NVIDIA seems to have hit a snag in the development of its ARM-based CPU. Supposedly, the issue is so significant, the GPU brand may need to overhaul its silicon design and start over.
The setback undoubtedly means that the initial debut of “later this year” is now out the window, with both its launch and shipping dates now likely pushed back to 2026. That is, assuming NVIDIA is able to work that fast.
The “issue” was seemingly corroborated by multiple industry sources towards SemiAccurate, who says that the silicon requires significant change. It doesn’t help that the information comes just after an “NVIDIA N1x” sample appeared on the online repository, Geekbench, with some pretty interesting scores.
News surrounding NVIDIA’s ARM-based CPU – or APU, depending on how you look at it – first gained traction as early as 2024. At the end of May this year, another leak appeared, this time a dieshot allegedly belonging to the GPU maker’s processor, flanked by memory chips on both sides. According to MLID, it the die was designed for gaming laptops, and with enough juice to match an RTX 4070.
As for the laptop, it was suggested that Alienware was going to be the very first recipient of the custom ARM-made processor, and could still be. A delay in the production doesn’t necessarily mean NVIDIA is going to swap out its choice of partner. Honestly, we think the biggest hurdle the company will be facing is getting people to even consider PC gaming on a custom-made ARM chip.
(Source: Techspot, SemiAccurate)
