Question Details:

I need a complete, professional trade study report. The specific topic and focus is:

“For my trade study, I chose to compare ARM and x86 CPU architectures to see which one is better for the future of personal computing. ARM chips, like Apple’s M-series, are known for battery life and efficiency, while x86 chips from Intel and AMD have long been the standard for compatibility and raw power.”

Please follow these exact instructions for the report:

• Report Length: Minimum of 4 double-spaced pages (about 1000 words), not counting front and back matter.
• Document Format: Microsoft Word or PDF. Use 12-point font, 1-inch margins, and professional layout.
• Sections Required:
  1. Title Page (Title, my name placeholder, date placeholder)
  2. Table of Contents
  3. Introduction/Problem Statement: Based on the paragraph above.
  4. Identified Alternatives: ARM, x86, plus 1 other (you can pick something like RISC-V as the third).
  5. Comparison Criteria: At least 4 criteria (performance, power efficiency, software compatibility, market adoption or similar).
  6. Trade Study Table comparing ARM, x86, and the third alternative across the criteria.
  7. Analysis and Conclusion: Explain which architecture wins overall.
  8. Appendix: List any other alternatives considered but excluded, with reasons why.
  9. Annotated Bibliography:
     • Minimum 4 real APA-formatted sources
     • Each source must include a full APA citation, an annotation (one paragraph explaining what the source contributes), and a working link with access date.

The writing style should be clear and professional — not AI-generated or robotic. It needs to sound like a real person wrote it.
Please use actual research and sources — don’t make up fake information or citations.
No plagiarism, no copy-paste from other websites.
If anything is unclear, message me before starting.

Please also reference the following concepts from course material when writing the report so it aligns with the expected learning topics:

• CPU Architecture and CPU Cycle (from Chapter 3)
• OS Role in managing CPU resources (from Chapter 4)
• Multiprocessing and how it’s handled in ARM vs. x86 (from Chapter 12)
• Examples of Operating Systems that use each architecture (from Chapter 16)

You can briefly mention these concepts in the introduction or analysis sections of the report to show understanding beyond just listing specs.

The Trade Study will require research into the device you selected.

The report will be a minimum of 4 double spaced pages. Charts, figures, tables, and graphics count for the page count. However, some amount of explanation will be required. This page count does not include front or back matter. Front matter would be a distinct title page, table of contents, table of figures, abstract page (you do not need an abstract for this report), executive summary (you do not need an executive summary – I’m the only audience you have), and similar material in the front. Back matter would be appendices, end notes, and similar material at the back. The text will use a standard 12-point font and use 1” margins on all sides. I expect back matter for this report containing detailed information about your alternatives.

You must have a minimum of three (3) alternatives and four (4) criteria in the comparison table. Any alternatives tossed must go into an appendix with a reason for why they are there. If there are none, the appendix must exist with a note that no alternatives researched did not meet the minimum criterial

Any source material is to be cited in the document and listed in an annotated bibliographic entry using APA formatting. All sources obtained from an online source require a link and access date. You may use footnotes or end notes for any citations in your paper. In APA, the annotation starts on a new line beneath the bibliographic entry it applies to and does not contain a title. And just to be clear, while the paper is double spaced, references are not. If you cite a source, then it must also be in the bibliography. That means that the list in the bibliography will be at least as long as the list in the sources cited.

The report will be in English, and I expect everyone to do their best to accommodate variances in the language, the instructors must understand the writing.

Example APA Annotated Bibliographic entries

Adler, M. & Van Doren, C. (1967). How to Read a Book. Touchstone.
The authors give a clear understanding of how to develop a relationship with an author and get the most out of a book. In the second half of the book the authors talk about specific fields and how to alter your reading to those works.

May, C. (2014, June 5). A Learning Secret: Don’t Take Notes with a Laptop. Scientific American. www.scientificamerican.com

Links to an external site.. Accessed January 15, 2021.
The other demonstrates through empirical evidence and cited other works that using a laptop to take notes actually detracts from understanding the material.

Murray, C. J. (2015) Why 8-Bit MCUs Refuse to Go Away. Design News, Sept. 2015, 30-32.
The author discussed the value of 8-bit microcontrollers and why they have not disappeared from the market.

Armstrong, L., Yang, D.J., & Cuneo, A. (2008, February 28). The learning revolution. Business Week, pp. 80-88.

Example Citations

(Murray, p. 31)

(Field, 2005, p. 14) – the date is needed here because field has more than one entry