ARM and RISC-V are widely used processor architectures in embedded and industrial systems. Both are RISC-type; the main differences lie in the licensing model, ecosystem and design freedom.
ARM
Dominant in mobile, IoT and many industrial SoCs. It offers a mature ecosystem, tools and widely supported operating systems. Licences are commercial; the core design is owned by ARM. A good fit when time to market and software availability are priorities.
RISC-V
Open, royalty-free architecture. It allows greater control, customization and scalability without depending on a single vendor. The ecosystem is growing rapidly. Attractive when seeking technological independence, long lifecycle or custom/semi-custom designs.
Selection criteria
- Timeline and ecosystem maturity: ARM typically has more “ready to use” offerings
- Independence and design ownership: RISC-V offers more freedom
- Performance, power and sector certification requirements
At REIDITE Electronics we work with both architectures and help you choose the most suitable one for your product.