In a surprise move, Qualcomm revealed at the IFA 2024 conference in Berlin that its powerful Snapdragon X-series ARM processors are coming to 'high-performance' desktop computers. This could mean that the new devices will compete with top models from Intel and AMD. However, Qualcomm did not specify the details.
Advertisеment
Qualcomm's entry into the desktop CPU market with its Snapdragon X-series ARM processors could shake things up in the industry. The company could challenge the dominance of Intel and AMD in the field, potentially leading to more options and better prices for consumers.
The use of the power-optimized ARM platform could be a great change in terms of efficiency and power management to desktops. The platform is traditionally used in laptops, where power consumption is heavily optimized. Since the heat generation is small, this will allow hardware makers to create high-performance devices of small size.
Finally, the ARM platform is not just about CPUs. Qualcomm solutions are often a System-on-Chip. This means that when coming to desktops, such solutions may bring with them 'mobile' features like 5G, GPS, and Bluetooth.
Still, there is a question of compatibility. A lot of apps still have no ARM versions. Some may fail to run under platform emulation, or work with issues.
Snapdragon X Plus processor
Speaking about the mobile chips from Qualcomm, the company has also announced the Snapdragon X Plus, an 8-core processor designed to make Windows 11 ARM laptops more accessible and affordable, with prices potentially starting at around $800. This new variant builds upon the existing 10-core Snapdragon X Plus chip, offering a more cost-effective option for OEM partners.
The Snapdragon X Plus inherits a neural processing unit (NPU) from its predecessor, boasting a performance of 45 TOPs (Tera Operations Per Second). So devices powered by this chip can get the Copilot+ PC tag, and may have full support for advanced AI features in Windows 11.
Two modifications of the 8-core Snapdragon X Plus processor will be released to the market at once, which will differ in the performance of the graphics processor. The basic version will provide performance at the level of 1.7 Tflops, and the senior one - 2.1 Tflops. By the way, the 10-core Snapdragon X Plus received a graphics processor with a performance of 3.8 Tflops.
Source: windowscentral.com.
Thanks to thecommunity for the heads up.
Support us
Winaero greatly relies on your support. You can help the site keep bringing you interesting and useful content and software by using these options:
If you like this article, please share it using the buttons below. It won't take a lot from you, but it will help us grow. Thanks for your support!
Advertisеment
