First RISC-V laptop available now for pre-order with quad-core processor and 16 GB LPDDR4X RAM

[Redaktion]

No pricing or exact availability info for now, but the first RISC-V laptop dubbed ROMA is powered by an unannounced quad-core processor complemented by up to 16 GB of LPDDR4X and up to 256 GB of storage. It also integrates a GPU and an NPU and offers support for most Linux distros.

https://www.notebookcheck.net/First-RISC-V-laptop-available-now-for-pre-order-with-quad-core-processor-and-16-GB-LPDDR4X-RAM.633249.0.html

[The Werewolf]

Here's the thing, most people don't buy tech - they don't even buy a platform - they buy a solution. They need to get something done and they buy something that does it. That's why ARM and RISC-V really don't impact x86 anywhere near as much as people seem to want it to. x86, for all its flaws, works and works fine.

Is it efficient? Nope, but most people aren't "road warriors." Even when they're using laptops, they're usually plugged in. Is it the fastest? Nope, but most people are running a browser and maybe Office, so it's more than fast enough. Is it the lightest? Nope, but we have x86 tablets down to 1.2kg and that's light enough.

There have been ARM Windows devices since before 2010 (Surface RT for example) and they've never taken off because  the software isn't there. Apple can make it work because it has a captive audience and can literally force them to switch, but the rest of the world has to be sold, not told to and so far, most people don't see the advantages of it.

[_MT_]

Here's the thing, most people don't buy tech - they don't even buy a platform - they buy a solution.

An advantage of the x86 is that it covers huge spectrum. You've got everything from ultrabooks to supercomputers. A piece of software written as a project on an ultrabook or AIO can evolve into a system deployed in a cluster.

[kek]

Here's the thing, most people don't buy tech - they don't even buy a platform - they buy a solution.

An advantage of the x86 is that it covers huge spectrum. You've got everything from ultrabooks to supercomputers. A piece of software written as a project on an ultrabook or AIO can evolve into a system deployed in a cluster.

Not to mention you can emulate ARM easily, but the other way around takes more power to do so.

[_MT_]

Not to mention you can emulate ARM easily, but the other way around takes more power to do so.

Well, modern x86 processors are essentially hardware emulators of x86. A software emulator running on ARM doesn't stand much chance of winning. And that's before you consider the differences in memory model. Which is probably why Apple's processors are different in this respect than other ARM designs.

Really, this is primarily a human problem. A lot of modern software is written in high-level languages. But still, cross-platform development and testing is not something people enjoy doing.