I’m looking to avoid American-made goods and American companies as much as possible and this relatively challenging when it comes to computers.
From my research so far it seems very difficult to find computer hardware that isn’t using American company microprocessors. CPUs available to non-industrial uses tend to be AMD, Intel, or recently some Qualcomm — all US companies. Even Raspberry Pi uses a Broadcom chip, and the other up-and-coming ARM chips I’ve researched seem to be American as well.
I’d appreciate any insights in this area, either companies with existing products or up and coming companies to watch. If I had a blind spot in my research and I’m missing something obvious please tell me.
Open source Risc-V CPUs are starting to become a thing, but probably a few years before they’re widespread.
This looks very promising thanks for sharing it.
worth mentioning that “promising” is about all it is right now… you absolutely don’t want a RISC-V based machine yet: they’re incredibly slow, and incredibly expensive… they’re development machines; not for end users
Yes your perspective on this matches the results of my research as well.
It’s a very interesting project to watch and hopefully upstart companies around the world will see this as an opportunity to serve their domestic markets.
But right now today it’s extraordinarily expensive for limited performance. I can live with limited performance but those price are way too high to consider for anything not directly related to development of the platform itself.
Nvidia/AMD/Intel/Apple/Qualcomm/Broadcom < Matrox/Imagination/SiPearl/Arm/Nordic Semiconductor
Thank you this has given me some very useful leads.
It’s good to check out the options, also consider writing to your representatives to buy non-american hardware brands.
This is a challenge when there seems to be a dearth of products fit the criteria!
However it seems like sipearl is working on exactly what I’m looking for — an arm processor made in Europe — and I’m eagerly looking forward to it.
For what it’s worth I’m active in my local riding and don’t plan to stop pestering them about these sorts of things.
For what it’s worth I’m active in my local riding and don’t plan to stop pestering them about these sorts of things.
I appreciate your activism as you’re educating your representative on how to properly support our regional businesses.
Then there’s also the software to think about. You can certainly use Linux instead of Windows but even then, lots of people will also end up using Google, Steam or Discord.
AFAIK MediaTek is from Taiwan, but their CPUs often come pre soldered to a small form factor mainboards, like from Via (also Taiwanese)
Is it really American computer hardware if it’s all manufactured outside of the US?
