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At the Microelectronics 26 (ME26) forum in Sochi, Russian companies used working retro-game setups to showcase three different domestic computing approaches: Baikal Electronics’ three-core Baikal-U (BE-U1000) RISC-V microcontroller, Elvis’s Hypercom-U Arm multimedia system-on-chip, and PCs built around MCST’s separate Elbrus architecture. The games demonstrated that the boards could drive familiar software, but they were trade-show demonstrations rather than performance benchmarks or proof of consumer-console availability.
What appeared at the ME26 forum
Tom’s Hardware reported on 15 October 2026 that the Sochi event included a business-card-sized Baikal-U controller, an NES-styled “Ushka” console, an Elvis Hypercom-U board and MCST Elbrus-based PCs. The displays presented domestic processor designs in very different market segments, from industrial microcontrollers to multimedia systems and desktop-class computers.
Baikal-U (BE-U1000): the RISC-V device
Baikal-U is genuinely RISC-V: the BE-U1000 integrates three 32-bit RISC-V cores from CloudBear. Two are BR-350 cores running at 200 MHz, while the third is a BM-310 core running at 100 MHz.
| BE-U1000 specification | Reported detail |
|---|---|
| CPU architecture | 32-bit RISC-V |
| CPU configuration | Two BR-350 cores at 200 MHz; one BM-310 core at 100 MHz |
| Memory | 256 KB flash and 192 KB SRAM |
| Interfaces | USB 2.0, I2C, I2S and UART |
| General-purpose I/O | 48 GPIO lines |
| Package | 10 × 10 mm QFN-88 |
Those specifications were reported by Tom’s Hardware from Baikal materials. They describe a compact microcontroller, not a phone or PC processor: the modest clock rates and on-chip memory are suited to deterministic control, sensing and communications tasks.
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- Flexible MCU Board: Incorporate the ESP32-C3 32-bit RISC-V chip, operating up to 160 MHz, mounted multiple development ports,
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- Outstanding RF performance: Complete Wi-Fi functions and Bluetooth Low Energy, while supporting communication over 100m with anFL antenna
- Elaborate Power Design: 4 working modes as low as 44 μA in deep sleep mode, while supporting lithium battery charge management
- Thumb-sized Design: 21 x 17.5mm, Seeed Studio XIAO series classic form factor
The “Ushka” retro-console demonstration
Baikal showed the chip in a controller roughly the size of a business card and in a console called “Ushka,” styled after the original Nintendo Entertainment System. Matching controllers were displayed. Event photographs appear to show Chip ’n Dale: Rescue Rangers on the screen; that game identification is visual and should be treated as an “appears to be” description rather than a formally announced software list.
Baikal-U’s intended market is industrial, not retail gaming
Vedomosti reported on 22 September 2025 that Baikal Electronics had begun serial production of Baikal-U for industrial control systems, safety sensors, metering, Internet-of-Things equipment and unmanned-system control. The company said it expected serial deliveries in quantities of “hundreds of thousands and more.” Baikal CEO Andrey Evdokimov also said the device was undergoing registration in the Russian Ministry of Industry and Trade’s state register of industrial products and that the company was ready for serial deliveries in practically any quantity, including hundreds of thousands or more.
Rank #2
- CH32V003 Development Minimum System Board for Nano RISC-V CH32V003F4U6 Chip TYPE-C USB 22Pin
- on-board 24MHz Crystal oscillator
- Power by TYPE-C USB
That production statement is important evidence of an embedded-product program, but it does not establish that the Ushka enclosure is a commercial console. A chip can be in serial production while a particular demonstration board remains an engineering platform or event prototype.
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What the Elvis Hypercom-U is
Hypercom-U is a different class of design. Elvis presented it as an Arm-based system-on-chip with four Arm Cortex-A53 CPU cores running at up to 1.2 GHz, two ELcore-50 digital-signal processors and a PowerVR GE8300 graphics processor. The combination is aimed at devices that need multimedia, image processing or navigation functions rather than the tightly integrated control workloads associated with Baikal-U.
Rank #3
- The ESP32-C3 SUPERMINI is positioned as a high-performance, low-power, cost-effective IoT mini development board, suitable for low-power IoT applications and wireless wearable applications
- It is equipped with a rich set of interfaces, including 11 digital I/Os that can be used as PWM pins and 4 analog I/Os that can be used as ADC pins.
- It supports four serial interfaces, including UART, I2C, and SPI.
- The ESP32-C3 features a 32-bit RISC-V CPU, including an FPU (Floating Point Unit) capable of 32-bit single-precision
- Package: 2PCS ESP32-C3 MINI Development Board ESP32 SuperMini ESP32 C3 WiFi Module
| Hypercom-U capability | Reported detail |
|---|---|
| CPU | Four Cortex-A53 cores, up to 1.2 GHz |
| Signal processing | Two ELcore-50 DSPs |
| Graphics | PowerVR GE8300 GPU |
| Memory support | Up to 8 GB LPDDR4 |
| Connectivity and expansion | USB 3.0, Gigabit Ethernet, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and HDMI |
| Positioning | Multimedia devices, navigation systems, single-board computers and smart cameras |
The Hypercom-U board at ME26 was shown running the original Super Mario. Its stronger CPU, graphics engine, DSPs and external-memory support make that demonstration technically different from the Baikal-U display: it showcases an application-oriented SoC with richer media I/O, not a small industrial controller being used as a game console.
