Xiaomi has officially debuted its proprietary XRING O1 chipset, marking a significant milestone in the company’s semiconductor ambitions. The announcement took place at the ´A New Beginning´ event in Beijing, where Xiaomi revealed technical details of the new processor. Built on a second-generation 3 nm process and housing 19 billion transistors, the XRING O1 features a 10-core CPU and a 16-core Immortalis-G925 GPU. According to company leadership, it promises flagship-class performance while setting new benchmarks for power efficiency. The processor further integrates Xiaomi’s fourth-generation image signal processor (ISP) and a 6-core neural processing unit (NPU) that delivers up to 44 TOPS, highlighting its strong orientation toward advanced Artificial Intelligence capabilities.
In the wake of its domestic launch, Xiaomi disclosed a renewed supply agreement with Qualcomm for Snapdragon chipsets, a move likely aimed at mitigating supply chain uncertainties amid geopolitical tensions. While Qualcomm’s current flagship chips retain technical superiority over the XRING O1, Xiaomi emphasizes the strategic importance of building out its in-house silicon, especially as the initial XRING O1 rollout targets the Xiaomi 15S Pro smartphone and Pad 7 Ultra tablet—both restricted to the Chinese market for now. Leaks suggest that certain binned versions of the XRING O1, initially used in early tablet samples, may eventually power more cost-effective Xiaomi products, laying the groundwork for a multi-tier portfolio.
Lu Weibing, Xiaomi’s president and partner, articulated a long-term strategy for the XRING division that extends beyond top-tier devices. He underscored the complex technological challenges of creating flagship-class systems on chip (SoCs), noting that overcoming these difficulties equips the team for broader initiatives. Weibing’s remarks suggested inspiration drawn from Apple’s model, not only in developing application processors but also in targeting proprietary modem chips that support a wide spectrum of wireless standards, from 3G upward. Insiders report that the XRING division has grown into a formidable entity, reflecting both staffing and expertise. As Xiaomi looks to complete what company leaders describe as a ‘matrix’ of connectivity and processing solutions, the move into mid-range and lower-end segments is depicted as an achievable next phase building on flagship learnings.
