Recently, Russian technology company Baikal Electronics has made headlines for the launch of its new “domestic processor,” the Baikal-S. This processor, based on the Arm instruction set architecture (ISA), boasts 48 cores with a base frequency of 2.0GHz and maximum acceleration of 2.5GHz. It also includes a self-developed RISC-V architecture coprocessor for secure boot and management.

Baikal-S Processor is based on 28nm process with 48 cores

While the Baikal-S processor certainly appears impressive on paper, it’s important to consider the practicality of its use in the current technological landscape. Unfortunately, due to ongoing geopolitical conflicts, the Baikal-S1000 processor (manufactured using TSMC’s 16nm process) can no longer be mass-produced. This means that the CPU used on any motherboards or systems utilizing the Baikal-S processor will be limited to non-volume production versions.

Russian company Eliptech has also recently released a server motherboard, the ET113-MB, that is compatible with the Baikal-S processor. The motherboard boasts 6-way 72bit storage interfaces and support for up to 768GB of DDR4-3200 ECC memory, as well as 5 PCIe 4.0 x16 slots and various other I/O interfaces such as SATA and U.2.

While the capabilities of the Baikal-S processor and the Eliptech ET113-MB motherboard appear promising, there are some limitations to consider. For example, the practicality of the motherboard’s four U.2 ports may be limited due to their external placement. Additionally, the positions of the multiple slots for external boards on the motherboard may make it difficult to install certain card products without removing the bracket.

Another potential issue with the ET113-MB motherboard is its lack of graphics card capabilities, which raises questions about its potential use as a desktop workstation. Furthermore, the inclusion of audio connectors on the motherboard also seems unnecessary for a server or storage system.

Overall, while the Baikal-S processor and the Eliptech ET113-MB motherboard may have potential for use in server and storage systems, it’s important to keep in mind the limitations and practicality of utilizing non-mass-produced, domestic processors in today’s globalized technology landscape.