Loongson launches its next generation CPU
Chinese CPU maker Loongson officially unveiled its next-generation 3A5000 processor based on the company's proprietary microarchitecture. The company claims that the processor offers up to 50% higher performance and lower power consumption than its predecessors, which could make it more competitive in certain areas than Intel and AMD.Loongson 3A5000 / LS3A5000 is processor quad-core operating at 2.30-2.50 GHz. According to CnTechPost, the cores are superscalar and have four general purpose ALUs and two 256-bit vector operating units. The cores are based on the architecture of the LoongArch GS464V instruction set, which features nearly 2,000 proprietary instructions. In addition to the basic ISA, LoongArch supports Binary Conversion Extension Instruction (LBT), Vector Processing Extension Instruction (LSX), Advanced Vector Processing Extension Instuction (LASX) and Virtualization Extension Instruction.
Credit: HKEPC Regarding performance, Loongson claims the 3A5000 / LS3A5000 processor is over 50% faster than its LS3A4000 predecessor (likely when running software designed for LoongArch) and also consumes 30% less power. Keeping in mind that the LS3A4000 was on par with AMD's Excavators, the new LS3A5000 will offer performance close to that of the first generation Ryzen. The developer claims that the new CPU achieves fixed and floating point single-core base scores of over 26 and quad-core scores of over 80 in SPEC CPU2006 when compiled using GCC. To reduce power consumption, the 3A5000 implements a dynamic frequency system, dynamic voltage regulation and can shut down unused hardware in real time.
The 3A5000 CPU has two DDR4-3200 memory controllers with ECC and four HyperTransport 3.0 controllers with consistency support to enable symmetric multiprocessing (SMP) capability. As well as all Chinese processors, Loongson's 3A5000 chips support the country's encryption standards, such as SM2, SM3, and SM4, directly via hardware.
Credit: CnTechPost Previously, Loongson pointed to its new processors generation "MIPS64 compatible", suggesting that the new chips will still bea> able to run programs designed for the company's LoongISA architecture, which is a subset of the MIPS64 ISA. In addition, the GCC, LLVM and GoLang compilers already support the LoongArch GS464V ISA, which is supported by several virtual machines. Loongson's 3A5000 CPUs will be sold mainly to Chinese PC manufacturers, so for now their price remains unknown and we will hardly see them in the West as well.
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MIPS-Based Products at CES 2009 Span Digital Home, Networking and Mobile Markets
Products Powered by MIPS® Processors Win Coveted Awards
MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. – January 15, 2009 – MIPS Technologies, Inc. (NasdaqGS: MIPS), a leading provider of industry-standard architectures, processors and analog IP for digital consumer, home networking, wireless, communications and business applications, today announced that dozens of the world’s leading electronics companies introduced and demonstrated design innovations based on the industry-leading MIPS® architecture at last week’s Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas. Several products that leverage MIPS, including those from ECHOSTAR, Samsung and NETGEAR, won coveted awards at the show.
'CES is always intriguing as we see so many innovative MIPS-based™ products from our licensees and their customers,' said Brad Holtzinger, vice president of worldwide sales and corporate marketing at MIPS Technologies. 'A large number of these products also contain MIPS analog IP, including our HDMI and USB solutions. This year we saw a number of groundbreaking MIPS-Based™ products in areas where we have a strong presence, like the digital home and home networking. We also saw a number of new products in the mobile arena, where MIPS Technologies’ traction is steadily increasing.'
The Digital Living Room and Mobile Products
2Wire and Blockbuster teamed to introduce the 2Wire MediaPoint™ digital media player, an on-demand video solution that offers movie fans instant access through their television sets to BLOCKBUSTER® ONDEMAND content. Broadcom Corporation announced that 2Wire selected its set-top box (STB) SoC solution to power the MediaPoint player.
