Nvidia could launch laptop chips this year with Dell, Lenovo models: Report
Nvidia is reportedly working on Arm-based and x86 designs with MediaTek and Intel, as it looks to re-enter the consumer PC space beyond data centre AI chips
 "Nvidia could launch laptop chips this year with Dell, Lenovo models: Report")
Nvidia is preparing to return to the consumer PC market with a new laptop processor, with the first devices expected to arrive in the first half of this year, according to a report by The Wall Street Journal. The company is said to be working on two tracks — one with MediaTek on an Arm-based system-on-a-chip design, and another with Intel that would combine Intel CPUs with Nvidia GPU. PC makers such as Dell and Lenovo are reported to be working on systems based on the Nvidia-MediaTek chip.
Nvidia’s PC processor: What to expect
According to the Wall Street Journal, Nvidia’s main consumer PC effort is a system-on-a-chip that integrates a CPU with the company’s graphics and AI capabilities. The chip is being developed in partnership with MediaTek and is based on Arm architecture, similar to the approach used by Apple and Qualcomm in their laptop processors.
The report stated that manufacturers including Dell and Lenovo are preparing laptops using this chip, and that the first models could reach the market in the first half of this year.
The report said the goal is to enable thinner and lighter Windows laptops with longer battery life, while still offering stronger graphics performance than most current Arm-based PCs. Jensen Huang, Nvidia’s chief executive, has previously described the design as “low power but very powerful.” CNET, which also cited the report, said the chip is expected to target thin-and-light laptops rather than traditional high-end gaming machines, and may be referred to internally as N1 and N1X.
In parallel, Nvidia is also working with Intel on a separate design that would integrate Intel’s x86 CPUs with Nvidia’s graphics and AI technology. That effort is aimed at a different segment of the PC market, where more performance is needed without relying on a dedicated graphics chip.
One of the challenges for the Arm-based Nvidia-MediaTek chip will be software compatibility, especially for games. Previous Windows laptops using Arm-based processors, including those built on Qualcomm chips, have faced criticism from gamers over limited support for some titles originally designed for Intel-based systems. The Wall Street Journal noted that this could be a hurdle if Nvidia wants the new chip to appeal beyond everyday productivity use.
Nvidia is not new to system-on-a-chip designs. Its processors already power devices such as Nintendo’s Switch console and earlier versions of Microsoft’s Surface tablets. In recent years, however, the company’s business has been dominated by GPUs for gaming and, more recently, for training and running AI models in data centres.