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Loongson Launches New Bridge Chip LS7A2000 with Self-Developed GPU
Recently, LS7A2000, a new-generation bridge chip for the Loongson 3 processor family, was officially released. Compared to the previous generation, the LS7A2000 features high-speed I/O interfaces that are competitive in the market and a self-developed GPU core that allows for discrete graphics solutions. Thus, it can significantly reduce the system cost.
1. Use with Loongson 3 CPU
A bridge chip is a component on a PCB that connects the CPU to peripheral interfaces/expansion interfaces. It exchanges data with the CPU on one side and communicates with peripherals such as hard drives, networks, and displays on the other side. It determines the transmission bandwidth of I/O interfaces and the capability to process graphical information. With the release of the LS3A5000 and 3C5000, the industry urgently requires a modern bridge chip. Accordingly, the introduction of the LS7A2000 will enhance the overall performance of the new-generation Loongson 3 CPU in both desktop and server applications.
2. Self-Developed GPU Enabling Discrete Graphics Solutions
The 7A2000 bridge chip comes, for the first time, with a self-developed GPU module that uses a unified rendering architecture and has a frequency of 400-500 MHz. Based on the OpenGL 2.1 and OpenGL ES 2.0 standards, the chip integrates a DDR4 video memory controller, with a frequency ranging from 2,000 MHz to 2,400 MHz and a maximum memory of 16 GB. It supports dual display output, with a typical resolution of 1920×1080@60 Hz and a maximum of 2560×1440@30 Hz. Furthermore, its glmark2 performance exceeds 300 fps while glxgears scores over 1800 fps. Therefore, the chip can meet the needs of desktop applications. The GPU module in the bridge chip allows for discrete graphics solutions, making Loongson computers more cost-effective.
3. Sufficient Features and Significantly Enhanced Performance
The LS7A2000 also integrates interfaces such as PCIE 3.0, SATA 3.0, USB 3.0/2.0, Gigabit Ethernet PHY, HDMI, I2C, UART, and GPIO. These interfaces can provide a wealth of southbridge and northbridge functions for Loongson processors. The display interfaces have been upgraded to two-way HDMI and one-way VGA, allowing direct connection to a monitor. Additionally, the LS7A2000 has integrated a network PHY for direct output of the LAN port.
In combination with LS7A2000, LS3A5000 will experience significant improvements in read and write performance and transmission speed.
The frequency of HyperTransport reaches 3.2 GHz while that of DDR4 arrives at 2,400 bps;
Its SATA read performance improves by 82% and write performance by 97% when compared to the LS7A1000;
Its PCIe performance is 2.4 times that of the 7A1000.
Copy testing on a computer equipped with LS3A5000 and 7A2000
4. Many Ecosystem Partners Commence the R&D of PCBs
Currently, multiple PCB manufacturers and ODMs have developed single-way, dual-way, and quad-way combinations of LS3A5000+7A2000 or LS3C5000/3C5000L+7A2000. These hardware products are expected to be applied in fields such as government administration, finance, cybersecurity, education, telecommunications, industrial control, transportation, and healthcare, as well as data centers and cloud computing centers, in order to keep innovating the industrial ecosystem.
