White paper on RISC-V market insights

Is RISC-V really succeeding?

Jon Peddie Research Research reports that the global opportunity for RISC-V designs is strong and gaining pace, but it is a custom market, not a general-purpose one.

RISC-V is gaining significant traction in the semiconductor world due to its open-source architecture, growing ecosystem, cost efficiency, customization flexibility, and geopolitical advantages. Major companies like Google, Intel, and Qualcomm have joined the RISC-V Foundation, enhancing tools and platforms. RISC-V’s versatility makes it suitable for various applications, from microcontrollers to high-performance computing.

Key players like Andes, Codasip, and SiFive leverage RISC-V’s flexibility, targeting emerging markets like AI, automotive, and data centers. They focus on customization, ecosystem development, and global collaboration. Strategic differences include core design vs. vertical integration, application targeting, performance vs. power efficiency, and regional markets.

Arm remains a significant competitor, with a mature ecosystem and established presence, posing challenges for RISC-V adoption. However, Arm’s tightening licensing model and increasing prices drive companies toward RISC-V. Despite performance gaps, RISC-V’s advantages make it a compelling alternative, fostering innovation and cost savings.

David Harold, senior analyst at JPR, said, “RISC-V’s rise has been relatively slow, but market dynamics have opened a significant set of opportunities, especially around AI and automation. Maybe RISC-V will be used for AI as Arm has been used for mobile. With more very influential semiconductor companies now backing RISC-V, that statement is becoming less fanciful daily.”

In addition to this white paper, JPR also publishes a series of reports on the graphics add-in board market, the workstation market, and PC gaming hardware market. The latter covers the total market, including systems and accessories, and examines 31 countries.

About Jon Peddie Research

Jon Peddie Research has been active in the graphics and multimedia fields for more than 30 years. JPR is a technically oriented multimedia and graphics research and consulting firm. Based in Tiburon, California, JPR provides consulting, research, and other specialized services to technology companies in various fields, including graphics development, multimedia for professional applications and consumer electronics, high-end computing, and Internet-access product development.