A recent teardown analysis suggests that Huawei's latest Kirin 7nm chip may match the performance of TSMC's 5nm processor. Despite U.S. efforts to hinder China's progress in semiconductor technology, the region is making significant strides and could soon achieve new milestones.
The analysis was conducted by TechanaLye, a Japanese semiconductor research firm, which compared two Huawei chips: one from the Pura 70 series (the Kirin 9010) and another from a high-end Huawei model released in 2021. The teardown revealed differences in the circuit designs of the two processors. The newer Kirin chip, designed by HiSilicon and manufactured by SMIC, uses a 7nm process, while the 2021 chip, produced by TSMC, is based on a 5nm process.
Despite the difference in manufacturing processes, TechanaLye found that the performance of the Huawei Kirin 7nm chip is comparable to that of TSMC's 5nm chip. The two chips have similar areas—118.4 square millimeters for SMIC's 7nm chip versus 107.8 square millimeters for TSMC's 5nm chip—and deliver comparable performance.
TechanaLye's CEO, Hiroharu Shimizu, noted that HiSilicon has significantly improved its design capabilities, allowing it to produce processors that rival TSMC's 5nm chips, even with a wider circuit width.
Back in 2021, TSMC supplied 5nm-based chipsets for Huawei smartphones. However, the U.S. government blacklisted Huawei, cutting off its access to these advanced chips. In response, Huawei partnered with SMIC to develop its Kirin chips using a 7nm process. The company reintroduced its Kirin chip with the Mate 60 Pro last year and launched the more optimized Kirin 9010 in the Pura 70 Ultra. It's anticipated that Huawei will soon release another powerful processor with the Mate 70.
Shimizu also highlighted that the Pura 70 Pro is equipped with 37 processors supporting various functions such as memory, sensors, cameras, and power supply. Of these, 14 semiconductors are produced by HiSilicon, 18 by other Chinese suppliers, and 5 by foreign companies like SK Hynix (DRAM) and Bosch (motion sensors).
Shimizu remarked that U.S. export restrictions mainly affect cutting-edge server chips for AI and other high-risk applications. He believes that the U.S. may allow the development of chips that don't pose a military threat.
He further explained that U.S. trade restrictions have pushed China to become more self-reliant in semiconductor production. Currently, China's chip technology is only about three years behind TSMC, and the country could soon catch up in the advanced chipset competition.
China is already working to increase its chip production and enhance its technology. The latest report suggests that Chinese companies might soon present significant challenges to TSMC, which is currently facing difficulties in further reducing circuit sizes. The unfolding situation will be worth watching closely.