Reuters: MediaTek is working on a Windows-on-ARM chip for Microsoft
Microsoft has redoubled its efforts to push Windows-on-ARM into the mainstream with the recent string of Snapdragon X laptops from Microsoft itself, Samsung, Dell, HP and Lenovo. But the company wants to offer more diverse options for manufacturers – Reuters reports that Microsoft has tapped MediaTek to design an alternative chipset.
The chip will be based on the standard library of ARM cores, which will speed up development (the Snapdragon X uses Qualcomm-designed CPU and GPU). It’s not clear whether the MediaTek design aims to qualify for the Copilot+ program, which requires at least 40 TOPS of on-device AI compute power.
We won’t see the MediaTek chip for Windows until late next year and not entirely because of development time. Insiders say that the timing depends on an exclusivity deal that Qualcomm has with Microsoft, which doesn’t expire until 2025.
MediaTek already makes chips for Chromebooks (branded Kompanio), which could serve as a basis for the Windows design.
As mentioned, MediaTek’s chip will use standard parts from ARM, so Cortex CPU cores and Mali/Immortalis GPUs. MediaTek is also assisting Nvidia with bringing an ARM-based chip for Windows to market. However, these two are separate projects, say insiders.
Additionally, last year, Reuters reported that AMD is also working on an ARM-based chip for Windows. Presumably, this will use Radeon GPU tech, similar to the one currently used in Exynos chips (though the collaboration with Samsung is ending).
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Reader comments
- Anonymous
- 15 Jun 2024
- 05W
I just hope that we will see smartphones with desktop Windows versions preinstalled someday... and Mediatek releasing Windows chips just might make this possible! I wish I had an UMPC, the closest thing is something like ROG Ally or similar, but they...
- DeepIn2U
- 15 Jun 2024
- 01t
Sorry but I HIGHLY doubt NVidia needs ANY assistance from MediaTek on an ARM chip - other than fabrication. The Verge: https://www.theverge.com/2023/10/23/23929240/nvidia-amd-cpu-arm-pc-chips-2025-release-rumors Reuters (!): October 23, ...
- It
- 14 Jun 2024
- CbI
Just apple tricks to get your money, thin and light had soldered components even before arm was huge, now apple knows their customers dont care so they upscale it to everything.