Decoding Non-Intel, AMD PCs: Find Out the Best ARM Based Laptops

Processors play an important role in the day-to-day performance of your computer and there are multiple types of processors and architecture sets in the market but Arm Holdings is currently ruling because of its technological victory. In the world of computing, there was a time when big was considered to be better but we eventually started to reduce the size by using efficient architectures and advanced processes at chip foundries. 

ARM's small chip architecture allows a machine to work efficiently with less power consumption and it also enhances the overall performance because of less heat generation.

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What is ARM?

Acorn Computers first designed the ARM processor in 1983 and launched it in 1985 under the name Acorn RISC Machine. An ARM chipset is essentially a set of Reduced Instruction Set Computer (RISC)-based CPUs.

In simple terms, the company ARM Limited designs CPU components and licenses the intellectual property of ARM technology to its partners. After that, these partner companies build ARM-based chips according to their specific requirements. For example, using ARM technology, Apple manufactures its A14, A15 and M1 chips.

It’s important to note that ARM does not manufacture or sell chips under its name. ARM Limited provides designs for both 32-bit and 64-bit RISC multicore chips. These processors utilise a simplified set of instructions, removing unnecessary data and commands. ARM technology is very different from the x86 architecture.

How are ARM chipsets different from x86?

The cost of a CPU largely depends on how it is manufactured. Intel and AMD’s x86 processors use Complex Instruction Set Computing (CISC) architecture, while ARM uses Reduced Instruction Set Computer (RISC) architecture.

x86 relies on a hardware-centric approach to complete tasks, whereas ARM takes a software-centric approach.

'RISC' processors use fewer instructions than CISC processors and each basic instruction is executed in a single clock cycle. While x86 chips are more complex to design due to CISC, they can perform multiple tasks within a single instruction. This complexity also increases the manufacturing cost of x86 chips.

Moreover, RISC chips are designed to execute simple instructions, resulting in lower power consumption compared to CISC processors. While x86 processors deliver higher raw performance and allow you to "plug and play" various applications and software, they are also more hardware-flexible, you can expand RAM and internal storage (if the manufacturer permits).

On the other hand, ARM processors are designed as System-on-Chip (SoC) units, packing everything, including RAM and storage into a central chip. It means users must be careful about their needs before buying ARM-based devices.

ARM vs x86 operating system support

The Android operating system is specifically designed for ARM devices but the Android project also exists for x86 architecture. However, the x86 version lacks support from its development board and it does not offer comprehensive solutions for security, Mobile Device Management (MDM) options or regular Over-The-Air (OTA) updates.

x86 chips primarily support operating systems like Windows, macOS, Linux and MS-DOS. On the other side, ARM chips are more commonly associated with operating systems such as Android, iOS, Linux, Windows on ARM and Chrome OS.

With the entry of ARM processors into the laptop market, x86 is facing tough competition.

Here are five of the best ARM-based laptops:

Apple MacBook Air M3

Apple first introduced its ARM-based M1 chip in 2020 and the M3 chip marks its third evolution in the lineup.

The M3 chip is 1.6x faster than the M1 chip and 13x faster than the Intel-based MacBook Air. This laptop performs best when equipped with 24GB 6400MHz RAM and supports Apple Intelligence features. Apple claims that the M3 chip provides users with up to 18 hours of battery life.

With the Apple M4 chip already available, there is speculation that Apple may upgrade its MacBook Air lineup to include the M4 chipset for even more powerful performance.

Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2024)

Apple has launched the M4-based laptop in three versions, with the most powerful version featuring the M4 Max chip. It comes with a 14-core CPU, 32-core GPU, 36GB RAM and up to 1TB SSD storage.

With the M4 Max chip, the MacBook Pro can be configured up to 128GB RAM. The basic version of the M4 chip is powerful enough to render 4K videos while the M4 Max chip is capable of handling 8K video editing and 3D rendering.

Asus ProArt PZ13 (HT5306)

The Asus ProArt is a Windows laptop that comes with Qualcomm Snapdragon X Plus (X1P-64-100) and Qualcomm Snapdragon X Plus (X1P-42-100) chipsets. The X1P-42-100 version features 8 cores, while the X1P-64-100 version comes with 10 cores.  

The Qualcomm Snapdragon uses Qualcomm Adreno X1 GPU to handle all the Graphic-centric tasks. The laptop offers 8GB and 16GB RAM options, along with up to 1024GB SSD storage. It can be used as a full-fledged laptop as well as a tablet.  

Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5x 2-in-1 (14-inch Gen 10)

The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5x 2-in-1 Gen 10 is powered by the Snapdragon X Plus (X1P-42-100) chipset, with a peak clock speed of 3.4GHz. This 2-in-1 laptop uses the Adreno X1 GPU to handle graphic-intensive tasks efficiently. The laptop comes with 16GB and 32GB RAM options and runs on Windows 11. It is capable of running all Adobe software, including Premiere Pro.  

Microsoft Surface Laptop 7

The Microsoft Surface Laptop 7 is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite (X1E-80-100) chipset, with a maximum clock speed of 4GHz. The processor features 12 cores and 12 threads and is built on a 4nm architecture, making it highly power-efficient. It includes an integrated Adreno X1 graphics processor and offers RAM options of 16GB, 32GB and 64GB, along with internal storage options of 256GB, 512GB and 1024GB. On the software side, the laptop runs on Windows 11.  

Chip-based products are witnessing a new wave of change with the emergence of ARM-based processors, which are being technologically adapted into world-class devices by tech giants like Samsung and Apple.

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