More than two years ago, rumors of consumer-focused ARM SoCs from Nvidia first started to float, and since then, we've learned about the existence of N1/N1X only through leaks. Most recently, a shipping manifest featuring an unreleased Dell laptop with an N1X chip was spotted, reigniting hope for the platform's eventual release. Today, a new report from DigiTimes says that N1 is back on Nvidia's internal roadmap.
"According to supply chain operators, according to NVIDIA's latest technology blueprint, the Windows on Arm (WoA) platform NB model using N1X will debut in the first quarter of 2026, first targeting the consumer market, and the other three versions will go on sale in the second quarter, and the next-generation N2 series is expected to take over in the third quarter of 2027." — DigiTimes Taiwan
The quote above is lifted directly from the aforementioned report and points toward a Q1 2026 release for N1X, with three more variants to follow later in Q2 2026, likely aimed at the enterprise segment. After all, CEO Jensen Huang has already confirmed that the GB10 Superchip inside DGX Spark is powered by N1 silicon. Perhaps it's finally time that silicon escapes its AI confinement and pops up in consumer products.
Through that GB10 confirmation, we know that the N1 features a 20-core ARM CPU, paired with an RTX 5070-class GPU. Some early benchmark leaks have painted an exciting picture, but their preliminary nature means we can't read too much into them. Though the fact that we've seen any of them means the chip is certainly out there, just stuck in prototype hell, at least as far as a mainstream release is concerned.
More interestingly, DigiTimes also mentions that the next-gen N2 series is already under development and planned for Q3 2027. If these timelines are true, it's strange that even the N1 was a no-show at CES 2026, with just a few months before its purported debut. Still, the rumor lines up with the Dell laptop leak we covered recently; could the XPS lineup be a frontrunner to showcase N1?
"In terms of product schedule, NVIDIA has also released a next-generation plan, using the N2X DGX Spark model, which will debut in the fourth quarter of 2027 at the earliest; The N2 model of the WoA platform will be launched in the third quarter of 2027 at the earliest." — DigiTimes Taiwan
Despite Panther Lake's recent impressive showing, the only fully-fledged substitute to discrete graphics on a mobile platform is AMD's Strix Halo, so far. If the reports are to be believed, that reality could soon be altered with a new competitor.
Apple has shown what the ARM architecture is capable of for consumers, and Qualcomm is trying to repeat that magic with its Snapdragon X lineup. Microsoft's efforts to popularize Windows-on-ARM, even with proper x64 emulation now baked in, have been underwhelming so far, but all that could change with the N1/N1X.
That being said, given the AI boom, pricing for the platform may not be as enticing as it was once planned. Originally, the N1 was rumored to launch at Computex 2025, but that ship has sailed, and along with it, fair prices for DRAM and NAND flash. Nvidia is also working with Intel in a partnership now worth $5 billion to develop Intel x86 RTX SoCs featuring the Blue Team's CPUs and the Green Team's GPUs on the same die.
Follow Tom's Hardware on Google News, or add us as a preferred source, to get our latest news, analysis, & reviews in your feeds.
