Inside the Engine: Comparing x86 and ARM Architectures
The central processing unit (CPU) is like the engine of a car; it runs applications written in JavaScript or Python, which are translated into machine code that the CPU can understand and process.
A CPU is a carefully engineered piece of silicon, containing millions of transistors. These transistors work together to perform calculations and manage the flow of data. However, not all CPUs are created equal. Different architectures define how a CPU will process calculations and manage the data. The two most popular architectures are x86 and ARM.
x86, developed by Intel, is a Complex Instruction Set Computing (CISC) architecture. This architecture reduces the number of steps a CPU needs to process by taking several basic commands and combining them into one complex instruction. By doing this, the CPU can perform a wider range of tasks with fewer instructions, making programs run more efficiently. However, this requires more power consumption. Essentially, CISC tries to complete an action in as few lines of assembly code as possible.
ARM is based on Reduced Instruction Set Computing (RISC). This architecture has more individual instructions but reduces the time taken for each instruction to execute. It also consumes less power per operation.
The x86 architecture was more popular in the early stages of CPU development. It has been the backbone of personal computers and servers for years. It’s known for its high computing power, making it the primary choice for demanding tasks such as gaming and video editing. However, over time, it became difficult to improve.
ARM architecture, now popular in personal computers and used in almost all smartphones was adopted for its energy efficiency and compact design. Smartphones benefit greatly from ARM’s architecture, offering longer battery life. It’s also catching up to the x86 architecture in terms of performance, delivering more computing power while using less energy. Due to this, the industry is shifting away from x86 CPUs and moving towards ARM CPUs challenging the dominance of x86.
This rise of ARM speaks volumes. Companies like Apple with their M series chips are pushing the frontier, showing that ARM’s efficiency doesn’t have to compare to power. But Intel and AMD are continuing to innovate, making their x86 processors more power efficient whilst pushing the limits on performance. This competition is fostering a new age in computing.
