Qualcomm has announced plans to launch a more affordable Snapdragon X chipset for Windows devices in the $600 price range. The exact name of the chip is not yet confirmed, but it is expected to feature a 6-core CPU configuration. The company also hinted at the inclusion of its powerful NPU chip in the new Snapdragon X, which would enable advanced features like Copilot+ on cheaper Windows laptops.
This move could give Qualcomm an advantage over competitors who typically reserve their powerful NPUs for higher-end chips. While no official announcement date has been set, it is speculated that the new chip could be unveiled during next year’s CES. Qualcomm has been actively expanding its product lineup, introducing new chips for smart home gadgets and reporting rising revenue and profits in its fiscal Q4 and 2024 report.
The introduction of this affordable Snapdragon X chip could significantly impact the market for budget-friendly Windows devices, offering advanced capabilities at a lower price point.
Affordable Snapdragon X for Windows laptops
In related news, Qualcomm has previewed its third-generation Oryon CPU cores, which are expected to power the successor to the Snapdragon X Plus and Elite chips around 2025.
The second-generation Oryon chips, however, will likely skip PCs and be used exclusively in the Snapdragon 8 Elite chips for mobile devices. Qualcomm’s strategy involves leveraging its advantage in the smartphone ecosystem to expand into other markets, such as PCs and automobiles. The company has set ambitious revenue targets for various segments, including $4 billion in PC sales, $8 billion in automotive chip sales, and $4 billion in tablet and wireless headphone sales by 2029.
The 3rd Gen Oryon CPU Cores for Snapdragon X “AI PC” platforms are set to launch in 2025, following the successful release of the Snapdragon X Elite SoCs earlier this year. Qualcomm aims to achieve a 30%-50% market share in the “non-x86 AI notebook” segment by 2029, generating an annual revenue increase of approximately $1 billion. While exact performance metrics for the 3rd Gen Oryon CPU cores have not been disclosed, Qualcomm suggests substantial improvements over the previous generation.
The company acknowledges that there is still much work to be done to solidify its position in the notebook segment, but it remains committed to introducing competitively priced notebooks equipped with entry-level SoCs.
