Russian chip maker Baikal introduces 48-core CPU in storage device, what does it mean for the computing market?

Russian processor maker Baikal Electronics' 48-core CPU (central processing unit) has been spotted online. It is worth noting that this product will never be launched in the market, and most gamers will not be able to buy it because of the multiple sanctions against Russia. However, the usage of this CPU in a storage system introduced by Eliptech is significant for the computing industry.

It is worth noting that this storage system, which was pictured by Russian media publication CNews is based on a very limited edition CPU from Baikal. Moreover, Twitter user Fritzchens Fritz threw the CPU under an infrared microscope to offer a good look at the internals of the processor.

Intel and AMD chips are rarely available in Russia due to the current sanctions, and Baikal never invested in mass-producing the chip. Moreover, Loongson chips have been declared exclusive to the Chinese market. Thus, the 140 million people inhabiting Russia might run into microprocessor scarcity.

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More details on Baikal's 48-core CPU and recent developments surrounding it

The Baikal CPU in question is based on the BE-S1000 server-grade SoC. It packs 48 Arn Cortex-A75 cores that are clocked at 2.50 GHz each. The SoC draws 120W power in total. When compared to modern server-grade workstation systems from companies like Intel and AMD, it is a bit underpowered. This is evident from the expansion slots and overall performance of the BE-S1000.

The SoC is coupled with six memory interfaces, each of which supports up to 128 GB of memory. These interfaces have a bus width of 72-bit each. In total, they can support up to 768 GB of DDR4-3200 ECC memory. Other connectivity options include a couple of gigabit ethernet ports, USB 2.0 connectors, up to four x4 PCIe Gen 4 connectors, and four U.2 expansion slots.

The BE-S1000 was recently used by Eliptech in a storage system, which is reportedly the chip's first commercial application. It is worth noting that Eliptech is a state-backed entity operating in Russia that develops technologies to drive the nation's banking and cloud service operations.

The introduction of the BE-S1000 in Eliptech's storage system can mean one thing for the entire computing market. In the upcoming years, the company can scale its presence in Russia first; then, it can slowly power more server-grade systems in other markets.

However, this best-case scenario might not happen anytime soon. The Baikal CPU was supposed to be based on TSMC's 16FFC fabrication technology. However, following the multiple sanctions applied on the country, all shipments to Russia have been halted.

Thus, at the moment, the biggest question is: how did Baikal manage to ship a finished CPU? If Eliptech's storage system is based on a central processing unit from existing stock, Baikal might not be able to mass produce the BE-S1000 anymore, which could suggest that the Russian microprocessor manufacturing industry has already met a dead end before taking off.