Bolt Graphics powers on 12nm Zeus test chip built by TSMC
The 6mm² test chip draws 1.4 watts, while the Zeus GPU Bolt plans to sell will use a separate TSMC N5P die.
Bolt Graphics has powered on the first silicon for its Zeus GPU project, a test chip manufactured by TSMC on a 12nm process, according to Engadget. The chip measures 6mm² and draws 1.4 watts.
Bolt has not published performance figures for the test chip. The Zeus GPU the company plans to debut is a separate chip, to be built on TSMC's N5P process node.
The company has opened an office in Taipei to be close to its manufacturing partners. CEO and founder Darwesh Singh leads Bolt Graphics.
Earlier claims and funding
In mid-October 2026, Bolt Graphics said its 12nm test chip ran without issues when switched on; two days later, Reuters reported the company was trying to raise about $100 million at a valuation of around $700 million. Before the test silicon, Bolt ran its design on an FPGA that used 35 watts.
When Bolt announced Zeus in March 2025, it claimed 10 times the rendering performance of existing GPUs and 300 times the speed in electromagnetic simulation. In April 2026, the company said more than 14,000 businesses, developers and individual users had signed up for its early access program, and that it had a product pipeline worth more than $500 million.
Bolt is selling Zeus to studios, engineers and scientists first, with plans to expand into gaming and AI later. The Zeus GPU is expected to reach volume production in 2028.
Quick answers
What process node is the Zeus test chip built on?
The test chip was manufactured by TSMC on a 12nm process and measures 6mm², drawing 1.4 watts.
When is the Zeus GPU expected to reach volume production?
Bolt Graphics expects the Zeus GPU, a separate chip to be made on TSMC's N5P node, to reach volume production in 2028.
Has Bolt Graphics published performance figures for the test chip?
No. Bolt has not published performance figures for the 12nm test chip.