Qualcomm has begun announcing Snapdragon X models. CPU quantity and speed vary among the SKUs as does GPU performance. All integrate an NPU that Qualcomm rates at 45 TOPS. Qualcomm promises excellent performance, even on games and even when emulating x86 code, but systems aren’t yet in reviewers’ hands to test. The Arm-compatible Snapdragon X is Qualcomm’s and Microsoft’s most recent attempt to wrest Windows PCs from x86 dependence. If they fail again, we expect it to be the final attempt, and forthcoming competing Arm-based Windows-PC processors to fare worse. To succeed, Warm (Windows on Arm) processors must deliver application-performance and battery-life parity with x86 along with compelling novelty. Qualcomm and Microsoft are betting Windows AI Explorer and other AI software—accelerated by a 45 TOPS NPU—will be the new thing that attracts customers.
Snapdragon image by tohamina on Freepik.