Where MCST Elbrus fits
MCST also exhibited PCs based on Elbrus processors. Elbrus is a Russian-developed instruction-set architecture distinct from both Arm and RISC-V. The ME26 report did not identify the exact Elbrus models on display, so no particular model, core count or benchmark should be inferred from the photographs.
Rank #4
- ESP32-C6 WiFi 6 microcontroller development board adopts ESP32-C6-WROOM-1-N8 module, which is equipped with RISC-V 32-bit single-core processor, up to 160MHz main frequency, built-in 8MB Flash
- Integrates WiFi 6, Bluetooth 5 and and IEEE 802.15.4 (Zigbee 3.0 and Thread) wireless communication, with superior RF performance
- Integrates rich peripherals including SPI, UART, I2C, I2S, LED PWM, SDIO and other interfaces, compatible with the pinout of ESP32-C6-DevKitC-1-N8 development board, more convenient to use and expand a variety of peripheral modules
- Onboard CH343 and CH334 USB HUB chips, supports USB and UART development at the same time via a USB-C port
- Comes with online examples and tutorials for ESP-IDF development environment
RISC-V, Arm and Elbrus compared
The three families should not be ranked simply by which one displayed a game. They address different design goals and have different software and hardware ecosystems.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems| Architecture shown | Example at ME26 | Primary workload indicated | Integration emphasis | Evidence presented |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RISC-V | Baikal-U / BE-U1000 | Industrial control, sensors, metering, IoT and unmanned-system control | Three small CPU cores, on-chip flash and SRAM, control-oriented interfaces and GPIO | Retro-console demonstration plus a 2025 serial-production statement |
| Arm | Elvis Hypercom-U | Multimedia, navigation, smart cameras and single-board computers | Four Cortex-A53 cores, DSPs, GPU, high-speed I/O and LPDDR4 support | Board demonstration running the original Super Mario |
| Elbrus | MCST-based PCs | Desktop or server computing | PC platform built around a proprietary Russian architecture | PCs displayed; exact ME26 models were not identified |
Instruction-set ecosystem, intended workload, peripheral integration and the strength of the evidence are the useful comparison axes. RISC-V is an open instruction-set standard that vendors can implement and extend; Arm designs use a licensed ecosystem; Elbrus is a separate proprietary Russian architecture. A game running on a board demonstrates functional integration, but it does not measure throughput, power efficiency, compatibility breadth or production readiness.
Best Value
- Ample PSRAM Storage – The development board offers 8MB PSRAM, providing substantial extra memory for handling more complex tasks, large data buffers, and advanced processing.
- Enhanced Multi-Tasking Capability – With the additional 8MB PSRAM, the ESP32-C5-WIFI6-KIT can efficiently manage multiple protocol stacks simultaneously, ensuring smooth operation in multi-tasking IoT environments.
- Support for Medium-Load Applications – The 8MB PSRAM allows the ESP32-C5 to handle medium-load applications more effectively, making it ideal for scenarios requiring real-time data processing or continuous communication.
- Seamless Performance – The increased memory improves the overall performance and responsiveness of the device, particularly when running applications with larger memory footprints or more demanding computations.
- Future-Proof for Complex Projects – With 8MB of PSRAM, developers are better equipped to build scalable, high-performance solutions that support both current and future IoT use cases, offering flexibility for future-proofing designs.
Can you buy the demonstrated console or boards?
No cited source establishes retail availability for the exact Ushka console, the business-card controller, the Hypercom-U demonstration board or the specific Elbrus PCs shown at ME26. In particular, there is no confirmed Amazon listing or other consumer-retail channel for the featured hardware. Baikal-U’s serial-production announcement concerns embedded customers and industrial systems, not a public game-console launch.
Developers may encounter Russian RISC-V development hardware through industry programs rather than ordinary console retail. The Russian RISC-V Alliance reported more than 20 unique RISC-V solution demonstrations and a DEVBOARDS program at its 2025 forum. Those figures indicate an expanding ecosystem, but they do not make every demonstration board generally orderable, and a generic RISC-V development board should not be treated as the same product as BE-U1000.
Quick Recap
What the demonstrations establish—and what they do not
- Established: Baikal-U is a three-core 32-bit RISC-V microcontroller with the reported BE-U1000 specifications.
- Established: Baikal Electronics has described serial production for industrial and embedded applications, with expected volumes of hundreds of thousands or more.
- Established: Hypercom-U is an Arm SoC combining Cortex-A53 CPUs, DSPs, a GPU and broad multimedia connectivity.
- Established: ME26 displays showed Baikal-U and Hypercom-U running recognizable retro games.
- Not established: consumer retail availability, final commercial packaging, game-library support, benchmark performance or the exact Elbrus models shown.
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