Broadcom also introduced the industry’s first high definition (HD) STB SoC solutions with Multimedia over Coax Alliance (MoCA®) integration, and joined with Adobe Systems to announce integration of the Adobe® Flash® Platform into Broadcom’s latest DTV and STB SoC platforms. Broadcom also announced it is providing consumer electronics manufacturers with a series of 'video over Wi-Fi' reference designs for a superior video experience over a wireless connection. Manufacturers can leverage the software from Broadcom’s most popular 802.11n reference designs in digital TV platforms, Blu-ray Disc player platforms, and cable, satellite and IP set-top box platforms with Broadcom’s highly-integrated SoC solutions.
Cavium Networks joined with Ralink to demonstrate the world’s first WiFi 1080p60 Wireless HD reference design. Leveraging the MIPS-Based Ralink RT2880, the design is targeted for seamless wireless HD video distribution in the home.
Digeo announced consumer availability of its Moxi® High Definition Digital Video Recorder (HD DVR), a product that unifies high definition cable, PC and Internet content throughout the home.
Dish Networks unveiled the world’s first SlingLoaded™ HD DuoDVR™, the ViP® 922. The ViP 922 lets consumers watch and control their television programs from anywhere in the world via a broadband Internet connection on their laptop or mobile phone. The product is delivered by EchoStar, who together with Sling Media won a 'Best of CES' award for Hottest Home Video Product—the EchoStar SlingLoaded 922 HD DVR.
EMTEC’s new Gdium Mobile Netbook leverages a Loongson™ 2F by STMicroelectronics. The Gdium weighs 2.6 pounds, and is designed to combine high performance and low energy consumption.
Gefen announced that its Wireless for HDMI Extender, using Ultra Wideband (UWB) technology from TZero Technologies, is now shipping. The Gefen Wireless for HDMI Extender employs UWB technology to transport the large amounts of data required by the HDMI standard.
NETGEAR demonstrated its new Digital Entertainer Elite (EVA9150), which it touts as the most powerful and flexible digital media player available, incorporating the latest video, audio and wireless technologies.
RMI Corporation introduced its new RMI Alchemy™ Au1300™ Processor Family, targeted at consumer devices requiring high CPU performance, low power consumption, and rich media capabilities. RMI also teamed with Spirit DSP to deliver video communications for vendors of mobile internet devices (MIDs), portable media players, personal navigation devices, home media players (HMP) and other audio/video applications, based on the MIPS processor architecture. RMI also demonstrated its Advanced Processor Solutions®, highlighted by an Alchemy-based home media player reference design, an XLS-based™ home media server, and multiple Alchemy-based product demonstrations.
Samsung Electronics is partnering with Teradici Corporation to provide Teradici’s revolutionary PC-over-IP® (PCoIP®) technology directly integrated into Samsung’s new SyncMaster™ 930ND 19' LCD display. The product aims to deliver a rich graphical experience to desktop users in a fully-integrated display with all host computing equipment located a remote location. Samsung also announced new Blu-ray products at the show. Its new BD-P4600 wall-mountable Blu-ray player won a 'Best of Innovations' award.
Sigma Designs announced availability of its new SMP8642 media processor SoC, designed for mainstream Blu-ray Disk players. Leveraging multiple MIPS cores, the SoC enables OEMs to easily design a family of different price/performance offerings. Sigma also announced it will integrate Adobe Flash Lite™ software, Adobe’s Flash Player for mobile phones and devices, into its SoC solutions for advanced digital television and web service capabilities in the digital home. Sigma also demonstrated a new premium Blu-ray player reference design based on its SMP8644 media processor; and a Tru2way™ 8654 Cable TV STB reference design.
Zoran Corporation demonstrated its newest digital entertainment and digital imaging platforms and technologies for consumer electronics manufacturers, including SupraHD® high definition television designs; COACH-based digital camera designs; VaddisHD™ High Definition Multimedia Processor platforms supporting Blu-Ray, HQ-DVD and TVMM DVD players, TVs and portable players; SupraXD® system solutions for selected pay-satellite and IPTV set-top box markets in Asia, Europe and North America; and SupraHD®-based converter boxes under multiple brands that support the U.S. conversion to digital broadcasts in February 2009.
