While TSMC's 2nm manufacturing process is still a few years away, a Japanese company is already developing a chipset-based CPU that integrates Arm Neoverse designs. With additional custom chips, the entire processor system can serve different purposes with optimized performance.
Socionext is a Japanese SoC design solution provider with business interests in the automotive, data center, network and smart device industries. The Yokohama-based company recently unveiled a new 32-core Arm CPU based on a chip design that delivers "scalable performance" in hyperscale data centers and next-generation mobile infrastructure, including 5G and 6G.
The Japanese company mentioned that its advanced proof-of-concept chip uses Arm's Neoverse computing subsystem technology, a pre-integrated, pre-verified computing platform designed to simplify customization. Chipsets are available with single or multiple "instances" within a single package, as well as add-on chipsets for IO and specific application needs.
Socionext will use TSMC's 2nm silicon process, and the Taiwanese foundry plans to complete this manufacturing process in the second half of 2025. Once the chipset is launched on the market, hyperscale customers will have a new option for more cost-effective package-level upgrades at any time.
Socionext's ArmNeoverse-based chipsets are available with 32, 64, 128 or more compute cores and integrate seamlessly with customers' existing designs. In addition, the chip is expected to be compatible with other Arm ecosystem chips, including application-specific chips designed for generative artificial intelligence algorithms, high-performance computing, edge computing and 5G/6G mobile infrastructure.
Socionext also highlighted how leveraging the reusability of chips to create multiple product platforms can foster innovation. System architects can explore new possibilities when designing various platform variants within the same product family. As the NeoverseCSS platform provides greater accessibility for custom silicon designs, Arm is pleased to be part of this partnership.
In the process of turning designs into actual silicon devices, TSMC plays a critical role that no technology company can afford to ignore. The Taiwanese foundry is excited to support Socionext’s plans and Arm’s flexible chip designs, which deliver outstanding performance, especially when combined with the company’s upcoming 2nm process. TSMC and Socionext have a long history of cooperation in the field of cutting-edge chip technology of various generations, and the 2nm process will further strengthen the cooperative relationship between the two parties.