Qualcomm Snapdragon Powered ‘Always-On, Always’ Connected PC Comes of Age

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The idea of an “always-on”, “always connected” computer has been around for a while. Unfortunately, the available technology wasn’t quite ready to make such computers possible. Thanks to the just-announced new Qualcomm Snapdragon Compute platform portfolio, the “always computer” may finally be at hand. Long battery life, AI, and cellular connectivity are just the beginning of this revolution.

The long battery life, cellular connectivity, and AI accelerated the performance of the new Qualcomm Snapdragon Compute platform will pave the way to a new generation of fanless, thin and light computers. Development of the new platform focused on the needs of those who are on the go while also recognizes just how quickly the demands and expectations of mobile consumers have evolved.

The Snapdragon 7c and 8c now join the previously announced Snapdragon 8cx, delivering lightning-fast cellular connectivity to premium, mainstream, and entry-level notebook PCs. The portfolio is available in various price points allowing partners to design always on, always connected PCs for a wide array of consumers. In addition, the Snapdragon 8cx enterprise computer platform brings connected security software and secured-core PC support for modern enterprises looking to bring mobility to their workers.

The Octa-core Qualcomm Kryo 468 CPU and Qualcomm Adreno 618 GPU deliver responsive performance AND impressive battery life in the entry-tier. The numbers are impressive. For example:

  • The Snapdragon 7c computer platform delivers a 25% boost in system performance and up to twice the battery life vs. competing platforms plus lightning-fast connectivity via the Snapdragon X15 LTE modem.
  • The Qualcomm AI Engine delivers over five trillion operations per second (TOPS) of performance for the latest AI accelerated experiences offered by Windows 10.
  • The advanced 7nm Snapdragon 8c Compute Platform boosts performance up to 30% over
    the Snapdragon 850.

The platform intentionally bridges the gap between smartphones and computers through its focus on instant-on responsiveness and multi-day battery life. It not only delivers amazing battery life but the integrated Snapdragon X24 LTE modem also enables multi-gigabit connectivity speeds so access to the cloud simply happens. Moreover, thanks to the Qualcomm AI Engine which dedicates six TOPS to accelerate machine learning applications, the platform will make mainstream devices with an ultra-thin, fan-less design that is optimized for mainstream use possible.

As Alex Katouzian, senior vice president and general manager, mobile, Qualcomm Technologies,
Inc. observes,

Qualcomm Technologies’ innovation in smartphones and connectivity placed the power of your desktop PC in your phone, now the phone is returning the favor by bringing thin, light, always-on, always-connected, all-day battery life experiences to your PC. The mobile-first consumer wants an experience on par with a smartphone, and we have the innovation, the inventions and the technology to enable this experience for customers across price points.

The full Snapdragon Mobile Compute portfolio promises to give Qualcomm’s partners greater flexibility to create products that meet the ever-changing demands of their customers.

Here are some highlights …

 

 

Disclosure: I am at the Snapdragon Tech Summit as Qualcomm’s guest; they paid for my travel, room, and meals, but there were no conditions or expectations made regarding what I chose to write about regarding my experience.

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About the Author

Judie Lipsett Stanford
Judie is the co-owner and Editor-in-Chief of Gear Diary, which she founded in September 2006. She got her start in 1999 writing software reviews at the now-defunct smaller.com; from mid-2000 through 2006, she wrote hardware reviews for and co-edited at The Gadgeteer. A recipient of the Sigma Kappa Colby Award for Technology, Judie has written for or been profiled by nationally known sites and magazines, and she has served on multiple industry hardware and software award panels. She is best known for her device-agnostic approach, enjoyment of exploring tech, gadgets, and gear, and her deep-diving, jargon-free reviews.