With the boom of mobile Internet, intelligence and 5G technology, Always Connected has become the next generation of PCs. In the past two years, use cases such as remote work and online learning have become daily routines, which has made us realize the importance of "mobile PCs that can be connected anytime, anywhere". At the same time, the boundaries between our lives and work tend to blur, and laptops as productivity tools must be thin, portable, long-lasting, and able to work anytime, anywhere.
The foundation for all this is the core computing platform in mobile PCs. In the traditional understanding, we would think that this core computing platform is the processor (CPU), but it is obvious that the entire PC wants to get a good experience, and the processor alone is not enough. The Snapdragon Computing Platform was born for PCs and includes a full suite of solutions for core computing, graphics output, digital signal processing, network connectivity, and AI loads.
The Snapdragon mobile platform used by smartphones is familiar to everyone, but in fact, Qualcomm has long had a layout in terms of PC computing platform. Four years ago, at COMPUTEX, Qualcomm demonstrated the first prototype device of the Snapdragon computing platform using Windows system. In 2018, the first 7nm process PC computing platform Snapdragon 8cx was launched, and the Snapdragon 8cx second-generation 5G computing platform launched last year provided better energy efficiency and performance, and brought a secure and reliable 5G Internet connection.
At the recent 2021 Snapdragon Technology Summit, the 3rd generation of Snapdragon 8cx computing platform was officially unveiled, and the 5nm process process, breakthrough per watt performance, powerful GPU graphics performance, advanced AI acceleration, and 10Gbps 5G connectivity and dual Wi-Fi clients once again expanded the portfolio of always-on, always-connected PCs.
The 3rd generation Snapdragon 8cx computing platform is the world's first 5nm Windows PC platform, you know, the x86 processor platform is currently the most advanced process technology is still stuck in 7nm. The 3rd Generation Snapdragon 8cx integrates four Prime cores with frequencies up to 3.0GHz and four high-efficiency cores of 2.4GHz, with a total cache of 14MB. While significantly improving Kryo CPU performance, the 5nm advanced process consumes only the same power consumption as the previous generation platform. If compared to the x86-based competitor platform, the performance of the 9W 3rd Generation Snapdragon 8cx can reach the 22W Intel Core i5 processor. If the TDP is raised to 15W, the performance of the Snapdragon 8cx can be improved by another 25%. This means that users can have ultra-low energy consumption without compromising on computing power.
The graphics performance of Adreno GPUs has also been greatly enhanced, supporting the DirectX 12 API, which can be said to be designed specifically for Windows 11 laptops. When running scenarios such as web browsing, video and photo editing, and video conferencing scenes, its performance is up to 60% better than the previous generation. Even in some games, the 120FPS experience can be obtained at Full HD resolution, and after optimization, devices based on the platform can have longer game life.
Connectivity has always been Qualcomm's strength project. The 3rd generation Snapdragon 8cx computing platform provides super connectivity for mobile PCs. Support Snapdragon X55, X62 or X65 5G modems and RF systems, up to 10Gbps connection speed. Qualcomm has also partnered with Microsoft to develop a FastConnect 6900 mobile connectivity system specifically for Windows 11 using 4-way dual-band concurrency technology, which seamlessly switches between Wi-Fi 6 and Wi-Fi 6E, 5G or 4G LTE trusted networks. This means that devices with Snapdragon 8cx can stay online at any time, and can be started immediately at boot, creating a smartphone-like experience.
In addition, the 3rd generation Snapdragon 8cx computing platform also has excellent AI capabilities. Different from the x86 processor used by traditional PCs, Snapdragon 8cx is a SoC (System on Chip) with a highly integrated architecture, which not only integrates CPU, GPU and DSP, but also integrates a dedicated neural processor AI engine, with a computing speed of up to 29 trillion times per second, greatly exceeding the traditional desktop platform, which will empower users with various characteristics they need every day and bring unlimited imagination space to mobile PCs. Examples include face detection, background blur, and audio noise suppression. Coupled with the noise and echo cancellation technology in qualcomm voice suites, the 3rd generation Snapdragon 8cx computing platform can deliver ultra-clear audio experiences in virtually any environment. 4K-level high-quality video shooting and background bokeh can also be achieved through the mobile imaging technology supported by Qualcomm Spectra ISP in video conferencing. The combination of the two will bring us a refreshing new experience in audio and video conferencing.
As a Soc, the ultra-high integration of the 3rd generation Snapdragon 8cx computing platform supports fanless design, which not only makes the device more compact, but also frees up more space for the inside of the terminal to place the battery, coupled with the support of Qualcomm Quick Charge fast charging technology, which can make the laptop get all-weather battery life.
In addition, there have been new developments in the ecosystem of the Windows on Arm system, which is the most concerned: Microsoft said that the latest Windows 11 runs on the Snapdragon computing platform, supporting more excellent experiences, supporting x64 emulation and introducing ARM64EC, thereby further simplifying application optimization. This means that the future "Snapdragon Ben" will have better application compatibility. Taken together, the comprehensive and excellent performance of the 3rd generation Snapdragon 8cx computing platform will help partners build efficient, always-connected, advanced mobile PCs and reshape the mobile office and living experience of the future.
For nearly half a century, computers based on x86 architecture have been the mainstream of the market, especially the "Wintel" combination of Windows operating system + Intel processor has swept the PC market. Now, the Snapdragon 8cx computing platform based on arm architecture may shake the market structure of traditional mobile processors. With an advanced 5nm process, a dramatic increase in CPU and GPU performance, coupled with extremely fast network connectivity and advanced AI features, the 3rd generation Snapdragon 8cx computing platform is very different from the traditional X86 processor, which brings the entire experience of mobile PC to improve.
Always-on, thin and light and portable with long-term battery life is our natural requirement for the future of mobile PCs, 5G, Wi-Fi 6 and other advanced connectivity technologies will be the key technologies to promote the transformation of traditional laptops to mobile PCs. The characteristics of the 3rd generation Snapdragon 8cx computing platform are precisely the capabilities most needed by mobile PCs, which perfectly meet the next-generation development requirements of notebook computers. Windows laptops based on the Snapdragon 8cx computing platform can be always online and have multi-day battery life, allowing users to enjoy a "ready-to-use" experience like smartphones, fully meeting the growing needs of consumers for mobile scenes, and then accelerating the experience innovation of mobile PCs.