Alibaba has launched the XuanTie C950, a high-performance, 64-bit multi-core CPU IP featuring an out-of-order superscalar microarchitecture, compliant with the RVA23 profile, and supporting “all optional extensions” including Vector Crypto, Zacas, and Zama16. The XuanTie C950 also supports the proprietary XuanTie AME (Attached Matrix Extension) ISA and can be integrated with Alibaba’s XuanTie TPE (Tensor Processing Engine) IP. This new 64-bit RISC-V core is designed for SoCs with up to eight cores per cluster, aimed at high-performance applications like cloud computing, edge computing, and AI computing.
Specifications for the XuanTie C950 include an RVA23 architecture, up to 8 cores clocked at 3.2 GHz with a Specint2006 base score of around 70 at 3.2 GHz, a superscalar out-of-order microarchitecture with 8-wide decode, RISC-V F/D and Vector Extensions including Vector Crypto support, and integration with the XuanTie TPE coprocessor (AME v0.5). Suitable for Type #1 and Type #2 hypervisors, it features a private L1 and L2 cache, optional L3 shared cache, Sv57/Sv48/Sv39 MMU with PA48, and supports Direct Connect Mode (CHI.E/CHI.F) and Multi-Processor Mode (AXI4.0/ACE4.0). Security features include CFI (Landing Pad, Shadow Stack)/Smmtt. Additional features include CBQRI and Ssqosid QoS, AIA v1.0 interrupt support, RISC-V Debug Specification v1.0, RISC-V Nexus Trace v1.0, RERI interface, and is manufactured using a 5nm process.
On the software end, Alibaba states that the compiler, assembler, linker, debugger, and binary tools are contributed to GNU/LLVM, with official support also extended to QEMU. They offer an optimized runtime library, an Integrated Development Environment (CDS), and multi-OS support. Performance-wise, the C950’s Specint2006 base score of 70 at 3.2 GHz sets a new record for a RISC-V core, outperforming the C920 core by three times. Additionally, Alibaba introduces the C925 LITTLE core, achieving 12+/GHz in Specint2006 base, being 34% smaller and 11% more power-efficient than the preceding C930 core, and also compliant with RVA23.1.
Since the XuanTie C950 is compatible with the XuanTie TPE (Tensor Processing Engine) AI co-processor, it is optimized for generative AI, large language model inference, and computer vision, with support for Qwen3-256B-A22B and DeepSeek V3-671B highlighted.
Further details can be found on the product page, including a datasheet and an additional social media post. Additional information sources include tphuang on X and The Register.