According to foreign media reports, NVIDIA and MediaTek plan to unveil their jointly developed N1 series Arm-based processors, including two models: the high-performance N1X and the mainstream N1, at Computex 2025 in Taipei. These processors are directly targeting the Windows PC market. This could mark a significant expansion for NVIDIA from its traditional GPU domain into the PC processor market, competing with Intel, AMD, and Qualcomm within the Windows ecosystem.
N1 Series Features and Target Market #
The N1 series processors are designed for both desktop and laptop computers, combining MediaTek’s Arm-based CPU with NVIDIA’s Blackwell GPU technology. The primary goal is to provide high-performance solutions for compact AI workstations and gaming devices. The N1X is reportedly capable of featuring up to 10 Cortex-X925 high-performance cores and 10 Cortex-A725 efficiency cores. The N1 may adopt a more streamlined configuration to cover the mid-to-low end market, filling performance and price gaps left by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X series and AMD’s Ryzen APUs. The integration of Blackwell GPU gives the N1 series an advantage in graphics processing capabilities, particularly in gaming performance and AI acceleration tasks, potentially surpassing integrated graphics from AMD Radeon and Qualcomm Adreno.
Manufacturing and AI Capabilities #
To support large-scale production of the N1 series, MediaTek had already reserved substantial Flip Chip Ball Grid Array (FCBGA) packaging capacity by late 2024, with these chips primarily targeting PCs rather than mobile devices. The chips are manufactured using TSMC’s 3nm process, promising excellent performance and power efficiency. Their AI computing capability can reach 180 to 200 TOPS, significantly exceeding Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X Elite’s 45 TOPS, thus meeting the minimum requirements for Microsoft’s Copilot+ PCs. This technical specification makes the N1 series competitive in the AI PC market, especially given the rapid growth of generative AI applications.
Market Strategy and Partnership #
The collaboration between NVIDIA and MediaTek extends beyond technology to encompass market strategy. NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang and MediaTek CEO Rick Tsai are scheduled to deliver consecutive speeches at Computex on May 19 and 20, 2025. They are expected to elaborate on the N1 series’ architecture, performance, and application scenarios. Major PC manufacturers such as Lenovo, Dell, HP, and ASUS have already planned to adopt N1 series chips. The first laptops featuring the N1X are likely to hit the market in Q4 2025, with the N1 expected to follow in early 2026. Production targets indicate a shipment of 3 million N1X chips in Q4 2025 and 13 million N1 chips throughout 2026, reflecting strong market anticipation for this new product.
Challenges and Outlook #
However, the commercialization process for the N1 series might not be entirely smooth. Firstly, unresolved technical development challenges could potentially delay the retail launch until 2026, with the exact timeline still awaiting confirmation. Furthermore, software compatibility within the Windows-on-Arm ecosystem remains a key issue. While Windows 11 optimizations and improved application developer support for the Arm architecture have seen significant progress recently, and Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X series has also contributed to ecosystem maturation, it is still far behind the mature x86 ecosystem. The question now is whether NVIDIA, leveraging its expertise in GPUs and AI, combined with MediaTek’s specialization in mobile chip design and 5G connectivity, can accelerate the widespread adoption of the Arm architecture in the PC market.
This collaboration marks another significant development following NVIDIA and MediaTek’s successful cooperation in automotive chips. MediaTek has already integrated NVIDIA technology into its Dimensity Auto platform, proving the synergy between the two companies in chip design and production. The launch of the N1 series will not only diversify chip options in the Windows PC market but may also drive the adoption of the Arm architecture in gaming laptops and handheld devices, offering consumers a more efficient and powerful computing experience.
As Computex 2025 approaches, the specific specifications and performance of the N1 series will become a focal point for the industry. This move by NVIDIA and MediaTek will undoubtedly inject new vitality into the AI PC market while creating new competitive pressure for traditional x86 architecture manufacturers.