There have been several updates regarding a potential Huawei Kirin PC chip, but the company itself hasn't made any official announcements yet. An intriguing rumor from August suggested that this ARM-based chipset might have a unified architecture, much like Apple’s M series chips. Another report from April even hinted that it could compete with the Apple M3.
Rumored Delays in Launch
Despite speculation that Huawei would unveil the Kirin PC chip this year, there has been no confirmation from the firm. Recently, a tipster known as @BeijingDigitalMaster on Weibo indicated that the anticipated ARM-based chip has been pushed back to the first quarter of 2025. The reason for this delay wasn’t disclosed, but it likely relates to concerns over efficiency.
Current Chip Technology
Last year, Huawei achieved a significant milestone with the introduction of the 5G-enabled Kirin 9000S, but this chip, along with its successors, is produced using an older manufacturing technology. For context, the new Mate XT features the Kirin 9010, which is built on a 7 nm process. In contrast, the upcoming Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 and Dimensity 9400 are produced using a more advanced 3 nm node.
On a related note, the Snapdragon X series for PCs is manufactured with a 4 nm process. As is commonly understood, power consumption is closely linked to the size of the transistors used. Thus, smaller transistors typically lead to improved efficiency. For example, Huawei’s current 7 nm Kirin chip is significantly less efficient than the latest Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 and Dimensity 9300.
Future Prospects for Kirin
Even if the rumored Kirin PC chip does indeed match the performance of the Apple M3, it will struggle to deliver superior battery life if it continues to be made using the 7 nm process. Reports have suggested that SMIC, the semiconductor company that Huawei partners with, is now capable of producing 5 nm chips. If this information is accurate, it’s possible that Huawei is waiting for a more favorable production yield before moving forward.
