GoKawiilIrtysh processors may not be the first chips that come to mind when you think of the best CPUs. These chips cater to the Russian market and are relatively unknown internationally. Recently, the YouTube channel PRO Hi-Tech demonstrated the Irtysh C632’s gaming performance by running The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt alongside a Radeon RX 9060 XT. The results are nothing to brag about, though, since the 32-core processor is still leagues behind mainstream processors.
While the Irtysh processors are marketed as a Russian technological achievement, they actually leverage the LoongArch instruction set architecture (ISA) developed by Chinese chipmaker Loongson. As a result of U.S. sanctions that have directly cut Russia off from acquiring x86 CPUs, the country has sought alternative solutions, and the Irtysh chips from the Russian microelectronics firm Springboard Electronics are one of them.
Springboard Electronics, a subsidiary of Tramplin Electronics, appears to have licensed Loongson’s IP for the Irtysh series to circumvent U.S. restrictions. Many believe that the Irtysh chips are simply rebranded variants of the Loongson server-graded 3C6000 chips, which feature a chiplet design. Russia's transition comes with challenges, as LoongArch lacks software compatibility and performance optimizations, so it's still lagging behind mature x86 and Arm ecosystems. Despite these limitations, the Irtysh is an important milestone for Russia as the country attempts to build an independent technological infrastructure.
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Irtysh Processor Specifications
Swipe to scroll horizontally Processor Loongson Equivalent Cores / Threads Clock Speed (GHz) L3 Cache (MB) TDP (W) Irtysh C664 3C6000/Q 64 / 128 2.0 128 250 - 300 Irtysh C632 3C6000/D 32 / 64 2.1 64 180 - 200 Irtysh C616 3C6000/S 16 / 32 2.2 32 100 - 120
The Irtysh series, which currently includes models such as the C664, C632, and C616, leverages Loongson's LA664 execution cores, which are marketed as offering performance parity with AMD’s Zen 3 and Intel’s Ice Lake architectures. In terms of features, the Irtysh processors mirror the Loongson 3C6000, supporting up to 64 PCIe 4.0 lanes and quad-channel DDR4-3200 memory.
When Loongson introduced the LoongArch LA664 architecture in 2023, the company announced its intention to make the IP accessible to partners to drive broader adoption beyond China. This move opened the door for companies like Springboard Electronics to license the LoongArch LA664 architecture and further customize it to its own requirements.
It has allowed the Russian firm to incorporate features tailored to the Russian market, such as a domestically manufactured security module. The approach is consistent with Loongson’s practices. The 3C6000 processors also come with a range of security features for the Chinese market, including a dedicated security module and support for national cryptographic algorithms.
Иртыш. Совершенно точно не китайский процессор (ну или нет). - YouTube Watch On
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