- Qualcomm is trailing behind Intel and Apple in the fierce competition
Qualcomm has stepped up their game at IFA, challenging Intel and Apple with more budget-friendly versions of their Snapdragon X series chips. This move allows PC manufacturers like Acer, Asus, Dell, HP, Lenovo, Microsoft, and Samsung to offer high-end AI laptops ("Copilot+") under the €1,000 price point.
Intel, aiming to reclaim lost ground in the PC market, announced its plan for a new chip generation. The highly-anticipated Core Ultra 200V processor system claimed to be more potent and energy-efficient than rivals Qualcomm and AMD's chips.
Cristiano Amon, Qualcomm's CEO, unveiled four new processor systems. These models have fewer cores than the premium options. The Snapdragon-X-Plus series features either 8 or 10 cores in the main processor. Two of the 8-core systems also underwent a decrease in graphics performance to cut costs. Nevertheless, the newly launched chips are said to match the more expensive versions (Snapdragon Elite) in terms of AI performance.
Excellent Battery Life
Amon pledged exceptional battery life for laptops equipped with Snapdragon chips, as they produce significantly less heat, making the devices quieter to run.
Qualcomm's recent success in the chip market has escalated pressure on pioneer Intel in the PC business. When Microsoft introduced a new AI-focused computer category called "Copilot+ PC," only Qualcomm chips were initially utilized. Anticipated product announcements from Lenovo and other laptop manufacturers using Qualcomm systems are forthcoming at IFA. However, AI laptops with Intel chips are also anticipated.
Apple, operating beyond the Windows ecosystem, has used its custom chip systems based on the Arm architecture for years in its Macs instead of Intel processors.
HP is among the PC manufacturers that can now offer high-end AI laptops at affordable prices, thanks to Qualcomm's budget-friendly versions of the Snapdragon X series chips. With the launch of the Snapdragon-X-Plus series, HP can now provide laptops with these energy-efficient chips, promising exceptional battery life and quiet operation.
