Revision as of 16:13, 18 March 2017

Godson 2
Godson 2
Developer	Institute of Computing Technology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Loongson
Manufacturer	STMicroelectronics, SMICS
Type	Microprocessors
Introduction	2003 (announced) 2003 (launch)
Architecture	64-bit MIPS processors
ISA	MIPS64
µarch	GS464
Word size	64 bit 8 octets 16 nibbles
Process	180 nm 0.18 μm 1.8e-4 mm , 90 nm 0.09 μm 9.0e-5 mm , 65 nm 0.065 μm 6.5e-5 mm , 40 nm 0.04 μm 4.0e-5 mm
Technology	CMOS
Succession
←	→
Godson 1	Godson 3

Godson 2 (龍芯２) is a family of 64-bit MIPS performance desktop processors developed by the Institute of Computing Technology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (ICT) in 2003. The Godson 2 processors are now developed by Loongson Technology (which was co-founded by ICT) and sold as low-power embedded and desktop processors. The Godson 2 is famous for being the first Chinese developed 64-bit microprocessors as well as the first Chinese processors to break the gigahertz frequency.

Overview

Main article: GS464 µarch

The Godson 2 microprocessors are designed as a general purpose 64-bit that implements a MIPS64-like instruction set (Note that at the time ICT was not a MIPS licensee). Many improvements were done in Godson over its predecessor such as a wider pipeline capable of fetching and decoding four times as many instructions per cycle.

Initial Godson 2 models were fabricated on a 6-metal 0.18 µm process CMOS technology using automatic placing and routing. Later models enjoyed a series of process shrinks. The Godson 2 has integrated additional features over the years from just a CPU to an entire SoC incorporating a PCI/PCIX controller, memory controller, SPI/UART. Those processors utilized the a HyperTransport bus for the southbridge. Most recent models integrated much of the southbridge on-die as well including PCIe, SATA, and a USB controller as well as multimedia support (GPU, dual display, audio, and media decoders).

Godson 2 processors can be found in many low end laptops and embedded hardware manufactured by Lemote Technology.