Qualcomm's 'extreme' Snapdragon 8cx processor for Windows 10 can handle dual 4K displays

Qualcomm is doubling downwardly on Windows x and its commitment to the e'er-connected PC (ACPC). At its Snapdragon Elevation in Maui, Hawaii, the company appear the forthcoming Snapdragon 8cx, an all-new 7-nanometer (nm) processor that is the first of its kind and built for Windows 10 PCs only.

The new premium-tier processor should launch in the 3rd quarter of 2022, co-ordinate to Qualcomm. Packing its most potent GPU yet and twice the operation of the Snapdragon 850, the new Snapdragon 8cx may finally be the ARM processor to break into the PC mainstream.

What'southward new with Qualcomm Snapdragon 8cx?

The Snapdragon 8cx features the new Adreno 680 and Kyro 495 CPUs, which are significantly more strong than current Snapdragon processors for phones. With two times the functioning increment over the last generation, Qualcomm claims a sixty percentage greater ability efficiency also as giving devices the same multi-day battery life as the current Snapdragon 850.

There is also now an X24 LTE Category twenty modem with a acme theoretical download speed of 2 Gbps and 316 Mbps upload.

Qualcomm promises more robust graphics performance with hardware acceleration and 4K HDR video playback at 120 frames per second for streaming. The GPU can likewise now support up to two external 4K HDR displays.

Here's a look at a spec sheet from Qualcomm:

Other changes include boosted connectivity ports with 2nd-generation USB iii.1 over Type C and third generation PCI-E allowing "limitless peripherals."

Storage is likewise getting a boost, every bit there is now support for faster NVMe solid-state drives (SSDs) instead of slower (but cheaper) eUFS 3.0.

There are enhanced vocalisation banana experiences for Alexa and Cortana from the Hexagon 685 DSP and new "All-Ways Aware technology." Artificial intelligence is as well featured with Qualcomm'southward fourth-generation AI engine on board.

Rounding out the new features, at that place is now support for Bluetooth 5.0 and Qualcomm Quick Accuse iv+ engineering science.

Alex Katouzian, senior vice president and general manager of mobile for Qualcomm Technologies, had this to say about the new processor:

As the fastest Snapdragon platform e'er, the Snapdragon 8cx volition permit our customers to offer a powerful computing experience of multi-day battery life and multi-gigabit connectivity, in new thin, light and fanless pattern for consumers and the enterprise.

Interestingly, the Snapdragon 8cx also brings the first Windows 10 Enterprise certification to a Snapdragon platform, which is critical for adoption by businesses who are interested in an ever-connected PC platform.

What's with the name 8cx?

The "cx" in the Snapdragon 8cx name stands for "compute" and "extreme" because everything almost this processor represents the most radical iteration of ARM from Qualcomm and then far.

The new processor designation is purposeful every bit Qualcomm has built the CPU specifically for PCs and only PCs. Previously, Windows 10 on ARM devices used the Snapdragon 835, which was a straight port from phones, and the Snapdragon 850, an enhanced Snapdragon 845, also from phones.

The 8cx is a shift abroad from that even though the current Snapdragon 850 will go along to be used. The 8cx is a more powerful (and presumably expensive) tier of processors for college-end devices. We're told Qualcomm has been working on the Snapdragon 8cx for the last few years.

What's real-world performance like?

While information technology is also early on to criterion the new Snapdragon 8cx, Qualcomm seems confident that its functioning when running native Windows ARM applications and Windows 10 should rival that of an Intel Core i5 U-serial processor.

In our previous tests, the Snapdragon 850 trounce an Intel Core i5-6300U in multi-core scores and only slightly lagged in unmarried-cadre benchmarks. Where things changed was during emulation of archetype Win32 apps like Google Chrome, where scores barbarous between an Intel Atom and Intel Pentium processor.

Because how much more powerful the Snapdragon 8cx is supposed to be, it should exist able to handle much more, and powering dual-4K HDR displays is a stunning achievement for this class of device. Combined with ARM64 app support and Microsoft switching to a Chromium-based version of Edge, the Snapdragon 8cx should be an heady processor solution to test.

Possible future Snapdragon-powered Windows PCs from Qualcomm'southward promo video.

As to what devices will use the new Snapdragon 8cx in 2022, we'll accept to wait and see. Still, Qualcomm seems to tease a few reference designs in its promo video (above) including a dual-screen ii-in-i design and a new-style fold-out keyboard. With the higher price tier and functioning boost, this may finally exist the ARM processor that Microsoft commits to with a Surface tablet. Even if non, its partners are certain to have some unique and artistic ideas.

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