Qualcomm Takes Aim at the Mid-Range PC Market with Snapdragon X
In a bold move to capture the mid-range PC market, Qualcomm has unveiled its latest innovation, the Snapdragon X, at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. This new addition to the Snapdragon X Series is designed to offer impressive performance and extended battery life, all while maintaining an affordable price tag. The chip boasts a 4nm fabrication process, promising “multi-day” battery life. However, Qualcomm still faces some software compatibility challenges with Windows on its chip architecture.
Despite these hurdles, Qualcomm is determined to rival industry giants AMD and Intel. According to a recent industry report, Qualcomm currently holds just 0.8% of the PC market as of Q3 2024. But with its eyes set on growth, the company plans to power a range of Copilot+ PCs—Microsoft’s Windows 11 machines equipped with AI tools—set to launch in Q1 at around $600.
- Qualcomm’s Oryon CPU with eight cores clocked up to 3GHz
- Neural processing unit (NPU) for accelerated AI workloads
- Bluetooth 5.4 compatibility
- Support for Wi-Fi 7
- Capability to power up to three external UHD (4K) monitors at 60Hz
The Snapdragon X Platform also provides additional technology such as Qualcomm’s A/V suite and proprietary image processing. Expect to see this chip in laptops from brands like Acer, Asus, Dell, HP, and Lenovo soon.
“There are over 60 Copilot+ PC designs powered by Snapdragon now available or in development,” Peter Burns, senior director of product marketing at Qualcomm, shared in a recent blog post.
— TechCrunch
Interestingly, Qualcomm had previously canceled its Windows-based mini PC project last year. However, during CES, the company announced plans to bring desktops powered by Snapdragon X Series processors to market by 2025. Burns described these new desktop PCs as “a significant milestone” in Qualcomm’s PC journey, emphasizing their potential for enhanced power efficiency and NPU-accelerated features for developers building applications on Windows.
In conclusion, while challenges remain for Qualcomm in establishing a foothold in the PC market dominated by AMD and Intel, their strategic advancements with the Snapdragon X signal a promising future. The combination of affordability, performance enhancements, and AI capabilities could very well position Qualcomm as a formidable contender in this space.
