AMD is rumored to be developing a CPU based on the Arm architecture instead of the traditional x86 instruction set, a narrative that has circulated for decades. Although it was not released, AMD had previously announced an Arm chip years ago. Recent discussions indicate that an Arm-based chip, tentatively named Sound Wave, could become available as early as next year.

Analysts have noted a significant increase in Arm’s market share within the CPU sector, rising from 10.8% to 13.6% in just one quarter of 2025. This upward trend is not solely attributed to Apple’s success with its Mac systems but reflects an overall gaining traction of Arm technology in the PC market.

“Arm client seems to have outperformed x86 processors in the first quarter… we noted a modest increase in Arm CPUs going into Copilot enabled PCs,” Mercury Research reports, adding that the increase is particularly notable in Chromebooks.

The anticipated chip, designed for upcoming generations of Microsoft Surface PCs, will combine Arm architecture with advanced GPU technology observed in the latest x86 APUs. Should AMD lead with a mainstream Arm CPU for PCs, it would challenge x86’s market dominance significantly, especially in conjunction with Nvidia’s rumored high-end Arm chip set to release around the same timeframe.