Laptops and desktop computers will be equipped with ARM processors, an architecture until now mainly reserved for smartphones and tablets. MediaTek, specialist in ARM SoCs for smartphones, intends to take advantage of this trend and position itself on this coveted market.
So far, Qualcomm is the only chipmaker wanting to break into the PC market with its ARM chips and Copilot Plus PCs, powered by the Snapdragon X and its very promising X Elite model. But it seems that that is about to change, because a new competitor is emerging: MediaTek.
According to rumors circulating during the Taiwan show, MediaTek would like to position itself on the PC market with its own SoC for Copilot+ computers equipped with Windows on ARM. This project would be carried out independently of the SoC with Nvidia GPU, which should also be ready next year.
A MediaTek processor ready by the end of next year?
As reported Reuters Citing three people close to MediaTek, the Taiwanese company would also plan its own SoC specifically for Windows on ARM, without the support of Nvidia. This chip is expected to appear on Copilot+ PCs next year, after the expiration of a supposed exclusive contract between Qualcomm and Microsoft.
Currently, only Qualcomm is able to provide a chip with a powerful enough NPU for the Copilot+. However, AMD (Strix Point) and Intel (Lunar Lake) are expected to follow suit in the third quarter.
ARM CEO René Haas told Reuters at Computex that 50% of the Windows PC market would depend on Arm over the next five years. Qualcomm CEO Cristiano Amon called the reports realistic, but added, in a slightly mocking tone, that they “ would do all the work ” to reach this goal. He even said that certain equipment manufacturers would hold a market share of 40 to 60% in the next three years. Moreover, ARM is in conflict with Qualcomm, precisely over this Snapdragon Plus Elite SoC.