14 DAY TRIAL // Apple launched the M1 chip with big fanfare in November, and since then, Apple Silicon just keeps making the headlines, almost on a daily basis.
And it’s all because Apple’s own chips are apparently capable of really high performance, and this made other PC makers look into similar products that could position them as direct Apple Silicon competitors.
One of them is AMD, which according to leaker Mauri QHD, is already working on an ARM-based chip that would serve as a rival to the M1 processor.
Very little is known at this point, but the leaker claims AMD has prepared two different chips to compete against Apple Silicon, “one version with integrated RAM and one without it.” The ARM-based processor is believed to be almost ready, though for now, it’s not exactly clear when an announcement could be released.
On the other hand, AMD’s CEOs will join the upcoming CES 2021, so there’s a chance January would bring us more details on the company’s ARM-based strategy.
AMD and its ARM push
While news that other PC makers are looking at building rivals to Apple Silicon isn’t necessarily surprising, AMD isn’t entirely new to this game.
No less than six years ago, AMD was working on a chip called K12 and which was essentially an in-house custom-built 64-it ARMv8 processor that was supposed to power a new category of devices. The development, however, advanced rather slowly, and two years later, AMD came up with the K12 Core, a chip that was eventually killed off before making an impact in the PC industry.
Earlier this year, people familiar with the matter suggested a reboot of the K12 project, possibly called K12 FFX, could get the go-ahead in the coming years, and if this is accurate, then January could bring a confirmation in this regard.