Qualcomm is reportedly developing a new ARM processor dedicated to laptops, according to WinFuture. A high-end SoC which should be able to compete with the new Apple M1 while being less expensive than a “classic” processor.
Could the future of the laptop lie in ARM processors? Less expensive to produce, offering more autonomy and advantages in terms of connectivity (with the presence of 5G), they could well establish themselves in the near future. Apple has already taken the ARM bet with its Apple M1 chip. Qualcomm, which is already on the market, could soon present a high-end processor to compete with that of MacBooks.
Qualcomm already designs SoCs based on the ARM architecture for laptops: the Snapdragon 8cx and the 8cx Gen 2. However, they remain in the minority in the world of ultrabooks, especially because of their lack of power, and manufacturers prefer low-power Intel processors. However, some brands have tried the adventure, such as Microsoft with its Surface Pro X, with a modified ARM processor.
Qualcomm was working on an Apple M1 competitor
But according to WinFuture, things could change with the arrival of an upcoming SoC : the Qualcomm SC8280. A reference which was spotted by the site and which could be only a code name. The name for the marketing could be different. The German site specifies that this SoC could be equipped with 8 GB of LPPDR5 RAM or 32 GB of LPPDDR4 RAM, if we are to believe the development platforms currently being tested by the manufacturer. Here, it would be the 14-inch ultra-portable market that would be targeted. This would make the Snapdragon SC8280 a very interesting processor, given that it could carry twice as much RAM as the Apple M1.
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ARM processors have been around on Windows PCs for some time. If there has been improvement, especially with the Surface Pro X and its modified processor, they are still in a very large minority, because of their lack of power. But the arrival of Apple in the segment with his M1 has changed a lot of things. This processor has absolutely nothing to be ashamed of in the face of competition and seems to have paved the way for the future. It remains to be seen what Qualcomm will actually offer, and whether the manufacturers will be seduced.
Source: WinFuture
