NVIDIA chief Jen-Hsun Huang has used a press conference in Taiwan to argue that ARM-based mobile chips will outrun traditional PC chips in five years. He suggested that consumers do not care whether a device is running an ARM-based processor or an x86 processor. Huang also argued that Intel would lose its market dominance as consumers move towards tablet PCs and other smart devices over traditional desktop and notebook PCs.
To this extent, with NVIDIA’s ability to design and build its own ARM-based processor designs, Huang believes that NVIDIA is well positioned to capitalize on this shift in PC market. NIVIDIA’s Tegra 2 processor, which is used by ASUS, Acer, LG and Samsung will have shipped in excess of 10 million units in the first half of this year. Huang believes that ultimately its Tegra business could well surpass its GPU business.
Following this, NVIDIA will launch its quad-core Tegra processor, currently known by its codename KAL-EL. This chip will provide a five-fold performance boost over the Tegra 2 as was recently illustrated.
Following the 40nm KAL-EL, NIVIDIA will deliver 28nm processors codenamed WAYNE in 2012, LOGAN in 2013 and STARK in 2013, following their superhero naming theme.
Huang also added that given that all the major operating systems can run on the ARM architecture, ARM-based processors will begin to cross over into PCs and even the supercomputer industry within the next few years.
