The development of a Windows solution on ARM has been a battle-horse between Microsoft and Qualcomm for many months. We’re just on the eve of a major launch by Qualcomm on this subject, but AMD and Nvidia are also obviously working on a similar project. Both companies could launch ARM PC chips as early as 2025, according to Reuters. Some argue that Microsoft is seeking to step up the pressure on Intel to supply chips capable of competing with Apple’s chips, whose performance in terms of autonomy is making a name for itself. Intel’s first reaction would be the arrival of Meteor Lake processors in December, in an attempt to challenge Apple in the field of efficiency in mobile computing.
For its part, Microsoft sees the benefits of near-perfect integration between an OS and a chip developed exclusively for it. It has been known for some time that the software giant is working on its own Arm-based chips for servers and potentially even Surface devices. As a first test, the Windows publisher has co-designed an Arm-based SQ1 processor with Qualcomm for the Surface Pro X and an SQ2 variant. AMD has also worked with Microsoft to create a custom version of its Ryzen processor for the Surface Laptop 3, without these attempts really revolutionizing usage…
However, it seems certain that Microsoft will broaden its hardware base by breaking away from the X86 architecture exclusivity that has prevailed for so long. At an event this Tuesday attended by Microsoft executives, including VP of Windows and Devices Pavan Davuluri, Qualcomm plans to reveal more details about a flagship ARM chip designed by a team of former Apple engineers.
