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Intel 'Petitioned Microsoft Heavily' Not To Choose ARM For Surface Go, Report Says (theverge.com)

Posted by msmash on from the intel-on-Intel's-push dept.

Microsoft launched its new Surface Go device earlier this month with an Intel Pentium Gold processor inside. It's been one of the main focus points for discussions around performance and mobility for this 10-inch Surface, and lots of people have wondered why Microsoft didn't opt for Qualcomm's Snapdragon processors and Windows on ARM. The Verge: Paul Thurrott reports that Microsoft wanted to use an ARM processor for the Surface Go, but that Intel intervened. Intel reportedly "petitioned Microsoft heavily" to use its Pentium Gold processors instead of ARM ones. It's not clear why Microsoft didn't push ahead with its ARM plans for Surface Go, but in my own experience the latest Snapdragon chips simply don't have the performance and compatibility to match Intel on laptops just yet.

4 of 81 comments (clear)

  1. Appearances matter more to them than facts. by Narcocide · · Score: 5, Interesting

    They don't care whether the ARM chips would have been better or not. Letting Microsoft choose ARM chips would be an admission of defeat. It's more important to Intel that Microsoft keep up appearances by choosing an Intel-designed chip than it is for the chip to actually be a good choice.

    1. Re:Appearances matter more to them than facts. by Billly+Gates · · Score: 2

      I had one of the older low cost surfaces when ATOM was still supported. My coworker laughed and made fun of me. However, his screen was so dark you couldn't read it on his to conserve power and by 3pm his battery was dead. Mine stayed up and still had 50% life at 5pm.

      ARM has similiar power advantages if all you do is type things in Office, browse the web, and watch Netflix. I miss ATOM as I am sure this Pentium gold sucks and uses more power.

      --
      http://saveie6.com/
  2. There is still no proper Windows ARM Ecosystem by IYagami · · Score: 4, Informative

    Currently there are several problems with Windows 10 for ARM:
    a) ARM processors (Snapdragon 835) have the same performance as an Atom chip ( https://www.techspot.com/revie... )
    b) There are very few Windows 10 ARM apps
    c) Windows 10 ARM does not run Windows 10 x86-64 applications
    d) ARM processor does not run emulate Windows 10 x86-32 applications very quickly ( https://www.techspot.com/revie... )

    a) / b) / d) can be solved with future ARM processors, c) can be solved in future Windows 10 versions

    But I think the main problem is the price: you can have a Windows 10 ARM tablet (HP Envy X2 - https://store.hp.com/us/en/pdp... )... for 900 USD. Sorry,but I think it needs to be half the price (at least!)

  3. What's the future? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    RISC-V/GNU-Linux
    RISC-V/*BSD