In a move that is sending shockwaves through the global semiconductor industry, China’s Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation (SMIC) has reportedly achieved a significant manufacturing milestone. According to multiple reports and benchmark sightings, SMIC has successfully fabricated its first-ever 5-nanometer (nm) grade system-on-a-chip (SoC), signaling a massive leap in China’s quest for semiconductor self-sufficiency.
The chip in question is the Kirin 9030, destined to power the highly anticipated Huawei Mate 80 series of smartphones. This achievement marks a critical step for both SMIC and Huawei, demonstrating that the Chinese tech giants can continue to advance in the face of significant international trade restrictions.
The N+3 Process: SMIC’s Answer to Advanced Nodes
The new Kirin 9030 has been manufactured using what SMIC internally calls its "N+3" process node. This technology has been in development since last year and represents the most advanced chipmaking process achieved in China to date. While not officially labeled as a "5nm" process by SMIC—a common practice where companies use their own nomenclature—industry analysis suggests its transistor density of roughly 125 million transistors per square millimeter (Mtr/mm²) puts it in the same ballpark as Samsung’s 5LPE (5nm Low-Power Early) node.
This density is a crucial metric, as packing more transistors into a smaller space generally leads to better performance and improved power efficiency. For Huawei, which was forced to halt production of its flagship Kirin chips in 2020, the successful mass production of the Kirin 9030 is nothing short of a renaissance for its smartphone business.
Geekbench Leak Reveals Kirin 9030 Specifications and Performance
The details of this technological leap first came to light through a listing on the popular benchmarking platform, Geekbench. The chip was spotted powering a device identified as the "Huawei Mate 80 Pro Max" (model number HUAWEI SGT-AL10), equipped with a substantial 16GB of RAM.
The benchmark data provides a clear look at the CPU architecture of the Kirin 9030:
- 1x High-performance (Taishan) core: Clocked at 2.75 GHz for demanding tasks.
- 4x Mid-range cores: Running at 2.27 GHz for balanced performance.
- 4x Efficiency cores: Clocked at 1.72 GHz to handle background tasks and preserve battery life.
The chip also features a Maleoon 935 GPU, though its exact specifications remain a mystery for now. The most telling part of the leak, however, was the performance score.
You can view the official Geekbench 6 listing for the Huawei Mate 80 Pro Max here: https://browser.geekbench.com/v6/cpu/15207211
The chip posted a single-core score of 1,131 and a multi-core score of 4,277. While these numbers are respectable, they tell only part of the story.
A Careful Interpretation of the Benchmark Scores
Prominent tech leaker Digital Chat Station on the Chinese social platform Weibo was quick to comment on the results. They suggested that these scores do not reflect the chip's full potential, as the engineering sample was likely not running at its peak thermal and power limits—a common practice during early testing to ensure stability.
Even when running at full potency, it is widely understood that the Kirin 9030 will not directly compete with the raw performance of current-generation flagships like the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 or the MediaTek Dimensity 9400. This is not a reflection of design flaws but rather a consequence of the underlying manufacturing technology. SMIC’s N+3 process, while a monumental achievement, is still believed to be at a disadvantage compared to the more mature and advanced 3nm and 4nm nodes used by TSMC for its rivals.
As the leaker Digital Chat Station noted on Weibo, this is a strategic achievement in capability, not necessarily a claim to the performance crown. You can see their original post here: https://weibo.com/6048569942/Qfr9Xvrjl
What This Means for the Global Semiconductor Landscape
The successful fabrication of the Kirin 9030 is far more than just a new phone chip; it's a geopolitical statement. It demonstrates that SMIC is capable of advancing its technology stack without direct access to the latest EUV (Extreme Ultraviolet) lithography equipment from Western suppliers. The company appears to have achieved this 5nm-grade node using older DUV (Deep Ultraviolet) machines through sophisticated multi-patterning techniques, a complex and costly workaround.
For consumers, the Huawei Mate 80 series, powered by this new chip, is poised to be a compelling device, especially within the Chinese market. It promises a significant generational performance jump over its 7nm predecessor and reinforces Huawei's ability to produce high-end, competitive smartphones.
While the performance gap with industry leaders remains, SMIC's breakthrough proves that the technological barrier to advanced node manufacturing is not insurmountable. The world is now watching closely as China’s semiconductor industry continues to chart its own course, reshaping the dynamics of one of the world's most critical technological fields. The upcoming launch of the Huawei Mate 80 will be the first real-world test of this homegrown triumph.
