July 24, 2026

ARM: The Next Big Thing for Laptops and Servers?

Computer chips are changing. For the longest period of time, the x86 architecture has been the dominant computer processor design. The first version was released way back in 1978, and the newest version is x64, don’t ask me about the naming system, as I don’t fully understand it myself. The point is, the “x family” has been on top for servers, laptops, and desktops for decades. Most people know the brands Intel and AMD, but they don’t know the rest of the story.

Sure, people have heard of the Qualcomm Snapdragon. That is the mobile chipset that dominates our phones, and it is powered by an architecture called ARM. Now, that style of chip is coming for servers, GPUs, and laptops. We are even seeing other architectures reaching into supercomputers and niche gear. While it has been around for a while, it now feels like a true “changing of the guard” is happening. ARM already won the mobile war, without it, we probably would never have had the smartphone revolution. The electronics market is shifting.

Despite this, Intel and AMD still dominate the PC space, but the ground is moving. The CPU market is currently a split between them, while Nvidia leads on GPUs. AMD has a strong presence, but Intel is arguably falling behind. They have gone from an 80% stronghold to a much tighter fight. The latest Steam Hardware Survey reflects this, showing a roughly 55/45 split: Intel is rapidly slipping on the massive install base it once took for granted. While x86 is often generalized as “power-hungry and hot,” ARM is simply built for efficiency. You can see why servers and laptops are desperate to switch. Mobile phones already use it for a good reason.

We are finally seeing ARM enter the laptop space in a big way, and not just in tablets. The Apple MacBook Neo is a perfect example, using the A18 Pro mobile chip to power a budget laptop. Microsoft Surface offers premium ARM options, and plenty more exist. There are even hints of this chipset coming to desktops. Nvidia is bringing ARM to its CPU and GPU designs for both servers and home use, with the leaked N1X chip set to debut in laptops later this year. For the longest time, computers were powered strictly by Intel or AMD. Now, even that is changing with Nvidia and Qualcomm entering the space. Snapdragon laptops are already here, and they are proving the concept works. Apple’s M-series chips are here too, with more on the way.

Intel and AMD Integration is the Answer

To counter this, Intel and AMD have added significant value by integrating powerful GPUs and NPUs (AI chips) directly into their silicon, reducing overhead and latency. They have also designed “Performance” and “Efficiency” cores, and they have gotten quite good at it. Because of size constraints, an integrated GPU makes perfect sense. This is partly why Intel entered the GPU market: to improve their “graphics combos” by bundling the CPU and GPU together instead of a split sell, while improving data center performance at the same time. Intel Arc GPUs are now looking like quite good value, and they have finally hit 1% market share.

It is obvious Intel has been behind the curve while Nvidia and AMD have surged ahead. How bad has it gotten? Intel lost the console market to AMD and famously failed to predict the mobile revolution. They have also struggled with server chip design and consistent manufacturing. The short version is: it is bad.

The Road Ahead

Apple moved to ARM a few years ago, proving the power of its own silicon. Now we are finally seeing budget ARM laptops from Apple. Yet, Intel and AMD still hold the majority of the market. It begs the question: is ARM a threat, or just a massive benefit for the consumer?

The answer is simple: battery life and efficiency. These are two things Intel has historically struggled with. They have improved, but ARM is still the leader. People want decent performance with battery life to boot. Usually, there is a “triangle of trade-offs” where performance has to take a hit to save the battery, but ARM is breaking that rule.

When you consider that Intel only has desktops, servers, and laptops left, you can see why they are rushing to evolve before ARM eats even more of their lunch. It is also why they are worried about Apple eating more of their market share. Their CEO clearly understands the problem, but turning the company around is going to be painful, and things could get worse before they get better.

Another example is other chip designs starting to feast on niche markets. Take supercomputers: Intel used to enjoy an 80% majority in the top 100. Now, it is just 57%. A bunch of newer chipset designs are reaching into that list, so it isn’t just ARM. Intel’s x86 stable has huge problems and competition ahead of it on every front.

Currently, ARM powers premium devices like the Microsoft Surface Pro, Samsung Galaxy Book, and Lenovo ThinkPad. However, the low-to-middle end of the market is still in Intel and AMD’s hands. The MacBook Neo looks like it is going to change that, but both Intel and AMD have a big task to keep that segment. While the premium ARM section is growing, it hasn’t taken over yet. To fight back, Intel and AMD are building chips with “Efficiency Cores” and “Performance Cores.” They have buy-in from OEMs, but there are plenty who would love to have fewer hoops to jump through.

Interestingly, we might see AMD create its own ARM chipset, rumored as “Sound Wave,” to compete in the 2026 Surface lineup. AMD taking part in the ARM race has been a long-running rumor with no sign of it until recently. Apple entering the budget race will focus their minds. One big benefit Intel and AMD have over Nvidia is experience, whereas Nvidia’s experience is mainly within GPUs. They have time to fight, but they must design and build simultaneously.

Given how stagnant x86 design was for a while, I am glad to see the pressure. AMD has been doing APUs (integrated graphics and CPU together) for a long time, and it took Intel a while to catch up. Moore’s Law is now well and truly dead. Now it is about efficiency, specialized cores, and “advanced packaging,” which is just a fancy way of saying “integrated.” This is why the old-school x86 approach seems like old hat.

I am looking forward to ARM entering more products. More competition is always a good thing. Anyone curious should know that ARM chips have integrated graphics to begin with, so they are ready for this. I am hoping we see more low-end and middle-end ARM chips hitting laptops soon. That should really shake up the market. The next couple of years could be quite good, if prices return to normal for storage, GPU, and RAM, the ARM race has only just started.

My next upgrade may not be x86 but something else.