Try to investigate the differences between the x86 and ARM processor families (or x86 and the Apple M1), and you'll see the acronyms CISC and RISC. It's a common way to frame the discussion, but not a ...

The Mac's best quality: software A Pioneer Press piece opines that the best part of the Macintosh platform is elegant, well-designed software. "So what does Macintosh have going for it? The most ...

Welcome to Upscaled, our explainer show where we dig into the bits of tech that make your gadgets faster. Today, I want to talk about instruction set architectures. Apple announced it's building its ...

Remember how I said that Moore's Law is "the full-employment act for computer pundits"? In the smaller niche of microprocessor journalism, there used to be another topic that was always good for a ...

Closed systems stagnate innovation—Linux users know this. Licenses, royalties, and fees keep the well-funded in control. RISC-V throws that out the window because it's free to adopt, adapt, and ...

At WWDC, Apple announced a radical change to its computers. The company is dropping Intel as its CPU provider, and will be transitioning its laptops and desktops to custom Apple-designed chips over ...

SAN JOSE–Looking to alter the embedded chip landscape, startup MemoryLogix Inc. took the Microprocessor Forum last week to unveil the company and disclose the development of a “586-based ...

For any Ars Technica readers who've been with us since 1998 and who fondly recall the "RISC vs. CISC" wars of yesteryear, I've got great news: the battle is back on. Here's a look at the new state of ...