The XRing O1 SoC is an “impossible” prodigy. Here’s how Xiaomi circumvented the US’s stringent restrictions.

However, in this article, we’re not going to delve into the performance of this chip or compare it with the alternatives offered by Apple, Qualcomm, or MediaTek. What I suggest is that we examine how Xiaomi managed to get the US Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security to allow it to manufacture it on TSMC’s N3E (3 nm) node. This Chinese company isn’t included on the US “blacklist,” but this is only part of a story in which Xiaomi has demonstrated enormous expertise.

TSMC’s lithography plays a leading role in this chip’s performance.
During the presentation of the XRing O1 SoC, Xiaomi revealed some very interesting details about its architecture, and there’s no doubt that the engineers at ‘Xuanjie’ have done a very good job in this area. However, Lei Jun, the company’s founder and CEO, acknowledged yesterday during the event that their goal from the beginning was to develop a SoC produced on the most advanced lithographic node available. A well-executed architecture and cutting-edge integration technology are the two ingredients that must necessarily be included in the recipe for a flagship SoC.

As I mentioned above, Xiaomi is not included on the US “blacklist,” but this condition is not enough to access TSMC’s N3E node, which is one of the most advanced currently operating. The latter company is from Taiwan, but both the machines from the Dutch company ASML it uses to manufacture its integrated circuits and the wafer processing techniques it employs incorporate US-origin technologies. This is the circumstance that gives the US the power to intervene in ASML and TSMC’s business.