NVIDIA's allegedly leaked N1x chip for ARM-based laptops boasts a similar number of CUDA cores as an RTX 5070 graphics card, yet users should not anticipate comparable levels of performance.
In the world of technology, anticipation is building for NVIDIA's upcoming System-on-Chip (SoC), the N1x. According to reports, this ARM-based SoC is set to be officially unveiled in early 2026, although recent delays suggest it might be pushed later in the year or even into early 2027.
The N1x is expected to be a game-changer, offering laptop-grade performance with GPU capabilities that rival those of the RTX 5070 desktop GPU, thanks to its impressive 6,144 CUDA cores. However, early benchmarks of the engineering sample reveal a performance gap, attributed to prototyping limitations such as low clock speeds, power/frequency caps, and the use of shared LPDDR5X memory instead of dedicated GDDR memory.
At its heart, the N1x boasts a 20-core CPU, arranged in two 10-core clusters based on NVIDIA’s Grace architecture. On the GPU side, it features 48 Streaming Multiprocessors (SMs), equating to 6,144 CUDA cores. This configuration matches the desktop GeForce RTX 5070 GPU and NVIDIA's GB10 Superchip used in AI mini-PCs.
Despite the current performance limitations, it's expected that these issues will be addressed as the chip reaches final production and driver maturity. Power envelopes could be adjusted in commercial products, leading to improved performance.
NVIDIA has partnered with semiconductor manufacturer MediaTek to produce these ARM-based chips. The N1x is expected to challenge or surpass most integrated GPUs currently on the market, including those from AMD, Intel, Qualcomm, and Apple.
An APU like the N1x, capable of handling both CPU and GPU work without requiring an additional 115W for a discrete GPU, could be a massive breakthrough for laptops. This could lead to thinner, lighter devices with improved battery life and performance.
However, no solid date for the NVIDia unveiling can be given due to the delays. The delays are due to a combination of delays in Microsoft's operating system roadmap, ongoing chip revisions at Nvidia, and weakening demand in the overall notebook market.
Rumours about NVIDIA's ARM SoC for Windows PCs began in 2023, and it's clear that the company is also working on an N1 version of its ARM-based SoC for standard laptops without gaming intentions, similar to Qualcomm's approach with the Snapdragon X Elite, X Plus, and X tiers of chips for Windows on Snapdragon.
In summary, the N1x SoC aims to deliver a laptop-grade ARM SoC with GPU performance roughly equivalent to an RTX 5070 in cores, but early samples show significantly lower realized performance due to prototyping limitations. Despite these issues, the potential for improved performance and the promise of a more efficient, powerful laptop experience make the N1x an exciting development to watch.
- Amidst the technological landscape, the upcoming System-on-Chip (SoC), N1x from NVIDIA, fuels excitement due to its anticipated laptop-grade performance and GPU capabilities comparable to the RTX 5070 desktop GPU.
- Despite early benchmarks indicating performance gaps due to prototyping limitations, it's anticipated that these issues will be rectified during final production and driver maturity.
- NVIDIA, in partnership with MediaTek, is expected to challenge current integrated GPUs like those from AMD, Intel, Qualcomm, and Apple with the N1x.
- The APU-like N1x, capable of handling both CPU and GPU work without requiring additional power for a discrete GPU, could revolutionize laptops, leading to thinner, lighter devices with enhanced battery life and performance.
- Gaming enthusiasts also eagerly await the potential launch of an N1 version of NVIDIA's ARM-based SoC for standard laptops, as rumors about such a development surfaced in 2023.
- With Microsoft's operating system roadmap and ongoing chip revisions at Nvidia, along with weakening demand in the overall notebook market, solid dates for the NVIDIA unveiling remain elusive.