Networking, Storage and Security
Broadcom introduced its new BCM5356 chip, which reportedly achieves the highest level of integration and is the most cost effective WLAN router solution on the market. The company also announced the industry’s first fully integrated cable modem SoC solutions for DOCSIS® 3.0/Euro-DOCSIS™ 3.0 applications, with advanced line rate capabilities for next-generation cable modem termination systems. Cisco Systems plans to incorporate one of these newly announced solutions in its next-generation CMTS equipment. Broadcom also demonstrated xDSL customer premises equipment (CPE) SoC solutions supporting all G.993.2 VDSL2 bands.
Enablence Technologies announced that it will expand its use of BroadLight’s end-to-end Gigabit Passive Optical Network Communications Controller Integrated Circuits (E2E GPON ICs) for its high-speed GPON residential gateways and optical network terminals.
Entropic Communications announced that it has shipped over twenty million c.LINK® chipsets, and introduced its third generation c.LINK, the EN2510. c.LINK technology enables the creation of a whole home entertainment network and supports the MoCA 1.0 and 1.1 standards. Entropic also showcased the NETGEAR MCAB1001 Ethernet to Coax Bridge (ECB) kit, powered by its c.LINK technology, in demonstrations with the VUDU HD Internet Movie Box.
Ikanos Communications and Global Wireless Technologies LLC announced they are collaborating to extend mobile access indoors by providing a complete solution to the residential consumer. Ikanos’ Fusiv Vx180 gateway processor reduces space and power requirements by combining Ikanos’ VDSL2 CPE PHY and its Fusiv network processor architecture onto a single chip.
Lung Hwa Electronics became the first major Original Design Manufacturer (ODM) to offer Sigma Designs’ UWB-over-Coax technology to worldwide CE manufacturers. The CoAir® Ethernet to Coax Bridge Adapter is based on Sigma Designs’ CoAir UWB chipset.
NETGEAR introduced the RangeMax Dual Band Wireless-N Gigabit Router, which took the overall 'Best of Innovations' award in the Home Networking category. The WNDR3700 is the first product to introduce NETGEAR’s sleek new fifth generation industrial design. NETGEAR also displayed its high-performance ProSafe® product for small- to medium-sized businesses (SMBs).
NEXCOM teamed with RMI Corporation to debut NEXCOM’s new DNA1500 and DNA1501 products based on RMI’s XLS Processor® family. The XLS is a multi-core multi-threaded processor targeted at the SMB market for networking, storage and security based applications. RMI also announced availability of a comprehensive reference design kit for the SMB/SOHO Network Attached Storage (NAS) market; and together with NetLogic Microsystems announced an SMB secure wireless gateway reference design using an RMI XLS Processor.
Trendnet launched its high-performance 300Mbps Concurrent Dual-Band Wireless N Gigabit Router, model TEW-673GR. Built for extreme performance with an Atheros chipset, it reportedly delivers up to 12x the throughput and more than double the coverage of a wireless g router.
About MIPS Technologies, Inc.MIPS Technologies, Inc. (NasdaqGS: MIPS) is the world’s second largest semiconductor design IP company and the number one analog IP company worldwide. With more than 250 customers around the globe, MIPS Technologies is the only company that provides a combined portfolio of processors, analog IP and software tools for the embedded market. The company powers some of the world’s most popular products for the digital entertainment, home networking, wireless, and portable media markets—including broadband devices from Linksys, DTVs and digital consumer devices from Sony, DVD recordable devices from Pioneer, digital set-top boxes from Motorola, network routers from Cisco, 32-bit microcontrollers from Microchip Technology and laser printers from Hewlett-Packard. Founded in 1998, MIPS Technologies is headquartered in Mountain View, California, with offices worldwide. For more information, contact (650) 567-5000 or visit www.mips.com.