On Earth we have optimized for: single core speed, multi-core speed, performance/energy, low demand (for mobile), and performance/energy, high demand (data centers).
A new dimension to optimize for, that space is going to incentivize, is highest stable operating temperature.
Higher temperature operation sheds heat energy via radiation much faster.
Some post-silicon substrate research is aimed at wafers that can operate at extremely high temperatures.
I imagine given how often materials research pulls a rabbit out of a hat, there is a lot of head room for temperature.
> Higher temperature operation sheds heat energy via radiation much faster.
Isn't this what heat pumps are for? Then you can run the radiators at higher temperatures without needing to run the electronics at those temperatures.
This is a kind of nasty tradeoff in space. You can dissipate entropy per unit time from the same radiating area if you use a heat pump, but the heat pump itself uses power even if it’s perfect and operates at the Carnot limit, so you need a larger solar array.
There’s probably an optimum that involves a heat pump, but I don’t think it’s vastly better than not using a heat pump, and it’s certainly heavier and more complex.
Heat pumps gain efficiency if the temperature gradient they have to maintain decreases.