A new wave is sweeping through the modern PC market. At the center of this shift is the rapidly emerging ARM architecture, moving beyond the traditional x86 architecture. ARM has long proven its efficiency and performance in smartphones, tablets, and IoT devices, and it is now making a significant impact on the PC market.
For a long time, Windows has primarily used x86 and x64 architectures. While these architectures excelled in terms of performance, they had several drawbacks. Firstly, high power consumption often led to complaints about battery life, especially among laptop users. Secondly, excessive heat generation during high-performance tasks required fan noise and thermal management. Thirdly, they were not suitable for mobile environments where portability and energy efficiency are crucial.
To overcome these limitations, the recent transition to ARM architecture is gaining attention. ARM-based Windows PCs offer several advantages. Firstly, ARM processors consume less power, significantly extending battery life and reducing heat generation. Secondly, they feature fanless designs and lightweight construction, making them highly portable and suitable for use anytime, anywhere. Thirdly, the latest ARM processors deliver high performance, providing an excellent user experience, as seen with chips like Apple's M1.
ARM CPUs, short for Advanced RISC Machine, are processors based on the RISC (Reduced Instruction Set Computing) architecture, primarily designed for low power consumption and high efficiency. ARM CPUs have the following characteristics:
- Low Power Consumption: ARM processors consume less power, making them widely used in mobile devices, IoT devices, and embedded systems where battery life is crucial.
- High Efficiency: Based on the RISC architecture, they use a simple instruction set, boasting high efficiency. This contrasts with CISC (Complex Instruction Set Computing), which uses a more complex instruction set.
- Scalability: ARM architecture is designed to meet various performance requirements, applicable to a wide range of products from low-cost devices to high-performance servers.
- Various Licenses: ARM does not produce CPUs itself but licenses its architecture to other semiconductor companies to manufacture chips. This greatly expands the ARM ecosystem.
Representative devices using ARM CPUs include smartphones, tablets, small computers like Raspberry Pi, and smart home appliances. Recently, ARM architecture has been used in high-performance desktop and laptop processors, such as Apple's M1 to M3 chips.
Due to its characteristics, ARM CPUs are extremely popular in all fields where low power consumption and high efficiency are important, and they are likely to be utilized in various fields in the future.
Why couldn't we use ARM architecture from the beginning?
Although ARM architecture has many advantages, there are several reasons why Intel and AMD's x86 architecture has been predominantly used in desktops and PCs for a long time:
Historical Background and Market Share:
- Intel and AMD have dominated the PC market for decades. As a result, the x86 architecture became the standard, and the software and hardware ecosystems were built around this architecture.
- From the beginning, Intel and AMD have continuously developed high-performance CPUs for desktops, laptops, and servers, which led to high reliability and recognition in this field.
Software Compatibility:
- Many software applications, especially professional applications and games, are optimized for the x86 architecture. To maintain compatibility and performance with existing software, many companies and users have preferred x86-based systems.
- Operating systems and drivers were also developed around the x86 architecture, making the transition to ARM challenging.
Performance and Scalability:
- Traditionally, ARM has been designed with a focus on low power consumption and efficiency, making it ideal for mobile devices and embedded systems. In contrast, the x86 architecture has strengths in high-performance computing tasks and multitasking.
- In desktop and server environments, high performance and scalability are crucial, and the x86 architecture has long been more suitable for these demands.
Development and Transition Costs:
- Transitioning hardware and software to ARM architecture involves significant costs and time. Companies may find it economically advantageous to continue using their existing x86-based infrastructure.
However, recently, the performance of ARM architecture has improved significantly, and the importance of energy efficiency has increased, bringing ARM-based PCs into the spotlight. With the advent of innovative ARM-based processors like Apple's M1 chip, ARM architecture is proving its potential in desktops and laptops. As more companies release products that leverage the advantages of ARM architecture, it is expected that ARM's presence in the desktop and PC market will continue to grow.
