China's CPU-only supercomputer tops power list

But AI-driven spending makes TOP500 list an unreliable overview.

Updated Jun 23, 2026 6:36 PM / Published Jun 23, 2026 3:59 PM 2 min read

China's CPU-only supercomputer tops power list — Image credit: National Supercomputing Centre in Shenzhen/Shenzhen Cloud Computing Centre

A Chinese CPU-only supercomputer has put China back on top of a global power list for the first time since 2017, but experts say the full picture is more opaque.

LineShine, a supercomputer built for the National Computer Centre (NCC) in Shenzhen, China, achieved a performance of 2.198 exaflops on the Linpack benchmark used for the biannual TOP500 list.

Publishing the June 2026 edition of the list, the TOP500 organisation said LineShine was the first system to exceed two exaflops using only CPUs and the first exascale supercomputer of any kind in Asia.

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Noah Bovenizer

Noah Bovenizer is a senior reporter with The Stack. He previously covered the transportation sector for Global Data. He has a first class degree in journalism and has also worked as a newsreader for Gaydio.