Tech giants Nvidia and MediaTek have teamed up to develop the N1X and N1 processors, specifically designed for Arm-based PCs. These new chips aim to deliver enhanced performance and better gaming compatibility, thanks to the inclusion of Nvidia’s Blackwell GPU. With this collaboration, Qualcomm could face some serious competition in the Windows 11 market from both MediaTek and Nvidia.
An official announcement is expected during Computex 2025, the major tech fair in Taipei, Taiwan, where the CEOs of both companies, Jensen Huang and Rick Tsai, will give their presentations on May 19 and 20.
Key characteristics of N1X and N1 processors
The N1X and N1 chips have been designed with a focus on achieving a balance between performance and energy efficiency, leveraging the Arm architecture. Here are some of the key features:
- Up to 10 high-performance Cortex-X925 cores.
- Up to 10 energy-efficient Cortex-A725 cores.
- Compatibility with the GB10 platform, optimized for AI and gaming, though these chips don’t feature the current 20 cores seen in other platforms.
- FCBGA packaging, which points to their intended use in PCs rather than mobile devices.
According to Digitimes, MediaTek has emphasized the great packaging capacity of these chips, reinforcing their commitment to the PC and workstation markets. This means we can expect to see these processors not just in laptops, but also in desktop computers, directly competing with Qualcomm.
Direct competition with AMD and Qualcomm
These processors aim to compete directly with AMD’s Ryzen APUs and Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X by offering superior graphics performance and better game compatibility. According to reports from Semi-accurate, Nvidia is betting on its Blackwell GPU, which is designed to outperform both AMD Radeon and Qualcomm Adreno in terms of power and efficiency.
This focus on enhanced graphics capabilities and gaming optimization positions the N1X and N1 chips as strong contenders in the growing Arm-based PC market.
Despite the excitement surrounding these new processors, multiple sources, including Heise, have pointed out that technical challenges could delay the release of the N1X and N1 chips until 2026.
While both Nvidia and MediaTek have made significant strides in their development, there are still hurdles to overcome before a final launch. It remains to be seen whether Qualcomm will face competition in 2025 or if these new chips will be pushed back to 2026.
