Nvidia N1X: The ARM Chip with RTX GPU Unveiled at Computex 2026

It's one of the most anticipated announcements of the year in the PC world. At Computex 2026 in Taipei, Nvidia officially unveiled its N1 family of chips, including the high-end N1X model, after months of rumors and leaks. For the first time in over a decade, the manufacturer known for its graphics cards is entering the consumer processor market, and it's doing so in a way that could shake up the laptop market.

An ARM SoC with an integrated RTX GPU

The principle of the N1X boils down to one idea: combining an ARM-core processor and a graphics part based on Nvidia's RTX architecture into a single chip. This is called a SoC (System on Chip), an approach already common in smartphones but new at this performance scale in the Windows world.

Specifically, Nvidia is offering its new range in two distinct models targeting different segments:

The N1X clearly targets powerful and thin machines, with a graphics part whose performance is announced to be in the category of a mobile RTX 5070. The more modest N1 targets ultraportables where battery life is paramount.

Why it matters: CUDA comes natively to ARM

The stakes go beyond mere technical specifications. Until now, ARM-based Windows laptops suffered from a handicap: the lack of native access to Nvidia's software ecosystem. With the N1X, an ARM laptop gains direct access to CUDA, Tensor Cores, and hardware ray tracing for the first time.

For creative uses and artificial intelligence, this is a significant change: many professional applications and AI tools rely on CUDA, which was previously reserved for machines equipped with Nvidia GPUs on x86 architecture. This opening could make ARM laptops much more credible to an audience that had previously dismissed them.

Microsoft and manufacturers are on board

Nvidia isn't going it alone. The announcement was accompanied by a joint statement with ARM and Microsoft, referring to a "new era of PC," a sign that Windows on ARM is receiving strong support from the publisher. On the manufacturing side, several names have positioned themselves:

• Dell is reportedly preparing an XPS powered by the N1X chip.
• Lenovo has reportedly listed several laptops equipped with N1 and N1X chips.
• Asus has released a teaser for a future ProArt based on the N1X.
• Microsoft hints at the arrival of new Surface devices.

This rapid adoption by major manufacturers suggests that the platform will not remain an isolated curiosity, but could become a permanent fixture on store shelves.

And for the desktop gaming PC?

We need to keep a clear head: the N1X is primarily designed for laptops and compact machines, not to replace a gaming tower. A desktop PC equipped with a dedicated processor and a separate graphics card retains major advantages: upgradeability, generous cooling, and the possibility of increasing power far beyond what a single chip can offer.

For the gamer who wants raw performance and the freedom to upgrade their machine piece by piece, the tower configuration remains the benchmark. The N1X is above all excellent news for mobility and mobile creation, two uses where the performance-battery life compromise matters more than anything.

A step to follow closely

With the N1X, Nvidia is no longer content to just provide graphics cards: the brand is now entering the very heart of the processor, on territory long dominated by other players. It remains to be seen how these chips will perform in real-world conditions, once the first laptops are available and tested. But on paper, it's a turning point that deserves the attention of all hardware enthusiasts.

At DSGate, we closely follow these developments to offer you configurations that are always relevant. While we wait for ARM to establish itself on the desktop, discover our gaming PCs assembled in France, designed for performance and upgradeability.