Qualcomm announces Snapdragon 8cx chipset for Windows 10

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Qualcomm, in its annual event in Hawaii (no, we weren't invited!), announced the Snapdragon 8cx chipset yesterday, destined to form the heart of a new generation of go-anywhere ARM-powered Windows 10 ultra-portable PCs. So hybrids, laptops, foldables). Some more info below. No, it's not Windows 10 Mobile, though as that too is ARM then you can argue that some of what Microsoft and its partners will build will have technology from W10M included.

Firstly, the launch video:

From GSM Arena:

At the Snapdragon Summit in Hawaii, Qualcomm has taken the wraps off its latest chipset intended for Windows 10 computers - the Snapdragon 8cx. This is the successor to the Snapdragon 850, but it's a different beast altogether.

Whereas the 850 was just a modified Snapdragon 845, which is intended for mobile devices, the 8cx is the company's first of a kind SoC built specifically for Windows 10 PCs from the ground up. It's made on a 7nm process and should be in shipping products around the third quarter of next year...

...Bluetooth 5.0 is supported too, as well as Quick Charge 4+. The 8cx is without a doubt the fastest Snapdragon ever, a feat that is made possible in the laptop/2-in-1 category by the better heat dissipation than what you'd find in any phone. Qualcomm also promises multi-day battery life for the devices that will have the 8cx at the core.

...Finally, let's address the odd name: the "cx" letters apparently stand for "compute" and "extreme", to further drive home the point about this being the most radical iteration of any SoC ever made by Qualcomm.

Ultra-mobile computing is starting to come together. After years of 'pocket PCs' with pretty dire user experiences, we can now see a time when a device not much larger than a smartphone will unfold to become a full tablet and, with an optional keyboard cover, also become a hybrid/laptop. Or just something in the Surface Go/Pro family but all based on ARM, all with double the battery life in terms of usability compared to today's Intel-based solutions.

You can find out more about the 8cx 'Compute Platform' here at Qualcomm.