Huawei has launched a desktop PC that it says is built entirely from Chinese-made components, using its own Kirin X90 processor and HarmonyOS Enterprise Edition.
The Qingyun HM650 and HM650g desktops feature a 10-core, 20-thread Kirin X90 system-on-chip clocked at 2.3 GHz, with 16 GB of LPDDR5 memory and either 256 GB or 512 GB of SSD storage. The machines run Huawei's new HarmonyOS Enterprise Edition, which uses Huawei's own kernel rather than Linux components.
Beijing has ordered all government entities to switch from Windows-Intel systems to local alternatives. China's government is an enormous buyer, and a single agency has reportedly signed up for 600 of the machines.
But the claim that all components are manufactured in China requires important caveats. While the chip is fabricated by SMIC using its 7nm-class N+2 process, and memory and storage are likely from Chinese makers CXMT and YMTC respectively, the semiconductor supply chain still relies on foreign manufacturing equipment from the Netherlands, the US and Japan, materials from Japan, intellectual property from the UK, and electronic design automation tools from the US and partly China.
TechInsights has confirmed the processor's manufacturing process through a teardown analysis. The Kirin X90 uses Huawei-designed Armv8-based Taishan CPU cores in a 4+4+2 configuration, all supporting simultaneous multithreading, and integrates Huawei's Maleoon GPU and a neural processing unit for AI workloads.
Compatibility with existing Windows applications may remain a limitation for enterprise customers that rely on software from multinational corporations, Tom's Hardware notes.
Analysis
Why This Matters
- The Qingyun HM650 marks China's most credible attempt yet to produce a government-grade PC free of foreign components, threatening Intel, AMD and Qualcomm in one of the world's largest procurement markets.
- The launch tests whether a sanctioned country can assemble a fully domestic PC supply chain, even if the underlying tools and equipment remain foreign.
- Adoption by Chinese government agencies could accelerate the global fragmentation of PC hardware and software ecosystems.
Background
Huawei has been under US sanctions since 2019, restricting its access to American chips and software. The company developed HarmonyOS to reduce its dependence on Android and has been expanding its Kirin processor line from smartphones to PCs. China has ordered all government entities to replace foreign-sourced computers with domestic alternatives.
Key Perspectives
Huawei: claims all components in the Qingyun HM650 are manufactured in China.
Tom's Hardware analysis: notes that while the CPU, memory and storage are fabricated domestically, the semiconductor supply chain still depends on foreign manufacturing equipment, materials, IP and EDA tools.
The Register: points out that many non-Chinese companies operate factories in China, so components made there may not use Chinese designs.
What to Watch
- Whether other Chinese government agencies place large orders for the Qingyun HM650, indicating confidence in the system.
- How enterprises handle software compatibility with HarmonyOS, which lacks native Windows application support.
- Further teardown analysis that may identify any foreign-branded components inside production units.
Checked
12 claims in this story checked against 2 sources: 12 supported.
Show each claim
- SupportedHuawei launched a desktop PC that it says uses only Chinese-made components.www.theregister.com - Articles: “Huawei claims it’s built a desktop PC that uses only parts made in CHina. The company launched the Qingyun HM650 last week”
- SupportedThe Qingyun HM650 uses Huawei’s own Kirin X90 processor.www.theregister.com - Articles: “said it uses Huawei’s own Kirin X90 processor”
- SupportedThe desktop runs HarmonyOS Enterprise Edition.Latest from Tom's Hardware: “The machines run Huawei's HarmonyOS Enterprise Edition”
- SupportedWhether the machines are entirely Chinese-made remains an open question.Latest from Tom's Hardware: “But whether these machines are truly 'entirely domestic' is an open question.”
- SupportedBeijing has ordered all government entities to switch from Windows-Intel systems to local alternatives.www.theregister.com - Articles: “Beijing has ordered all government entities to shift from Wintel boxes to local alternatives.”
- SupportedA single government agency has reportedly signed up for 600 machines.www.theregister.com - Articles: “A single Chinese government agency has reportedly signed up for 600 of the machines.”
- SupportedThe desktops’ Kirin X90 chip has 10 cores, 20 threads and a 2.3 GHz clock speed.www.theregister.com - Articles: “a ten-core 20-thread machine with a clock speed of 2.3 GHz.”
- SupportedThe desktops have 16 GB of LPDDR5 memory.Latest from Tom's Hardware: “The Huawei Qinyun HM650 and HM650g desktop PCs come with 16 GB of LPDDR5 memory”
- SupportedThe desktops have either 256 GB or 512 GB of SSD storage.Latest from Tom's Hardware: “and either a 256GB or 512GB SSD”
- SupportedTechInsights’ teardown analysis confirmed that SMIC makes the chip using its 7nm-class N+2 process.Latest from Tom's Hardware: “a teardown analysis by TechInsights confirmed that the CPU is manufactured by SMIC using its 7nm-class N+2 process technology.”
- SupportedThe memory and storage are likely from CXMT and YMTC, respectively.Latest from Tom's Hardware: “16 GB of LPDDR5 memory (probably made by China's CXMT) and either a 256GB or 512GB SSD (probably made by Chinese flash maker YMTC)”
- SupportedThe supply chain relies on foreign manufacturing equipment, materials, intellectual property and EDA tools.Latest from Tom's Hardware: “they are still made using foreign manufacturing equipment (from the Netherlands, U.S., and Japan), materials (from Japan), intellectual property (from the UK), and electronic design automation (EDA software from the U.S. and partly from China) tools.”
