AMD and NVIDIA are working on chips for new Windows
The world's major tech companies are competing to develop new chipsets.
Tech giants AMD and NVIDIA are reportedly venturing into designing Arm-based processors tailored for Windows PCs, a move that could considerably rejuvenate the currently sluggish sales of Arm-based Windows machines and possibly dent Qualcomm's dominance in the market.
For a substantial duration, Qualcomm has enjoyed a monopoly, being the exclusive provider of Arm-based processors for Windows PCs. Their prevailing agreement with Microsoft is, however, slated to culminate in 2024. This presents a window of opportunity for both AMD and NVIDIA, with speculations that their processors might hit the market by 2025, expanding Microsoft's roster of choices for their devices.
AMD and NVIDIA are working on chips for new Windows
In a bid to stay ahead of the curve, Microsoft is actively nudging both AMD and NVIDIA to embed "advanced AI features" in their upcoming chips. Such advancements suggest that these chips will be tailor-made for creative professionals and other users heavily reliant on AI-driven applications.
Further emphasizing the AI direction, Microsoft has rolled out its AI-enhanced software, Windows Copilot. This move signals the company's vision of making AI integration a cornerstone of the Windows experience. Furthermore, the future might witness a surge in gaming-specific features, encompassing powerful graphics hardware and avant-garde image-upscaling technologies.
Arm-based PC processors have consistently outperformed their x64 counterparts, particularly those from Intel and AMD, in the realm of battery longevity. This invariably results in laptops boasting prolonged battery life or ones sporting sleeker, lighter profiles. Qualcomm's PC chips, for instance, have earned accolades for their extended battery life and diverse connectivity options. Nonetheless, they've faced criticism for falling short in the performance department. AMD and NVIDIA's foray into this arena could potentially spur Qualcomm to raise the bar concerning performance.
The exact timeline for the release of AMD and NVIDIA's Arm-based Windows chips remains a tad ambiguous, but there's anticipation that the unveiling could occur as early as 2025.