The Rise of Arm Servers: Is x86 Facing Its Downfall? Can AMD’s Bold Moves Change the Game?
1. Arm Architecture: The Dark Horse in the Server and PC Market
(1) Server Market: From “Invisible” to “Guest of Honor”
We all know that the server market used to be dominated by the x86 architecture, with Intel and AMD holding most of the market share. However, in recent years, the Arm architecture has emerged as a “dark horse,” stirring up the server market significantly. Amazon, a major player in cloud services, foresaw this trend and began developing its own Arm architecture server CPUs early on. This move opened the door for Arm architecture in the server market. Subsequently, more and more cloud service providers joined the trend, developing their own Arm architecture server CPUs. The data reflects a remarkable change. With the explosion of AI in 2021, the number of startups using Arm chips surged dramatically, increasing twelvefold. As of now, the number of customers using Arm-based servers has grown to 70,000, a fourteenfold increase since 2021. Bernstein Research predicts that by 2023, nearly 10% of servers worldwide will use Arm server CPUs, with half of them deployed by AWS, which has over 2 million self-developed Graviton chips in the cloud. The momentum of Arm architecture in the server market is akin to riding a rocket.
(2) PC Market: Support from Apple, Qualcomm, and NVIDIA
In the PC market, the Arm architecture has also been making strides, bolstered by tech giants like Apple, Qualcomm, and NVIDIA. Apple has made a significant move by fully transitioning its Mac product line to its self-developed Arm architecture M-series processors. This is akin to giving Mac products a “super heart,” significantly enhancing performance and energy efficiency. Qualcomm has also stepped up, launching the Snapdragon X Elite processor for the PC market, which performs well in both performance and energy efficiency. NVIDIA has partnered with MediaTek to introduce the DGX Spark, a personal supercomputer based on Arm architecture CPUs, which is a major breakthrough for the PC market. At COMPUTEX 2025, Arm showcased its prowess, announcing that nearly 50% of the computing power shipped to top-tier cloud service providers this year is based on Arm architecture. It is also estimated that Arm architecture will account for 40% of the total shipments in the PC and tablet market, indicating a rapid increase in Arm’s market share.
(3) The Secret to Success: Performance, Efficiency, and Cost
Why has the Arm architecture been able to rise so quickly in the server and PC markets? It has three key advantages. The first is its outstanding AI computing performance. In this AI era, computing performance is crucial, and Arm architecture excels in this area, meeting the demands of various AI applications. The second advantage is its high energy efficiency. Using processors based on Arm architecture is like equipping devices with a “energy-saving motor,” significantly reducing power consumption, which is vital for servers and mobile devices that need to run for extended periods. The third advantage is its competitive overall cost. Compared to x86 solutions, Arm architecture is more cost-effective, making it attractive for manufacturers looking to control costs.
2. AMD’s Counterattack: The Confidence of x86’s Strong Comeback
(1) IFA 2025’s Bold Statement: Arm Has No Advantage
While the Arm architecture is gaining momentum, AMD made a bold statement at the IFA 2025 in Berlin. Jack Huynh, Senior Vice President and General Manager of AMD’s Computing and Graphics Business, told local media ComputerBase that x86 is making a strong comeback, and Arm has no advantages compared to x86. This statement dropped like a “bomb” in the tech community, attracting widespread attention.
(2) Refuting Arm’s Advantages: Battery Life and Ecosystem Counterattack
Why does AMD have such confidence? They have solid grounds. In terms of AI performance and energy efficiency, AMD, along with Intel, refuted the misconception that “x86 is not efficient enough.” They believe that laptops equipped with AMD Ryzen or Intel Core processors can provide longer battery life while ensuring performance. It’s like a race where x86 laptops not only run fast but also last longer. Moreover, the x86 architecture can fully leverage the powerful x86 ecosystem, which is like a “treasure trove” filled with various software and resources, making the overall user experience incomparable to that of Arm architecture.
(3) Showcasing New Products: Dual Boost in Performance and Efficiency
AMD also showcased new products to demonstrate its capabilities. Intel’s Lunar Lake boasts an NPU performance of up to 120 TOPS, with significant upgrades in energy efficiency. Acer claims that its Lunar Lake laptop can achieve a battery life of up to 29 hours with a 65 WHr battery and IPS LCD screen; ASUS also states that its Expertbook laptop based on the Lunar Lake processor can provide up to 29 hours of Netflix playback time, showcasing exceptional battery life. AMD’s latest Strix Point and Strix Halo APUs have achieved optimal performance/efficiency ratios, widely adopted in laptops, MiniPCs, and handheld devices. Notably, AMD’s flagship Ryzen 9 AI MAX+ 395 achieves an overall performance of 126 TOPS, surpassing Arm’s solutions, demonstrating that x86 has a clear advantage over Windows on Arm.
3. Future Showdown: The Prolonged Battle Between x86 and Arm
(1) AMD’s Vision for AI PCs
AMD is not content with its current achievements; it has grander ambitions. AMD clearly states that AI PCs can only evolve from a good PC. Jack Huynh explains that AMD’s primary goal is to provide hardware and software for the “perfect PC.” He also participated in events with partners like Lenovo at IFA 2025 to implement AMD’s ambitious roadmap and maintain a reliable pace for its partners. This is like a long-distance race, where AMD aims to take steady steps toward the goal of the “perfect PC.”
(2) Is x86’s Position as Solid as a Rock?
Although the Arm architecture is making waves, AMD believes that x86’s position can still be solidified. Especially with the support of next-generation products like Intel’s Panther Lake and AMD’s Medusa Point, the x86 architecture resembles an “old warrior” with deep roots and strong capabilities. These next-generation products inject new “vitality” into the x86 architecture, allowing it to maintain an advantage in the competition against Arm architecture.
(3) The Tech Arena: Who Will Prevail?
In the tech arena, the competition between x86 and Arm architectures resembles an exciting “martial arts tournament.” The Arm architecture is surging ahead with its performance, efficiency, and cost advantages, while the x86 architecture is counterattacking with its robust ecosystem and continuous product launches. In the future, it remains uncertain who will prevail. Perhaps new technologies or architectures will emerge soon, breaking the current situation and making the tech market even more exciting. Let us wait and see who will ultimately triumph in this tech “arena.”