What is ARM64? The key features of ARM64

With substantial gains in performance and energy efficiency, the ARM64 architecture is becoming a first choice across many areas of modern technology. It is not only widely used in mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets; ARM64 has also expanded into servers and the Internet of Things (IoT). In this article, HiTechCloud looks at what makes ARM64 distinctive and why it is becoming a defining trend in the industry.

What is ARM64?

ARM64 (Advanced RISC Machine 64-bit) is a 64-bit processor architecture based on the RISC (Reduced Instruction Set Computing) instruction set. It is designed to deliver high performance while keeping power consumption low. ARM64 suits devices where energy efficiency matters, such as smartphones and tablets.

The ARM64 architecture is not simply an extended version of ARM32 (the 32-bit architecture) — it also brings substantial improvements in performance and processing capability. The shift to a 64-bit architecture lets resource-intensive applications run more smoothly, from video processing to AI-related workloads.

ARM64 is now widely used across many fields, from mobile devices to large data centers.

The development history of ARM64 chips

The ARM architecture was created by Acorn Computers in 1985 and grew rapidly into one of the most widely used processor platforms in the world.

In the 2000s, ARM32 became the top choice for many of the world's leading mobile phone manufacturers. However, as demand for data processing and performance grew rapidly, ARM recognized the need to develop a new architecture.

In 2011, ARM formally launched the ARM64 architecture to meet growing demand for performance and processing capability. The move to 64-bit opened up new potential for applications, allowing them to process large volumes of data faster and more efficiently.

In recent years, the adoption of ARM64 in product lines such as smartphones, tablets and even laptops has demonstrated the architecture's appeal to consumers and developers alike.

Key features of ARM64

Some notable ARM64 features that users and developers should be aware of:

RISC architecture

RISC (Reduced Instruction Set Computing) architecture is ARM64's biggest strength. Compared with CISC (Complex Instruction Set Computing) architecture, RISC lets ARM64 execute instructions faster and more efficiently. ARM64 can handle many tasks concurrently while maintaining high performance.

Scalability

One of ARM64's advantages is flexible scalability. The architecture can be customized to the specific needs of each device, from smartphones to servers, letting chipmakers develop a diverse range of products and respond quickly to market demand.

Multi-core support

ARM64 supports multi-core processors, letting users get the most out of a device’s performance. Distributing tasks across different cores speeds up processing and improves the user experience, particularly for heavy workloads such as gaming and video processing.

Why is ARM64 expected to be the future of chip manufacturing?

The appeal of ARM64 comes not only from performance but from a range of other factors that make it a leading choice for technology manufacturers and developers.

High performance: ARM64 delivers high performance with low power consumption, which matters greatly for mobile and other compact devices. It also helps extend battery life, a decisive factor in the user experience.

Cost savings: using ARM64 can lower production costs, allowing manufacturers to bring products to market at more competitive prices.

Scalability: ARM64 scales across a wide range of devices, which is a significant benefit for developers — they can build applications that run on multiple platforms without rewriting the source code.

The benefits of ARM64

1. Lower emissions

ARM64 optimizes energy efficiency, which lowers greenhouse gas emissions. Devices based on ARM64 typically consume less power than other architectures, reducing their environmental impact in operation.

Using ARM64 in applications and smart devices can contribute to carbon reduction initiatives — in agriculture and manufacturing, for example, where optimizing production processes matters a great deal.

2. Provides intensive compute capability

ARM64 supports compute-intensive applications such as artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning. The architecture processes data quickly and efficiently, improving performance in complex applications. This translates into a better user experience — higher performance and faster response times.

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3. Reduces production and operating costs

Its low power consumption means ARM64 reduces electricity costs for users while also lowering manufacturing and operating costs for chip makers. That is a significant competitive advantage in the market.

4. Improving the end-user experience

ARM64 delivers a better end-user experience by improving application processing speed and performance. Smartphones and tablets built on ARM64 can run apps and games smoothly, without lag, and with longer battery life, increasing user satisfaction.

Distinguish ARM64 CPU from x86 CPU

1. Architecture

ARM64 architecture (RISC)

ARM64 belongs to the RISC architecture family and is designed around a simple, efficient instruction set. The defining characteristics of RISC include:

• Fewer instructions: ARM uses a smaller instruction set, which simplifies instruction decoding and speeds up execution.
• Single-cycle execution: many instructions complete in one clock cycle, which delivers higher performance on simple computational tasks.
• Low power consumption

x86 architecture (CISC)

• A large instruction count: x86 has a rich, complex instruction set that can perform multiple complex operations in a single instruction.
• Instruction execution time is not uniform: some instructions can take several clock cycles to complete.
• The x86 architecture is backward compatible, allowing older applications to run without modification.

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2. Performance

ARM64 is generally known for higher performance than x86 on certain tasks such as image and video processing. For compute-intensive work, however — scientific and engineering workloads, or PC gaming — x86 is still considered better.

3. On applicability across devices

ARM64 is now widely used in mobile devices such as smartphones, tablets, and IoT devices. x86 CPUs, meanwhile, are mainly used in personal computers (PCs), servers, and other devices — reflecting the different design goals and use cases of each CPU type.

Conclusion

ARM64 is a promising processor architecture offering high performance, low power consumption and strong scalability. On the strength of those characteristics, ARM64 is expected to become a dominant CPU architecture. It is likely to keep developing in line with current technology trends and rising user demand.