The anticipated Nvidia N1X CPU is seeing some major roadblocks lately, and now it's reportedly been pushed back until early 2026 — with Microsoft's next Windows OS tipped to be setting it back.
The Windows-on-Arm chip from Nvidia and MediaTek is now expected to launch in 2026, with DigiTimes (via Jukan on X) citing supply chain sources stating it's due to a combination of reasons. This includes delays on Microsoft's next-gen Windows OS (possibly Windows 12), Nvidia's own design changes to the silicon and the market seeing a smaller demand for notebooks.
As per the report, Nvidia and MediaTek's N1X AI PC chip will focus on enterprise-class devices first, shifting to the consumer market once demand picks back up. Along with Microsoft's roadmap for its OS apparently being delayed and Nvidia redesigning the chip, it has led to the Arm-based CPU being pushed to 2026.
Report: Nvidia and MediaTek delay AI PC launch to 2026 due to Microsoft OS hurdles and market headwindsMediaTek and Nvidia have postponed the launch of their highly anticipated AI PC platform to the first quarter of 2026, supply chain sources say, citing a combination of delays… pic.twitter.com/LnJByCGnJoJuly 21, 2025
Initially, the Nvidia N1X CPU was expected to be announced at Computex 2025, with the report claiming it would feature 180 to 200 TOPS (trillions of operations per second) — a huge jump over Snapdragon X Series chips at 45 TOPS — to drive AI performance further.
However, the chip didn't arrive, and many reports suggested it would arrive by late 2025 instead. Now, a 2026 launch date is looking likely, but earlier reports have indicated it's been pushed back until late 2026 instead.
When is Nvidia N1X expected to launch?
The Nvidia N1X chip's release date appears to be all over the place, but, along with this report, it's looking like industry insiders agree that it will now launch in 2026.
According to SemiAccurate, the Arm-based AI chip has been hit by a few hurdles, with sources suggesting that it would require engineers to make design changes to the silicon.
While this lines up with the DigiTimes report, the tech news site believes the chip has now been delayed until late 2026 instead of the expected first quarter of the year. However, plans can change, of course, so only time will tell until Nvidia and MediaTek announce their Arm-based CPU.
Nvidia's N1X chip is rumored to come in two flavors: the N1X being for desktops, while the N1 chip is for laptops. So far, they look to deliver powerful AI performance along with the same performance as an RTX 4070 GPU for notebooks. It's tipped to use a smaller GB10 Blackwell chip, or a GB206 model, similar to RTX 5060 Ti or RTX 5060.
If Nvidia plans to release the chip around the same time as Microsoft's next-gen Windows OS, this could mean that the chip may launch alongside a possible Windows 12, or something of the like.
Rumors are scattered, but for now, it's looking like we'll have to wait until at least early 2026 to see Nvidia's N1X CPU.
Follow Tom's Guide on Google News to get our up-to-date news, how-tos, and reviews in your feeds. Make sure to click the Follow button.
