One indication that it may not be SMIC is that Huawei spelled out the process node (5nm) on the product page. They did not do that for 9000S. But it may not be the exact 9006C from the older laptop either. My reasoning is because the product page for the new laptop is a copy paste of the old one. All the specs, features, images, processor name (9006C 5n) is the same. It looks like they just only changed laptop model number. So the question is why would they change the model number if the resulting product is not going to have any performance difference with the old one. So my thinking is if it's not a newly fabbed chip then it may also not be the exact old 9006C either. So this could be another TSMC-era chip just labelled as 9006C.
Chinese semiconductor industry
- Thread starter Hendrik_2000
- Start date
- Status
One indication that it may not be SMIC is that Huawei spelled out the process node (5nm) on the product page. They did not do that for 9000S. But it may not be the exact 9006C from the older laptop either. My reasoning is because the product page for the new laptop is a copy paste of the old one. All the specs, features, images, processor name (9006C 5n) is the same. It looks like they just only changed laptop model number. So the question is why would they change the model number if the resulting product is not going to have any performance difference with the old one. So my thinking is if it's not a newly fabbed chip then it may also not be the exact old 9006C either. So this could be another TSMC-era chip just labelled as 9006C.
It is simply not plausible to claim that SMIC is currently producing 5nm chips at commercial volume. During the lead up to the 9000S there were all sorts of rumours floating around that something big was imminent. We did not know exactly what or when, but there was enough information from enough sources which agreed in enough detail so that the eventual release was not shocking.
This came out of nowhere, and while industry opsec is good enough to shroud the specifics for something this big, it is not some kind of PLA nuclear project. We would have heard something, and we didn't. 5nm processes are certainly being explored, but this far too early to be real.
Yes. Huawei would not mention anything about the chip，if it were indeed fabbed by SMIC 5nm. Just look at Mate60pro, Huawei did not mention anything about 9000s chip on any occasion，even today.
The might be salvaging earlier rejected chips. Maybe even have done some repair on them.
If Huawei is using an old stash of 5nm chips from TSMC to empty house, it will be
If the chips are indeed old stock, then it is very unlike Huawei behavior.
Huawei is one of the most innovate companies in the world. They cherish their brand value and their products are viewed as premium. They like to exceed expectations of their customers.
To risk damage to their brand by offloading old stock, where they have no control over quality or product continuity is a risky move. It achieves very little monetary value, since they could have continued holding on to their old stock and offloaded it when they reached 5nm mass production stage.
However, stranger things have happened. A tear-down is needed.
Maybe the PCs are a test run, on a controllable market and Huawei does not want to take risk on making other products at the moment in the commercial market.
If the chips are indeed old stock, then it is very unlike Huawei behavior.
Huawei is one of the most innovate companies in the world. They cherish their brand value and their products are viewed as premium. They like to exceed expectations of their customers.
To risk damage to their brand by offloading old stock, where they have no control over quality or product continuity is a risky move. It achieves very little monetary value, since they could have continued holding on to their old stock and offloaded it when they reached 5nm mass production stage.
However, stranger things have happened. A tear-down is needed.
Why is it so hard believe they would use old stock? Those are not vegetables and they are not from decades ago. They are components made a few years ago and the whole point of the stockpile was to use them after sanctions kick-in.
This is just making me remember what happened with smartphones some months ago. First we had reports of a new batch of Kirin 710A phones being available. And then Kirin 9000S phones dropped.
The price point for this laptop is kind of high for the specifications. Unless it is meant for government and institutional customers it makes little sense. If HiSilicon made it use a Kirin 9000S without the 5G modem, or sold Kirin 9000S chips with a broken modem as laptop chips, it would make a lot more sense.
The price point for this laptop is kind of high for the specifications. Unless it is meant for government and institutional customers it makes little sense. If HiSilicon made it use a Kirin 9000S without the 5G modem, or sold Kirin 9000S chips with a broken modem as laptop chips, it would make a lot more sense.
It is hard to believe because they have no control over the product line if they are using old stock.
Supposing they release these PC's from old chips stack with 5nm though they have not reached that stage in their own production.
What next? The customers would expect a similar if not better experience in the immediate future. So, what is Huawei supposed to say, sorry people our previous line is better than our future line.
What does it say about the brand. Companies like Huawei don't look back, they want to challenge Apple and Microsoft. They won't release products unless they can fully support it.
They were forced in the past by circumstances to abandon the 5nm line. They lost goodwill and market share because of that.
They will never repeat that same process again.
yes, this is an all domestic laptop meant for gov't or similar organizations in PC replacement program. Note the inclusion of Chinese OS options. I would be shocked if DRAM and SSD aren't domestic also
- Status