licensee VIA, specifically its CenTaur subsidiary that's making NCORE AI-enabled x86 processors. The company's KaiXian KX-6780A processor is now commercially available in China to the DIY market in the form of motherboards with embedded processors.

The KaiXian KX-6780A features an 8-core/8-thread x86-64 CPU clocked up to 2.70 GHz, 8 MB of last-level cache, a dual-channel DDR4-3200 integrated memory controller, a PCI-Express gen 3.0 root-complex, and an iGPU possibly designed by VIA's S3 Graphics division, which supports basic display and DirectX 11.1 readiness. The CPU features modern ISA, with instruction sets that include AVX, AES-NI, SHA-NI, and VT-x comparable virtualization extensions. The chip has been fabricated on TSMC 16 nm FinFET process.



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[hojnikb]

Performance wise ,what does this compare to?

 

[ratirt]

Are there any benchmarks or tests comparing it to one of the Intel's or AMD's processors? It would be nice to get an insight what this one can do.
It kinda looks, like it is all copper?

 

[btarunr]

It kinda looks, like it is all copper?

That's just colorless fiberglass substrate with the copper layers showing through.

 

[R0H1T]

It's part of the Chinese Government's ambitious plan to make its IT hardware completely indigenous.

And so it begins, the final frontier i.e. x86

 

[LocutusH]

Sorry, more than one X in the name, not gonna buy it.

 

[TheLostSwede]

As I mentioned in another thread, this is an eight year old Centaur core that Zhaoxin has tweaked a bit to improve the performance a bit, so it's nothing to get excited about.
This is NOT based on the new "CHA" core that they've announced recently.

 

[lexluthermiester]

8 MB of last-level cache

Last-Level? What does that mean?

 

[TheLostSwede]

Are there any benchmarks or tests comparing it to one of the Intel's or AMD's processors? It would be nice to get an insight what this one can do.
It kinda looks, like it is all copper?

If it's anything like VIA's old chips, it's actually brown, not copper.

Last-Level? What does that mean?

L2, L3 or L4, all depends on the chip design. I.e. the last level of cache after L1. Judging by the screen shot, it's L2.

 

[ixi]

Are there any benchmarks or tests comparing it to one of the Intel's or AMD's processors? It would be nice to get an insight what this one can do.
It kinda looks, like it is all copper?

Here.


In the video we can see cs:go fps, but dunno if it's with dGPU or iGPU.

 

[R0H1T]

Here.

Seems an awfully long way behind the contemporary x86 designs.

P.S. Don't forget Hygon
Chinese Zen-Based CPU on Sale: Sugon Workstation with 8-Core Hugon Dhyana Processor

 

[csendesmark]

Wow,
The Via wildcard finally in play

 

[Aquelito]

The "almost" thin-itx format with a x16 PCIe slot is pretty interesting.

 

[bug]

As I mentioned in another thread, this is an eight year old Centaur core that Zhaoxin has tweaked a bit to improve the performance a bit, so it's nothing to get excited about.
This is NOT based on the new "CHA" core that they've announced recently.

I was about to say, remove that HDMI port and you could mistake the whole thing for a 90s board.

 

[Frick]

NanoITX with at least two NICs plz, and make them avaliable to the world for cheap. .... I wonder how many buyers though for fear of chinese hardware.

I was about to say, remove that HDMI port and you could mistake the whole thing for a 90s board.

Coloured outputs.

 

[birdie]

Are there any benchmarks or tests comparing it to one of the Intel's or AMD's processors? It would be nice to get an insight what this one can do.
It kinda looks, like it is all copper?

Here's what I've found:

KaiXian - Geekbench Search - Geekbench

PassMark Site Search

www.passmark.com

ZHAOXIN KaiXian Benchmarks, Linux Performance - OpenBenchmarking.org

openbenchmarking.org

In single core mode they are 1.5 times slower than Core i5 2500 from 2011. So, it's not about raw performance, it's about having their own x86 CPU without US mandated back doors (Intel IME, etc) and also we don't know anything about power consumption. They are slow but might be extremely power efficient.

