Nvidia plans a Windows PC SoC, setting up direct competition with Qualcomm, Intel, and AMD

For Intel and AMD, the threat operates differently, the analyst said. High-end mobile processors from both vendors are routinely paired with discrete Nvidia GPUs in premium laptops. “With Nvidia slated to launch a capable SoC of its own, it can prompt OEMs to consider purchasing a single integrated chip from Nvidia that offers better battery life and equivalent graphical performance to an x86 CPU plus Nvidia GPU combo,” Padhi said. “The economic and engineering incentives heavily favor the unified system-on-chip.”

Shreeya Deshpande, senior analyst at Everest Group, said the move signals a broader strategic shift. “Nvidia’s reported move into Arm-based PC SoCs marks a strategic shift from being primarily a GPU supplier to competing at the core platform level in Windows laptops,” she said. “If successful, it could materially intensify competition in the Windows-on-Arm ecosystem and increase pressure on incumbent PC silicon providers to further differentiate on AI performance and efficiency.”

The stacks are significant. AI PCs are on track to account for more than 50% of all PC shipments by 2026, according to Gartner. Beyond the competitive market dynamics, analysts said Nvidia’s entry into PC silicon carries a distinct implication for enterprises already running Nvidia infrastructure in the data center.

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AndyC

Andy Curtis is an award-winning security consultant, researcher and public speaker. He has been working in the computer security industry since the early 1990s, having been employed by state and federal government, leading healthcare and banking providers across three continents. He has given talks about computer security for some of the world’s largest companies, worked with law enforcement agencies on investigations into hacking groups, and is a regular voice on TV and radio explaining IT security threats.

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