Microsoft and Nvidia: The Story of the First Attempt to Run Windows on ARM-based Tegra Chips

Former Microsoft Windows division president Steven Sinofsky shared memories of the first attempt to run the operating system on Nvidia Tegra ARM processors. In 2010, the companies demonstrated a Windows prototype running on Tegra chips, marking a significant step toward creating hybrid devices.

At the time, Microsoft collaborated not only with Nvidia but also with Qualcomm and Texas Instruments, supporting their ARM solutions in Windows 8. However, Nvidia remained the key partner for graphics capabilities, with its drivers and GPUs outperforming competitors. At CES 2011, a slide was presented highlighting the "strong partnership" that was expected to ensure the platform's success.

Despite the optimism, the Windows on ARM project failed to meet expectations. Even the introduction of Nuvia Oryon architecture in the Snapdragon X lineup did not help the platform gain market traction. Ultimately, Microsoft focused on collaborating with Qualcomm, but this strategy also did not lead to a breakthrough. Now, companies are revisiting the idea, and new solutions based on Nvidia and ARM may be unveiled at Computex soon.

Sinofsky also posted a video capturing the first boot of Windows on Tegra in September 2010. The footage shows the system running multitasking and the Start menu, though performance left much to be desired. At the time, it was a significant technical achievement, but the release of Surface RT in October 2012 was still a year and a half away.