The Chinese have the resources and talent to make these CPUs 30-50% faster if they want. They have enough spying prowess and agreements to have all the blueprints (Intel Sky Lake, AMD Zen 1+, Apple Bionic) in the world :-D And the Chinese CPUs are already much much faster than the last known VIA CPUs.

Also, notice that their fastest CPU, ZHAOXIN KaiXian KX-U6780A, runs at just 2.7GHz which means by increasing its frequency to e.g. 4GHz they can already gain up to 50% of performance. I'm excited! What could be better than a third player in the absolutely stale x86 market?

 

[bug]

Coloured outputs.

Also solid caps.
But I didn't say "identical to a 90s board"

Here's what I've found:

https://browser.geekbench.com/v4/cpu/search?q=ZHAOXIN+KaiXian
https://www.passmark.com/search/zoomsearch.php?zoom_query=KaiXian

In single core mode they are 1.5 times slower than Core i5 2500 from 2011. So, it's not about raw performance, it's about having their own x86 CPU without US mandated back doors (Intel IME, etc) and also we don't know anything about power consumption. They are slow but might be extremely power efficient.

Don't get your hopes up, these are probably as inefficient as they are outdated. But they're a first iteration of many to come.

 

[XiGMAKiD]

Now I'm waiting for "security flaw" news for this processor

 

[lexluthermiester]

it's about having their own x86 CPU without US mandated back doors

Actually, you have that completely backwards. The Chinese government wants a backdoor built into every system operating inside their boarders. They want CPU's they can command and control on a whim.

 

[Ferrum Master]

SATA header is already cracked buah

The board does feed only from 12V

And the CPU does hove some fishy external clocking, two additional clocks and done in very vintage manner. It could be the that the internal are faulty...

 

[TheLostSwede]

NanoITX with at least two NICs plz, and make them avaliable to the world for cheap. .... I wonder how many buyers though for fear of chinese hardware.

Because so much of it is 1. Junk 2. Not supported 3. The warranties are worth less than zero. 4. They only have "limited" stock, i.e. what you see on Alibaba etc. is all they got.

 

[Ferrum Master]

Because so much of it is 1. Junk 2. Not supported 3. The warranties are worth less than zero. 4. They only have "limited" stock, i.e. what you see on Alibaba etc. is all they got.

I wonder, why just people doesn't slap a laptop board into a small case if they are so into small form factors...

 

[TheLostSwede]

In single core mode they are 1.5 times slower than Core i5 2500 from 2011. So, it's not about raw performance, it's about having their own x86 CPU without US mandated back doors (Intel IME, etc) and also we don't know anything about power consumption. They are slow but might be extremely power efficient.

The Chinese have the resources and talent to make these CPUs 30-50% faster if they want. They have enough spying prowess and agreements to have all the blueprints (Intel Sky Lake, AMD Zen 1+, Apple Bionic) in the world :-D And the Chinese CPUs are already much much faster than the last known VIA CPUs.

Also, notice that their fastest CPU, ZHAOXIN KaiXian KX-U6780A, runs at just 2.7GHz which means by increasing its frequency to e.g. 4GHz they can already gain up to 50% of performance. I'm excited! What could be better than a third player in the absolutely stale x86 market?

Sorry, but what are you on about? This is a Centaur/VIA developed core from 2012 that they licensed to Zhaoxin through a joint venture.
This is old tech with a few tweaks. No spying, nothing weird going on here. In fact, they want the CHA that Centaur just announced and depending on what VIA agrees on, they might very well get it as well.

Don't get your hopes up, these are probably as inefficient as they are outdated. But they're a first iteration of many to come.

Third iteration actually.

I wonder, why just people doesn't slap a laptop board into a small case if they are so into small form factors...

Because it's hard to get a case that fits and looks nice?

 

[birdie]

Actually, you have that completely backwards. The Chinese government wants a backdoor built into every system operating inside their boarders. They want CPU's they can command and control on a whim.

Every state of the world wants/demands back doors in what its companies produce. The Chinese are no different in this regard.

 

[Ferrum Master]

Because it's hard to get a cast that fits and looks nice?

It kinda proves the market is so small, that there is none, you can always 3D print one... if you need smaller... there is NUC and case closed... It isn't that expensive really if you sum all things up.