ARM vs RISC-V in industrial embedded systems: differences, advantages and selection criteria

ARM and RISC-V are two of the most widely used processor architectures in embedded and industrial systems. Both follow the RISC (Reduced Instruction Set Computer) philosophy, focusing on simplified instruction sets, high efficiency and strong performance per watt.

Despite these similarities, they differ significantly in their licensing model, ecosystem maturity, customisation capabilities and the level of technological independence they provide. Choosing between ARM and RISC-V can have long-term strategic implications for product lifecycle, certification and intellectual property control.

ARM architecture

ARM is the dominant architecture in mobile devices, IoT platforms and many industrial SoCs. Its success is based on energy efficiency, extensive tooling support and a highly mature ecosystem.

Advantages of ARM

• Established ecosystem with multiple SoC manufacturers.
• Broad operating system support (Linux, RTOS, Android).
• Mature and well-documented development tools.
• Extensive middleware and software libraries.

ARM operates under a commercial licensing model. The CPU core design is proprietary, and semiconductor vendors must license it to implement it in their chips. This ensures ecosystem consistency but introduces dependency and licensing costs.

ARM is often preferred when time-to-market and software availability are primary priorities.

RISC-V architecture

RISC-V is an open, royalty-free architecture designed to maximise flexibility and design freedom. Its specification is publicly available, allowing companies to implement their own cores or customise extensions for specific applications.

Advantages of RISC-V

• Open architecture with no royalties.
• High degree of customisation.
• Independence from a single vendor.
• Scalability from microcontrollers to high-performance systems.

The RISC-V ecosystem is expanding rapidly, with increasing support for compilers, operating systems and industrial toolchains. In strategic sectors such as defence or critical infrastructure, RISC-V can offer clear advantages in technological sovereignty.

Key differences between ARM and RISC-V

Licensing model

ARM relies on proprietary commercial licences, while RISC-V is open and royalty-free.

Ecosystem maturity

ARM benefits from a long-established ecosystem with extensive ready-to-use hardware and software. RISC-V is evolving quickly but may still be consolidating in certain segments.

Flexibility and customisation

RISC-V allows architectural extensions and tailored implementations. ARM offers predefined configurations with less structural flexibility.

Certification and industrial applications

In regulated industries, ecosystem maturity can influence certification processes. ARM often simplifies compliance due to widespread adoption, while RISC-V may offer strategic advantages where independence is critical.

How to choose between ARM and RISC-V

• Development timeline: ARM often enables faster integration.
• Technological independence: RISC-V offers greater control.
• Performance and power requirements: both architectures scale effectively.
• Product lifecycle: RISC-V may be advantageous for long-term products.
• Sector-specific certification: evaluate ecosystem support.

ARM and RISC-V at REIDITE Electronics

At REIDITE Electronics, we work with both architectures, analysing technical, regulatory and strategic requirements to determine the optimal solution for each project.

Our integrated approach combines custom electronic design, embedded firmware development and industrial system validation to ensure that the selected architecture aligns with performance, scalability and long-term technological objectives.

View our electronic engineering services or contact us to discuss the right architecture for your embedded system.