Kirin X90: Huawei's Answer to Apple M?
Whispers are being made about Huawei's new in-house chip, the Kirin X90. It seems they're aiming high. The goal appears to be taking on Apple's powerful M-series processors.
Huawei's Kirin X90 Targets Laptop Performance
According to reports from Huawei Central, this new Kirin X90 is ARM-architecture based, just like Apple's chip. The buzz says that Huawei has specifically targeted this chip for laptops. Their aim is to deliver a genuine alternative to the performance and efficiency seen with Apple's MacBooks.
Interestingly, a version of the Kirin X90 is also rumored to include an onboard 5G modem. That would be a significant feature. It might even give Huawei laptops an edge in terms of connectivity. Manufacturing is apparently the responsibility of SMIC. They would apply their 7nm process technology.
HarmonyOS Next on the Horizon
This is where it becomes really interesting. Rumors also suggest that future Huawei laptops on the Kirin X90 might drop Windows. They may employ Huawei's homegrown HarmonyOS Next operating system instead. This potential switch might be because Microsoft's current license agreement with Huawei is reportedly expiring sometime in late March.
Returning to HarmonyOS Next would be a leap of faith. It would be a more dedicated allegiance to Huawei's own ecosystem. It could also mean less reliance on US-based software. This would also be a radical change for consumers, who are used to Windows on most laptops.
Information Still Scarce
For now, information beyond these initial rumors is very scarce. We don't have official specs for the Kirin X90. Information about the laptops it would power remains under wraps. However, the fact that these rumors have finally surfaced means that there must be something big brewing at Huawei. Can 2025 be the year that Huawei finally enters the high-performance laptop processor fray?
Keeping a Close Watch
We will be keeping a close eye on any additional developments. If Huawei does release a Kirin X90-based laptop running HarmonyOS Next, it could be a compelling contender in the market. This is especially true for customers looking for alternatives to the current players.
