Hygon, a Chinese server CPU manufacturer that holds a Zen core IP from AMD, has unveiled its most powerful server processor to date - the C86-5G. This impressive chip boasts up to 128 cores and an incredible 512 threads. With a complete microarchitectural redesign, the C86-5G delivers over 17 percent higher instructions per cycle (IPC) compared to its predecessor. It also supports the AVX-512 vector instruction set and four-way simultaneous multithreading, making it ideal for highly parallel workloads.
The C86-5G features sixteen channels of DDR5-5600 memory to handle data-intensive tasks, while CXL 2.0 interconnect support allows for seamless scaling across multiple sockets. Built on an undisclosed semiconductor node, this processor includes advanced power management and a robust security engine. With 128 lanes of PCIe 5.0, the C86-5G offers ample bandwidth for accelerators, NVMe storage, and high-speed networking. Hygon positions this flagship CPU as perfect for artificial intelligence training clusters, large-scale analytics platforms, and virtualized enterprise environments.
The development of the C86-5G spanned five years, starting with the C86-1G, which had up to 32 cores, 64 threads, eight channels of DDR4-2666 memory, and 128 lanes of PCIe 3.0. The journey continued with the C86-2G, maintaining the core count but introducing enhancements like a revamped floating-point unit and custom security instructions. The C86-3G brought a fully homegrown CPU core and system-on-chip framework, with increased memory support and I/O capabilities. The C86-4G further improved compute density, IPC, memory channels, and PCIe lanes, paving the way for the powerful C86-5G.
With the C86-5G, Hygon has demonstrated its ability to compete with global server CPU leaders, showcasing China's growing prowess in high-performance computing.
