ARM Successfully Dominated CPUs — GPUs Might Be Next

Computing powerhouse ARM, renowned for its contributions to Apple Silicon and Qualcomm processors, is now setting its sights on a new frontier, according to unnamed sources cited by Globes. Brace yourselves, because ARM is reportedly developing a graphics card specifically for gaming. The big question: Will this be a scaled-down solution for mobile devices like laptops, or a full-fledged desktop-level GPU? 🤔

Given ARM’s track record with smartphone GPUs (such as the impressive Immortalis GPU), we suspect this endeavor goes beyond mere Android gaming. The goal? To compete head-to-head with industry giants Nvidia and Intel. Imagine a powerful laptop or desktop GPU from ARM, ready to take on Intel’s Arc and Nvidia’s GeForce lineup in the PC space. 🎮💻

Qualcomm’s ARM-Powered Triumph

Before we delve deeper into ARM’s ambitions, let’s tip our hats to Qualcomm. Back in June, Qualcomm launched its Snapdragon X Plus/Elite processors based on ARM architecture. These chips promised exceptional longevity, and they delivered. Snapdragon X Elite-powered laptops consistently clocked around 15 hours of battery life, even during continuous web surfing at 150 nits. That’s impressive, especially considering their performance didn’t suffer. These laptops obliterated performance benchmarks, leaving us in awe. 📈

Here’s a glimpse of their Geekbench 6 multi-core scores:

Snapdragon X Elite X1E-80-100:

Dell XPS 13 9345: 14,635
Microsoft Surface Laptop 7th Edition: 14,426
Microsoft Surface Pro 11th Edition: 14,432

Snapdragon X Elite X1E-78-100:

HP EliteBook Ultra: 12,717
Lenovo Yoga Slim 7x: 13,750
Asus Vivobook S15 S5507: 14,522

To put this in context, the average premium laptop scores around 9,726. Even the Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (powered by M3) managed a multi-core score of 12,087. Qualcomm’s ARM-based processors have been nothing short of titans, catapulting Windows laptops to the top of benchmark charts. 🌟

ARM vs. Nvidia: The Ultimate Showdown

Now, let’s address the elephant in the room: ARM taking on Nvidia. Globes’ sources hint that ARM isn’t just assisting other companies; it’s manufacturing its own hardware. Remember the Immortalis GPU? ARM’s in-house technology for mobile gaming? Well, the same team behind it is reportedly working on ARM’s dedicated graphics card. 🎨

But competing with Nvidia? That’s like stepping into the ring with a heavyweight champion. Nvidia dominates the discrete graphics market, boasting a staggering $2.86 billion in GeForce revenue during Q3 2024. AMD trails behind with $922 million in Q1 2024. And let’s not forget Nvidia’s data center dominance—shipping nearly 4 million GPUs in 2023, capturing 98% of the data center GPU market share. 📊

So, how can ARM stand out? Perhaps by focusing on the budget market. Nvidia’s GPUs don’t come cheap, with prices ranging from the $299 RTX 4060 to the $1,599 RTX 4090. ARM could find its niche here, offering affordable yet capable GPUs. After all, Nvidia’s rising costs have drawn criticism, with the RTX 3080 starting at $699 and now reaching $1,199 with the RTX 40-series. 🤑

In this David-and-Goliath battle, ARM’s move into the GPU market is both audacious and necessary. Let’s see if ARM can shake up the status quo and give Nvidia a run for its money. 🏆