Qualcomm is setting its sights on the mid-range PC market with the introduction of the Snapdragon X system-on-chip. Announced at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, this new addition to the Snapdragon X Series aims to provide enhanced performance and extended battery life in an economical package.
Despite ongoing software compatibility challenges with Windows on Qualcomm’s architecture, the company is actively expanding its processor offerings. This strategy seeks to close the gap with competitors AMD and Intel. Although Qualcomm currently holds a modest 0.8% share of the PC market as of Q3 2024, it is optimistic about its growth prospects.
Expanding the Ecosystem
The Snapdragon X chip is poised to revolutionize the Copilot+ PCs, which are Microsoft’s Windows 11 devices equipped with AI-enhanced features. Slated for release in Q1, these machines will be priced around $600. The chipset boasts the Oryon CPU with eight cores, offering speeds up to 3GHz, and includes a neural processing unit (NPU) designed to enhance AI computations. Additional features supporting Bluetooth 5.4, Wi-Fi 7, and the capability to connect up to three external UHD (4K) monitors at 60Hz further underscore its advanced capabilities.
Partnership and Innovation
Several leading PC manufacturers such as Acer, Asus, Dell, HP, and Lenovo are expected to incorporate the Snapdragon X Platform into their upcoming products. This platform not only includes the Qualcomm A/V suite and advanced image processing but also enables more than 60 Copilot+ PC designs currently under development or available in the market.
In 2024, Qualcomm observed a significant uptick in native Windows apps developed specifically for the Snapdragon platform, with a reported threefold increase.
Advancing into Desktops
Despite last year’s cancellation of a planned Windows-based mini PC, Qualcomm announced at CES plans to support the launch of desktops featuring its Snapdragon X Series processors by 2025. This new generation of mini and tiny desktop PCs is expected to offer developers unique design options and enhanced power efficiency for creating more effective applications utilizing NPU-accelerated features.
