Why are there no laptops with both x86/x64 and arm based processors ?

[TeleTechTips]

Why are there no laptops with both x86/x64 and arm based processors on the market? (Besides the extra cost of an additional processor)

 

Since this would make laptops have good battery life and performance at the same time (even if it would be required to restart the pc, in order to change between the processors)

 

[star_weaver]

cos arm isnt x86/64 compatable and will require different programs and a different os version, think of it like trying to run a 64bit what ever on a 32bit cpu and would require way more work to get the 2 different cpus to share all devices without interfering with each other

[ScratchCat]

The Macbooks do pass on features such as TouchID to an ARM core so they do exist to an extent.

 

Not only would the material cost and complexity be higher but switching compiled programs between architectures would be a nightmare.

[star_weaver]

2 minutes ago, ScratchCat said:

The Macbooks do pass on features such as TouchID to an ARM core so they do exist to an extent.

 

Not only would the material cost and complexity be higher but switching compiled programs between architectures would be a nightmare.

true, even still i dont think thats quite what OP ment

[ScratchCat]

1 minute ago, star_weaver said:

true, even still i dont think thats quite what OP ment

Using the shutdown method would use more power and take more time as well using the set information.

[TeleTechTips]

1 minute ago, star_weaver said:

cos arm isnt x86/64 compatable and will require different programs and a different os version, think of it like trying to run a 64bit what ever on a 32bit cpu and would require way more work to get the 2 different cpus to share all devices without interfering with each other

Yes, but arm processors can simulate 64bit programs (with a performance loss of course) and as far as the os goes, we could have two os (win 10 64bit and win 10s 32bit that could even, if the user wanted, share a same partition for his data ). Also about sharing the devices we shouldn't have many problems, since the processors won't run samutaliusly and because, for the most part, the devices are the same across x86/x64 and arm based processors (besides maybe having LTE connectivity natively on the x86/x64 processors and the ram capacity on the arm processors) -I know that this whole concept is kinda crazy, but the advantages outweigh the disadvantages.

[TeleTechTips]

 

6 minutes ago, ScratchCat said:

Using the shutdown method would use more power and take more time as well using the set information.

First things first, using the shutdown method would use more power, but that amount of power would be very small. Besides, the time required would be a few sec (depending on the processing power of the arm processor and the speed of the storage device) and you would have a much better battery life while using the arm processor.

[TetraSky]

It would just be more expensive and more stuff to try and cram in the already compacted space of a laptop.

[ScratchCat]

21 minutes ago, TeleTechTips said:

 

First things first, using the shutdown method would use more power, but that amount of power would be very small. Besides, the time required would be a few sec (depending on the processing power of the arm processor and the speed of the storage device) and you would have a much better battery life while using the arm processor.

It may be small but compared to the gains you are getting it isn't negligible. Add on the energy wasted reopening programs etc.

If you keep the processor in the lower C States there is little to differentiate an 835 and an 8500U. Ensuring hardware acceleration works would be much more beneficial. 

[star_weaver]

i think people are missing the main thing i pointed out, an x86/64 thing wont run on an arm cpu, if you got any sort of pi, try running an application made for x86 or x86/64 and see how far you get

[TeleTechTips]

33 minutes ago, ScratchCat said:

It may be small but compared to the gains you are getting it isn't negligible. Add on the energy wasted reopening programs etc.

If you keep the processor in the lower C States there is little to differentiate an 835 and an 8500U. Ensuring hardware acceleration works would be much more beneficial. 

First and foremost, you aren't going to be necessary reopening programs all the time or even at all to waste so much power that the two processors come close to having the same battery life (for example, you might be browsing all day and thus use only the arm processor and never have to reopen a program). Besides, while it's cost will be around 150-300$ greater, it will definitely be cheaper (about 400-600$) than buying two separate laptops with the processors i7 8550u and 835. And you will have the processing power (for editing a video, doing a photoshop act.) as well as great battery life (for browsing, watching videos ect.) in one package.  (I know that this kind of product is not for everyone, but there is still an audience for it)

[TeleTechTips]

13 minutes ago, star_weaver said:

i think people are missing the main thing i pointed out, an x86/64 thing wont run on an arm cpu, if you got any sort of pi, try running an application made for x86 or x86/64 and see how far you get

An arm based processor can't run an x86/x64 program natively, but it can simulate it (see the nova go from Asus for example, while it has an arm processor, it can still run an x86/x64 program, but it is not that pretty). Also, I don't really see the point of running x86/x64 programs on the arm CPU, since there will be even more 32bit programs for the these devices soon and besides, you will have also an x86/x64 processor for that kind of programs (the arm CPU will be for battery life and the x86/x64 will be for performance)             (As I stated before, this kind of product is for a specific group of people)