Analyst Alleges AMD Chips Sold in China at Discount, AMD Denies Direct Sales

Allegations of Export-Controlled Chip Availability in China

Dylan Patel, head of SemiAnalysis, reported that China-based Puzhi Electronic Technology is crowdfunding a system utilizing AMD's Zynq UltraScale+ XCZU47DR RFSoC. This particular chip is designated as a U.S. export-controlled dual-use component.

Patel alleged that these chips are being offered in China for approximately $1,000, significantly less than their U.S. volume price of $4,000-$5,000. He called for an investigation into AMD, citing concerns over potential export violations and the sale of military-end-use components to an adversary.

AMD's Response and Denial

AMD issued a statement denying any direct sales or shipments of the chips into restricted regions. The company emphasized its commitment to complying with all U.S. and global export regulations.

AMD stated that any shipment into restricted regions violates its policy and that it investigates all suspected diversion cases. The company indicated it would report any confirmed violations to authorities and cease business with involved parties, though it did not confirm an investigation into this specific instance.

Chip Specifications and Applications

The Zynq UltraScale+ XCZU47DR RFSoC integrates four general-purpose Arm cores, two Cortex-R5F real-time cores, an FPGA with 930,000 gates, and DSP engines. It also includes eight 14-bit analog-to-digital converters (ADC) and eight 14-bit digital-to-analog converters (DAC).

These chips are used in applications such as software-defined radios, radar and phased-array systems, wireless and satellite communications, and electronic test equipment, which require real-time RF signal processing.