Ascend 910B (SMIC) Vs Ascend 910 (TSMC): Key Differences

admin

You need 3 min read

·

Post on Dec 01, 2024

56 visitor like this post

Share

Ascend 910B (SMIC) vs Ascend 910 (TSMC): Key Differences

The world of AI chips is constantly evolving, with new processors emerging to tackle increasingly complex tasks. Two significant players in this arena are Huawei's Ascend 910 and its successor, the Ascend 910B. While both are powerful AI accelerators, they differ significantly in their manufacturing process and, consequently, their performance and capabilities. This article delves into the key differences between the Ascend 910 (manufactured by TSMC) and the Ascend 910B (manufactured by SMIC).

Manufacturing Process: The Core Distinction

The most fundamental difference lies in their manufacturing process. The original Ascend 910 was fabricated using TSMC's 7nm process, a leading-edge technology at the time of its release. This allowed for a high transistor density, resulting in superior performance and power efficiency.

On the other hand, the Ascend 910B is produced using SMIC's 7nm process. While SMIC aims to compete with TSMC, there's a significant technological gap. SMIC's 7nm process isn't considered equivalent to TSMC's in terms of transistor density, yield rates, or overall performance. This difference significantly impacts the capabilities of the Ascend 910B.

Impact of Manufacturing Differences

The manufacturing process difference directly translates to several key distinctions:

• Performance: The Ascend 910, built on TSMC's superior 7nm node, generally boasts higher performance and faster processing speeds compared to the Ascend 910B. This is because a more advanced node allows for more transistors in a smaller area, leading to increased processing power.

• Power Consumption: The more efficient TSMC 7nm process results in lower power consumption for the Ascend 910. The Ascend 910B, due to its less efficient manufacturing process, likely consumes more power for the same computational tasks.

• Yield Rates: TSMC has a significantly higher yield rate than SMIC, meaning fewer defective chips are produced during manufacturing. This translates to potentially higher costs and lower availability for the Ascend 910B.

Beyond the Manufacturing Process: Other Key Differences

While the manufacturing process is the primary differentiator, other potential differences exist:

• Specific features and optimizations: Huawei might have incorporated different architectural optimizations or feature sets in the Ascend 910B to compensate for the limitations of SMIC's manufacturing process. However, detailed information on these potential differences is often limited due to Huawei's commercial strategies.

• Availability and Market Reach: Due to geopolitical factors and the limitations of SMIC's manufacturing capabilities, the Ascend 910B's availability and market reach may be more restricted than the Ascend 910.

Conclusion: Choosing the Right Ascend Chip

The choice between the Ascend 910 and Ascend 910B hinges primarily on the specific application and priorities. The Ascend 910, built on TSMC's advanced 7nm process, offers superior performance and power efficiency. However, the Ascend 910B, while potentially more restricted in availability and performance, represents Huawei's effort to maintain a competitive presence in the AI chip market despite geopolitical challenges. The lack of publicly available detailed specifications for the Ascend 910B makes definitive comparisons difficult, but the fundamental difference in manufacturing processes remains a crucial factor. Users should carefully weigh performance requirements, availability, and cost considerations when selecting the appropriate chip for their AI applications.