How ARM is Making Its Way into PCs and Data Centers — Inside the Products and Trends Behind the Hype
After decades of solely dominating mobile devices, ARM architecture is experiencing a pivotal moment. The promise is ambitious: ARM Holdings aims to increase its share of the global data center CPU market from 15% to 50% by the end of 2025, while in the PC market, processors like Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X Elite are already competing toe-to-toe with Intel and AMD.
Can ARM meet its lofty goals? The answer lies in the data: a mix of realistic promises, fierce competition, and significant technical challenges.
The Great Assault on Data Centers
The data center sector is where ARM is making its boldest move. Mohamed Awad, senior vice president of infrastructure at ARM, states that ARM technology typically offers lower power consumption than rival processors from Intel and AMD.
This energy advantage is no accident: it stems from an urgent necessity. AI data centers consume massive amounts of electricity, and ARM chips are becoming increasingly popular among cloud computing providers.
The Numbers Don’t Lie (But They Also Don’t Convince Everyone)
However, experts remain skeptical about ARM’s projections. Manoj Sukumaran, senior analyst at Omdia, described the projection as “aspirational” and predicted that ARM-based servers would account for only about 20-23% of the global server market by 2025.
Key figures:
- AWS plans to deploy over 1.2 million ARM CPUs in its servers this year
- Omdia estimates global server shipments will reach 12.3 million units this year
- Intel Xeon server CPU shipments have been declining since Q2 2022
The Major Players Entering the Arena
The real push for ARM-based servers comes from tech giants. Google and Microsoft have begun designing data center processors using ARM technology, although their projects are still in earlier stages compared to Amazon.
Amazon leads with its Graviton processors, while NVIDIA utilizes an ARM-based chip called Grace in some of its advanced AI systems that include two of its Blackwell chips.
The Battle for PCs: Qualcomm vs. the Giants
In the PC front, Qualcomm is leading the ARM charge with its Snapdragon X series. Early results are impressive: our sister site Tom’s Hardware compared Geekbench 6 scores for Snapdragon X Elite chips against Intel and AMD chips, finding the X Elite outperformed its rivals by 18-25%.
Snapdragon X Elite: David vs. Goliath?
The benchmarks show that the Snapdragon X Elite platform is ready to deliver on its lofty promises based on early benchmark suites. But reality is more nuanced:
Strengths:
- In Windows 11, the Snapdragon X Elite essentially offers performance comparable to an Intel or AMD laptop, but with better battery life
- No obvious performance loss with battery on the Snapdragon laptops we tested
Challenges:
- For gamers, Windows-on-ARM compatibility issues will probably still be significant in 2025
- Snapdragon X Elite laptops are also not cheap
Apple Keeps Its Crown
Meanwhile, Apple continues to dominate with its M4 series. In raw performance terms, it’s clear that Apple remains the leader across the board. The numbers back it up:
- The M4 Max chip features the highest Geekbench v6 single-core and multi-core scores
- Apple’s CrossMark score comfortably surpasses both competitors
The CPU is 50% faster than the M2, has integrated ray tracing, and the neural engine can handle 38 trillion operations per second, making it the fastest chip for AI workloads in the PC market today.
The Counteroffensive: NVIDIA and the Future of ARM
The landscape gets more complicated with NVIDIA’s entry. NVIDIA is preparing to introduce a high-end CPU and GPU platform based on ARM for consumers in September 2025, with a “commercial launch in March 2026.”
NVIDIA’s Plans
NVIDIA’s CPU-GPU combo could finally offer an alternative to the high-end M-series processors on macOS for Windows users. The strategy includes:
- Integration of AI accelerators, which are not yet standard in many consumer CPUs
- Partnership with the extensive ARM manufacturer MediaTek to create a new series of processors
- MediaTek expects to ship three million of NVIDIA’s new ARM processors in 2025 and 13 million in 2026
The Response from x86: Intel and AMD Team Up
Facing the ARM threat, something unprecedented happened: Intel and AMD announced they would form a “x86 ecosystem advisory group.” Founding members include Broadcom, Dell, Google, HPE, HP, Lenovo, Meta, Microsoft, Oracle, and Red Hat.
Too Little, Too Late?
Currently, x86 controls about 90% of the data center CPU market and 90% of the client CPU market, but cracks are starting to show:
- By early 2025, Intel will hold 75.3% of the overall x86 market, with AMD at 24.7%, up 4.3% year-over-year
- ARM’s growth is driven by new entrants like Qualcomm Snapdragon X and increased adoption of Chromebooks
Straight Competition Analysis
ARM vs. x86: The Architecture Battle
ARM advantages:
- Energy Efficiency: The M4 maintains an energy efficiency edge compared to leading chips from Intel, AMD, and other ARM-based processors
- Scalability: Modular design allows manufacturers to customize processors for specific needs
- Performance per Watt: Significantly better energy efficiency compared to Intel and AMD processors
x86 strengths:
- Raw Performance: Intel and AMD x86 CPUs currently outperform ARM chips in benchmarks
- Software Compatibility: The extensive x86 software ecosystem poses a challenge for ARM
- Installed Base: x86 is deeply entrenched in global computing, making it unlikely to be phased out soon
The PC Market: Projections for 2025
In 2023, the ARM-based PC processor market was valued at USD 9.2 billion, with projections to grow to USD 52.65 billion by 2030. However, it’s estimated that ARM-based PCs—including offerings from Qualcomm—will only constitute about 13% of total PC shipments in 2025.
Verdict: Can ARM Fulfill Its Promises?
In Data Centers: The 50% target seems overly optimistic. More conservative analysts estimate 20-25%, which remains impressive but more realistic.
In PCs: ARM will steadily increase its market share, but 2025 will likely be more about establishing a presence than dominating it. Expect an increase in ARM-based Windows and ChromeOS laptops, but x86’s dominance won’t vanish overnight.
The Key Factor: Software Compatibility issues may be solved as more developers create apps and games for ARM, but this will take time.
Conclusion: A Revolution in Progress
ARM is enjoying its moment in the spotlight, but the revolution will be gradual, not sudden. In data centers, energy efficiency and backing from giants like AWS, Google, and Microsoft provide a solid foundation. In PCs, Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X Elite has proven that ARM can compete, while NVIDIA’s entrance in 2025-2026 could be the catalyst the ecosystem needs.
Can ARM meet its lofty goals? Partially. The 50% data center market share in 2025 seems unlikely, but 25-30% is feasible. In PCs, ARM will establish a legitimate presence without necessarily taking over.
The real question isn’t whether ARM can “land successfully,” but how quickly x86 can evolve to stay relevant. The race has just begun, and 2025 will be the year that defines the future of computing.