Qualcomm is targeting entry-level Windows PCs with its new chips. There is no word on when we can expect products based on these.
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8c and 7c are designed for mainstream and entry-level laptops
At the ongoing Snapdragon Tech Summit, Qualcomm has expanded its portfolio of chips for Windows on ARM PCs, with the introduction of the Snapdragon 8c and Snapdragon 7c. These new chips are designed for mainstream and entry-level PCs respectively, and just like the Snapdragon 8cx launched last year, are said to deliver AI-accelerated performance, long battery life and built-in cellular connectivity. Qualcomm also announced the Snapdragon 8cx Enterprise compute platform that adds connected security software, Microsoft Secured-Core PC, geofencing and cellular connected security support for enterprise customers. These features apply to all tiers of Qualcomm's compute platform. Qualcomm hasn't announced any new products based on these new chip or when we can expect them in the market.
The Snapdragon 7c compute platform is said to be designed for entry-level Windows 10 laptops in the sub-$400 (roughly Rs. 29,000) price range. It promises a 25 percent boost in system performance and twice the battery life of competing platforms. It also features a Snapdragon X15 LTE modem for on-the-go cellular connectivity. The Snapdragon 7c comprises of a Kryo 468 CPU and an Adreno 618 GPU. The built-in AI engine is said to be able to deliver over 5TOPS (Trillion Operations Per Second) on Windows 10. The Snapdragon 7c supports eight Kryo 468 CPU cores and an Adreno 618 GPU.
The Snapdragon 8cx Enterprise compute platform offers over 9TOPS of AI acceleration, 5G and Wi-Fi 6 support, dual 4K display out, and Microsoft Secured-core PC support.
Coming to the Snapdragon 8c, it's built on the 7nm process and promises a performance boost of up to 30 percent over the Snapdragon 850. Laptops based on this chip are expected to retail around or under the $600 mark (roughly Rs. 43,000). This chip has a Snapdragon X24 LTE modem in-built that is said to deliver Gigabit connectivity speeds. It's also compatible with the new X55 5G modem. The AI engine is a bit more powerful too compared to the Snapdragon 7c, delivering over 6TOPS of performance. It uses eight Kryo 490 cores and an Adreno 675 GPU. Other features includes support for the fourth generation Qualcomm AI engine, Wi-Fi 5, Bluetooth 5, support for 4K resolution displays and LPDDR4x RAM.
“The mobile-first consumer wants an experience on par with a smartphone, and we have the innovation, the inventions and the technology to enable this experience for customers across price points,” said Alex Katouzian, SVP and GM, Mobile at Qualcomm Technologies Inc.
Disclosure: Qualcomm sponsored the correspondent's flights and hotel for the trip to Snapdragon Tech Summit 2019 in Maui, Hawaii.
Get your daily dose of tech news, reviews, and insights, in under 80 characters on Gadgets 360 Turbo. Connect with fellow tech lovers on our Forum. Follow us on X, Facebook, WhatsApp, Threads and Google News for instant updates. Catch all the action on our YouTube channel.