🧠 ARM vs x86: What’s the Difference and Why It Matters in 2025

If you’ve ever read about processors or shopped for a laptop or phone, you’ve likely come across terms like ARM, x86, or even ARM x86. But what do they really mean? Are they different kinds of chips? Is one better than the other?

Let’s break it down in simple terms.

💡 What is x86?

x86 is a processor architecture that comes from Intel, and later, AMD. It's been the backbone of traditional PCs for decades. Think of it as the “classic” processor design you’ll find in:

• Most Windows desktops and laptops
• Older MacBooks (before Apple switched to Apple Silicon)
• Gaming rigs and performance-heavy machines
• Many enterprise servers

x86 uses a design philosophy called CISC (Complex Instruction Set Computing), meaning it supports many rich and complex instructions. This is great for flexibility and performance, but it tends to be power-hungry.

⚡ What is ARM?

ARM, short for Advanced RISC Machine, is an entirely different architecture that focuses on simplicity and efficiency. It uses RISC (Reduced Instruction Set Computing), which keeps things lean — fewer instructions, executed faster and with less power.

ARM chips are famous for their power efficiency, which makes them perfect for:

• Smartphones (iPhones, Androids)
• Tablets
• Raspberry Pi and IoT devices
• New MacBooks (Apple’s M1, M2, M3 chips)
• Some Chromebooks and even servers (like AWS Graviton)

🤔 ARM vs x86: The Showdown

ARM is winning mobile and making serious moves into desktop and server territory. x86 still rules the world of traditional computing, but that dominance is fading.

🌀 What About “ARM x86”? Is That a Thing?

Not really.

There’s no such official architecture called “ARM x86.” What people often mean by that is:

“An ARM-based device that can run x86 software using emulation or translation.”

For example:

• Apple’s Rosetta 2 lets ARM-based Macs run older x86 Mac apps.
• Windows on ARM devices can run some x86 apps through emulation (but with performance hits).

So while you can run x86 software on ARM chips sometimes, it’s not ideal and often slower.

🧬 Why Should You Care?

Knowing the difference helps you make better decisions when buying a device:

• Want better battery life? → Go with ARM (like M1 MacBooks or ARM Chromebooks).
• Need to run older apps or games? → Stick with x86 (Intel/AMD).
• Developers? → You’ll want to know if your app needs to be recompiled for ARM.

TL;DR

• x86 = Traditional, powerful processors from Intel/AMD.
• ARM = Efficient, modern processors dominating mobile and gaining ground in laptops.
• "ARM x86" = Not a real thing — just ARM running x86 apps via emulation.

👋 Hope that helps! If you’ve got thoughts, questions, or processor preferences — drop them in the comments!