Until relatively recently, the most widely used processors were those with ARM register and instruction sets. The reason? It is the one used in devices such as smart TVs, mobile phones and tablets. Devices whose volume exceeds the PC, not to mention that some components of the computer use these processors. However, and for some time now, the use of ARM has been replaced by other processors, which are called RISC-V and are revolutionizing the whole world of hardware, but in a much more discreet way.
The Decline of ARM and the Rise of RISC-V
To understand the paradigm shift, we need to understand that RISC-V thrives not in its use as the main system processor, but in building support cores. That is, it is used to add specialized hardware that speeds up the execution of common tasks, freeing up the central processor to perform them. Which is a way to increase the overall performance of a system.
And all this is due to a series of specifications that distinguish it from other processors on the market. Concretely, it would be the Linux of CPUs, for the following reasons:
- They don’t have a multinational behind them, so there are no royalties to pay and its use is not limited.
- Although the RISC-V ISA is specified, it does not have to be 100% compliant, a processor can be created without certain instructions and others can be added for specific solutions.
Currently, ARM has two types of licenses. In the first case, they license their complete processors to you, but you cannot modify them as you wish. With the second type of license, you have to build the processor from scratch and that’s something only a few like Qualcomm or Apple can do. In RISC-V, on the other hand, designs are shared between companiesin such a way that it is much easier to deploy concrete solutions that are even derived from each other.
Are they an alternative to Intel and AMD processors?
Well, the answer is clear: they are not, but you will have seen a lot of news about new processors and even systems with RISC-V which appear from time to time and which will have made many of you doubt. The PC as a platform is not only defined by its hardware, but also by its applications. We already tried years ago to switch to ARM, but the effort to do so is so daunting and the inconvenience for the user is such that it is not worth it.
While it is true that Apple made this transition, we are talking about a closed ecosystem where those of Cupertino set the rules and it was still several years before announcing the jump. On PC with the huge amount of different hardware and software, this would be an impossible task. The growth of RISC-V is therefore not in this direction, moreover, it is possible that your PC has several cores with the said architecture, but performs small tasks on your PC.
Therefore, it has become the most widely used processor of all and at the same time it is inconspicuously placed, it can even be found in various places on mobile chips. Either way, we don’t think this will end up being an alternative to Intel and AMD, but chances are you already use them and don’t know about them, and not just on your PC, but maybe also on your mobile or even your latest car model.
