The Zhaoxin KX-7000, one of China's latest desktop CPUs, has been put to the test in its first comprehensive review by PC Watch. The results show that the KX-7000, despite boasting eight cores and a 3.7 GHz boost clock, still falls behind older budget chips from Intel and AMD.
The KX-7000, launched in December, is the flagship of Zhaoxin's KX-7000 series. It features a chiplet design, similar to AMD's Ryzen CPUs since the 3000 series, with separate chips for the CPU cores and I/O functions. While Zhaoxin hasn't disclosed the manufacturer or fabrication node for the KX-7000 chiplets, the CPU supports both DDR4 and DDR5 memory, PCIe 4.0, and features Zhaoxin's latest C-1190 integrated GPU.
Despite utilizing Intel's LGA1700 socket, the KX-7000 is unlikely to be compatible with 600- or 700-series motherboards. This is due to Zhaoxin's likely use of different wiring compared to Intel. The use of the LGA1700 socket is a strategic move to ensure broader cooler compatibility, crucial for a socketed processor.
PC Watch's review tested the KX-7000 on a generic, unlabeled motherboard with DDR4 support, bypassing the newer DDR5. Notably, only DDR4 clocked at 3,200 MHz enabled the CPU to boot initially. This limitation can be adjusted in the BIOS, according to PC Watch, but the reviewer raised concerns about the potential for firmware and software support issues, particularly regarding driver access.
The KX-7000's performance, though exceeding its predecessor, failed to reach the level of older, budget CPUs like the Core i3-8100 and Ryzen 5 5600G. In Cinebench R23, the KX-7000 could only match the 8100 in the multi-threaded test while lagging behind in single-threaded performance, achieving only 60% of the Intel chip's score. The 5600G outperformed the KX-7000 by a significant margin in both single- and multi-threaded tests, registering about three times faster performance.
The C-1190 iGPU, based on Glenfly's Arise GT10C0 graphics card, also fell short. In 3D Mark Time Spy, the C-1190 scored a dismal 42 points, compared to the 8100's 469 and the 5600G's 1440. This underwhelming performance mirrored other 3DMark tests.
When paired with an RX 6400, AMD's entry-level graphics card, the KX-7000 managed to match the 8100 in 3DMark and Final Fantasy XIV. However, it struggled in Dragon Quest X, an older game reliant on single-threaded performance.
While the KX-7000 is unlikely to compete with modern Intel and AMD CPUs in the near future, performance is not the primary focus for China's semiconductor industry. Self-sufficiency is a more critical goal, especially as the US government increases trade restrictions on China. The US government's recent blockage of Intel's Meteor Lake CPUs to Huawei underscores the importance of domestically produced chips for supply chain stability.
Zhaoxin's focus on self-sufficiency rather than competing with established CPU giants highlights the unique challenges and objectives faced by China's semiconductor industry. While the KX-7000 may not be a groundbreaking CPU in terms of raw performance, it signifies China's determination to build a domestic alternative in the global semiconductor landscape. The long-term implications of this drive for self-reliance remain to be seen, but it is a significant development in the ongoing global technological competition.
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