Chinese computer maker Powerleader says its CPU was developed 'with the support of Intel'

Shenzhen-based computer maker Powerleader, which was suspected by hardware testing websites of rebadging one of Intel's older microprocessors as its own, said its central processing unit (CPU) was developed "with the support of Intel".

The Chinese company's Powerstar P3-01105 CPUs were found to be identical to Intel's Core i3-10105 Comet Lake CPU, according to a recent report published by online tech news site Tom's Hardware, citing results of a CPU benchmark test conducted by Geekbench on May 26.

Powerleader said in a statement on Wednesday that its first-generation Powerstar CPU, which was released on May 6, "is a customised product developed with the support of Intel".

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Intel has not made any public comment on the Powerleader chip.

The statement, posted by Powerleader's chairman Li Ruijie on his personal Weibo account, also said "the release of the Powerstar P3-01105 chip is a commercial move mainly for the use of PC terminal brands in the commercial market, and we have not applied for national or local government grants or subsidies".

At a launch event on May 6, Powerleader said its Powerstar CPU was developed based on the x86 architecture, and is suited for "government, education, energy, industry, finance, healthcare, gaming and retailing" applications. The company also set an annual sales target of 1.5 million units.

Powerleader's case initially raised concerns given the Hanxin chip scandal of 2006, when Chen Jin, the developer of the Hanxin series of chips from Shanghai's Jiaotong University, was exposed for "serious falsification and fraud".

Funded by the Shanghai government in 2003, Hanxin was initially hailed as the project that would make the city a leading chip-making centre.

In its Weibo statement, Powerleader's Li said the company would "firmly stick to the plan and ... become a new force in the Chinese chip industry".

In another social media post a few days after the product launch, he also responded to being called the "second Hanxin".

"We will grow steadily and take cautious steps, rather than burn cash or lose money ... and stand on the shoulders of giant Intel to reach a higher level," he said. "We will find our own way to address the issue of original source code, not just simply 'building a bridge'."

Founded by Li in 1997, Powerleader specialises in manufacturing servers and personal computers for industrial users. The company is owned by Shenzhen Powerleader Investment Holding, which also owns the Hong Kong-listed PowerLeader Science & Technology Group Co.

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