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ARM processors in phones use what kind of instruction set design?

RISC: a small, simple, highly optimized set of instructions.

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  1. CISC, complex instructions
  2. RISC, reduced instructions ✔
  3. Stack-based virtual instructions

Why: Arm identifies ARM as an instruction-set family based on reduced instruction set architecture. RISC favors simpler instructions and decoding than CISC, helping deliver strong performance per watt in battery-powered devices.

Huh, didn't know that: Arm says simpler decoding needs fewer transistors, leaving room for more general-purpose registers on the chip.

The dad joke
Why did the ARM chip win the race? It took the RISC.
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References

Answer: RISC, reduced instructions. Arm identifies ARM as an instruction-set family based on reduced instruction set architecture. RISC favors simpler instructions and decoding than CISC, helping deliver strong performance per watt in battery-powered devices.

  1. Arm Glossary: What is RISC? www.arm.com/glossary/risc
    ARM, or "Advanced RISC Machine" is a specific family of instruction set architecture that's based on reduced instruction set architecture
    Checked 2026-10-10.

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