True super node products are not prototypes “handcrafted” by a few engineers in the lab. Instead, they require a mature supply chain system, standardized production processes, and large-scale quality control procedures.

Since super nodes made their debut on the domestic computing power stage, the intelligent computing circle has been staging a peculiar “magical realism drama”.

Every few weeks, a grand product launch takes place. With dazzling lights, suits-and-ties executives, and giant screens displaying pulse-pounding parameters: thousands of cards interconnected, terabit-level bandwidth, exabyte-scale storage... As the PPT reaches its final slide, thunderous applause erupts. Media outlets scramble for coverage, and WeChat Moments explode with excitement.

And then... nothing happens.

When you approach sales with hard cash for a quote, the responses are strikingly uniform: “The product is still being optimized and debugged, with mass production expected in six months.” “Let’s sign an Letter of Intent (letter of intent) first, and we’ll discuss delivery timing later.” “Why not rent a few 8-card machines for now?”

Product launches outshine actual products, and PPTs contain more substance than real machines. This has become an unspoken “hidden rule” in the intelligent computing market. The industry trust that has been repeatedly eroded has also become the most expensive hidden cost in the marketization of AI computing power.

01 The Absurd Logic of “Peak at Launch, No Delivery Date”

Amid tightening financing in the primary market and fiercely competitive industry landscape, the old playbook of hype-driven concepts is being reused. The strange phenomenon of “peak at launch, no delivery date” in the super node market has become a common tactic for some vendors to gain an early foothold.

The logic is simple. Super nodes undoubtedly represent the main track for the systematic development of computing power. However, large-scale computing systems are complex to construct, with high technical barriers and long research and development cycles. Vendors temporarily unable to deliver real products yet need to sustain market hype, boost customer confidence, and even intimidate competitors. A high-profile product launch is the most cost-effective way to prove their “presence”.

As a result, we witness this scenario: chips are still being tape-out tested, but super nodes have already been launched; software stacks are still under development, but computing power clusters are already available for pre-sale; supply chains are not yet established, but ecological partners are already lining up.

An industry insider, who wished to remain anonymous, bluntly stated: “Nowadays, the bigger the launch, the more discourse power (clout) you have. Whoever shouts the loudest about parameters becomes the industry benchmark. Whether it can actually be delivered is a problem for six months later. By then, if market trends have shifted, who will remember?”

The absurdity of this logic lies in the fact that computing power is not a fast-moving consumer good that can be replaced by marketing. A super node involves chip design, server integration, interconnection architecture, software adaptation, data center renovation, and operational maintenance systems... If any link fails, the product remains stuck in the PPT stage.

And it is the enterprises that genuinely need computing power for their operations who foot the bill. They cannot afford to wait.

02 The Runaway “Futures Computing Power” and the Super Node “Implementation Crisis”

When enterprises pay for “futures computing power” that remains stuck in PPTs, the cost extends far beyond just waiting time. Especially in the past two years, as deliveries of new computing power equipment have become increasingly delayed, the super node market, which has been advancing at breakneck speed, has already lost its footing in the user market.

The CEO of an AI startup complained bitterly that in early 2025, they signed a letter of intent with a vendor to purchase a multi-card computing power device for an industry large model business scheduled to launch later that year.

At the time, the vendor promised “delivery before Q3”. By August, the delivery date was pushed back to year-end; by year-end, it became “Q1 of next year”. Ultimately, the company had to rent high-priced computing power temporarily, causing project costs to soar and the launch to be delayed by nearly a year.

“It’s not that we’re unwilling to wait, but business can’t wait. Competitors’ products are already online, and we’re under immense pressure from all levels, yet we’re still waiting for a machine that may or may not arrive on time,” the CEO said helplessly.

Even worse is the situation where technical routes are prematurely locked in.

Some enterprises have invested heavily in R&D resources to migrate models and adapt systems for a certain “futures computing power” product. However, when the product is finally delivered—if at all—its performance falls far short of initial promises, rendering earlier investments worthless.

An algorithm engineer complained: “Our team spent three months migrating code to a certain accelerator card platform ecosystem, only to have the high-performance computing equipment never arrive. When it finally did, the assembled performance was only half of the demo. Trying to migrate back would take another three months.”

As one “futures” promise after another fails to materialize, market confidence in domestic computing power rapidly erodes. An enterprise procurement manager joked: “Now, when we see a new product launch, our first reaction isn’t excitement—it’s skepticism: How much of this will actually be deliverable?”

03 How Far Can “Handcrafted” Super Nodes Go?

Once skepticism about product delivery capabilities takes hold, it hurts not only users who pay for super node PPTs but also the diligent players genuinely focused on product development and delivery. The phenomenon of “bad money driving out good” is unfolding in the intelligent computing circle.

Why is delivery so difficult? Industry insiders point out that the root cause is that industrial mass production capabilities have yet to catch up with the ambitious PPT parameters.

True super node products are not prototypes “handcrafted” by a few engineers in the lab. Instead, they require a mature supply chain system, standardized production processes, and large-scale quality control procedures.

From chips to boards, from cabinets to interconnections, from cooling to power supply, from firmware to upper-layer orchestration—every link demands repeated refinement, validation, and optimization. There are no shortcuts in this process.

A supply chain expert with years of experience at a server manufacturer revealed: “Building a few prototypes for exhibitions and mass-producing hundreds of units are entirely different concepts. Prototypes can be debugged one by one by engineers, but mass production relies on processes, systems, and supply chain maturity.”

Even something as seemingly simple as cable layout within a cabinet can be slowly arranged in the prototype stage, but for mass production, a standardized cabling solution must be designed to ensure any worker can quickly and accurately complete deployment following the process. This requires substantial engineering investment.

“Many vendors haven’t even cleared this hurdle yet rush to hold product launches. They sign a pile of contracts, only to realize during delivery that the supply chain can’t keep up, quality control lags, and even installation workers haven’t been properly trained,” the expert lamented. Such “handcrafted” super nodes are unlikely to go far, yet they have certainly disrupted the market.

04 Only Deliverable Computing Power Represents Real Productivity

Beyond the PPT haze, a simple truth is resurfacing: only deliverable computing power represents real productivity.

As the intelligent economy becomes a reality, China’s AI industry should have moved past the stage of “listening to stories”. Enterprises don’t need parameters that are just “far ahead”—they need computing power tools that can actually run their businesses and generate value. They need to know: How long will it take for equipment to arrive at the data center? Can deployment and installation support the existing business environment? How well will models run? Who will handle subsequent maintenance?

These questions cannot be answered by PPTs or product launches. Only mature products and solid delivery capabilities can provide answers.

An industry veteran’s WeChat Moments post resonated widely: “After twenty years in hardware, my biggest realization is that products aren’t hyped up—they’re built screw by screw. No matter how loud the product launch, nothing beats a user’s signature on the acceptance form.”

In 2026, China’s intelligent computing industry is undergoing a profound shift from “parameter-driven” to “value-driven” growth. In this transformation, “delivery capability” is becoming the core metric for evaluating super node products.

What is delivery capability? It is a mature supply chain system that ensures a steady supply of core components. It is standardized production processes that guarantee consistent quality across every device. It is modular installation procedures that enable efficient and reliable on-site deployment. It is comprehensive maintenance services that ensure responsive support when users encounter issues.

More importantly, delivery capability represents an attitude: accountability to users and commitments. It means no exaggeration, no deception, no empty promises. It means delivering on time and to quality, treating users’ businesses as one’s own.

In this era calling for delivery capability, super node users should no longer pay for PPTs.