This isn't to say that 32nm will magically put an x86 system on a chip (SoC) neck-and-neck with a 45nm ARM SoC in platform-level power draw, but it probably will mean that if you absolutely must use x86 for your smartphone (for whatever reason), you'll finally have that option. The problem is that it's just not at all clear that there's a smartphone scenario that absolutely requires the insurgent, x86, to unseat the incumbent, ARM. I'll have more to say on why this is the case, and why I've come around substantially from my original x86 uber alles stance, in a forthcoming RISC vs. CISC retrospective..
Intel getting closer to smartphone market with 32nm process
Posted on Saturday, September 19 2009 @ 20:13 CEST by Thomas De Maesschalck