"RISC-V Is Now" – RISC-V Summit Europe 2026 (YouTube) [video](youtube.com)
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"RISC-V Is Now" – RISC-V Summit Europe 2026 (YouTube) [video]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pJIiAnS8N7E
2 comments
>RISC-V is inevitable
RISC-V is inevitable
>And its time certainly "starts" now.
RISC-V is rapidly growing the strongest ecosystem.
>RISC-V is still too slow
The list of purposes for which this is true is shrinking.
That new SpacemiT K3 chip with RVA23 compatibility that started shipping last month is certainly impressive.
RISC-V is inevitable
>And its time certainly "starts" now.
RISC-V is rapidly growing the strongest ecosystem.
>RISC-V is still too slow
The list of purposes for which this is true is shrinking.
That new SpacemiT K3 chip with RVA23 compatibility that started shipping last month is certainly impressive.
Perhaps "RISC-V is now" will build some excitement. But there is a danger that it will ring even more hollow if we have to say it for 3 years before it rings true. RISC-V is inevitable and, for many use cases, it is soon. But for most people, it is certainly not now. RISC-V is still too slow and too expensive for most use cases outside of micro-controllers.
In the next 2-3 years, all that will change. RISC-V has a real shot at the embedded mid-range where the ARM product line has stagnated somewhat. RISC-V has caught up in performance, has the features, and is perhaps a bit better in terms of vectors and AI. With luck, we will see things like smart TVs and perhaps even phones. Real success in phones may take a few years of slowly chipping away though.
And on the server side, RISC-V has a chance to break-in. It is not going to put Intel, AMD, or ARM out of business just yet but it can start to build share. Specialized AI workflows offer a real opportunity.
For the SBC market, RISC-V is far too expensive given what it competes with. If RISC-V find volume elsewhere, this could change.
On the desktop/laptop, RISC-V is not even remotely a player. This will be the hardest market to break into. But any success ARM has makes it easier for RISC-V to follow. And once they are both there, what is the advantage of ARM again? Certainly not legacy compatibility.
RISC-V is inevitable. And its time certainly "starts" now. But I am not sure that RISC-V is now for most of us.