Snapdragon X Elite Can Redefine the Future of Windows Computing
Apr. 16, 2024A Brief History of x86 Architecture
The x86 architecture has been powering Windows since the 1980s. Intel developed the first 32-bit architecture processor based on the 8086 microprocessor. Later on, AMD implemented the 64-bit architecture in the early 2000s. Fast forward to today, and a majority of Windows PCs are powered by the x86-64 architecture.
For nearly four decades, the x86 architecture has proven well, scaling performance to meet thedemands of modern computingon Windows. However, efficiency has been one of its biggest challenges, leading to more power consumption and heat generation.
While Windows laptops offer good performance, they are also, well, known for offeringthe worst battery life. In my experience of using Windows laptops for more than a decade, I’ve never seen a laptop offering a battery life of more than 3 to 4 hours. And even if it did at the start, the battery life deteriorates quickly.
Not to mention, the sluggish performance is often compounded by theuse of slower HDDsand Microsoft’s increasingly bloated Windows OS. Windows laptops have been meme-fied to the point of being labeled as “hot garbage” and “junkware”.
Windows laptops have been meme-fied to the point of being labeled as “hot garbage” and “junkware”.
The problem became so painfully obvious that everyone started to look for an alternative. Thus, came the ARM architecture that promisedunrivaled efficiencyand great performance, however, it was initially used on low-compute devices like smartphones. It was dismissed as a replacement for the x86 architecture to deliver desktop-class performance.
Qualcomm’s announcement piqued Apple so much so that the Cupertino giantresponded by releasing the Apple M3 chips within a weekof the Snapdragon X Elite’s unveiling. By all indications, Qualcomm had really cracked the secret sauce.
Although Snapdragon X Elite is yet to debut, the promising chipset is grabbing headlines all over the media. In fact, Microsoft is so confident in the Snapdragon X Elite’s capabilities that it’s going to release upcoming Surface devicesonly with the Qualcomm chipset. There will be no Surface devices based on Intel Core Ultra processors, except forbusiness offerings.
As seen byThe Verge, the internal documents suggest that Windows’semulation layerwill run better than Apple’s Rosetta 2 on the Snapdragon X Elite. Recently, a Qualcomm engineer also said thatWindows games will just workon Snapdragon X Elite due to improved ARM64EC emulation.
In terms of efficiency, Qualcomm says the Snapdragon X Elitematches the peak performance of an x86 processor at 68% less power, which is huge. We might see 10 to 12 hours of battery life on Snapdragon X Elite-powered Windows laptops similar to MacBooks.
While the Snapdragon X Elite is yet to arrive on any device, the recent leaks and official benchmark numbers put forward by Qualcomm are quite assuring. As x86 architecture has ruled Windows PCs for so long,app compatibilitywill be a huge factor before users jump on the ARM bandwagon.
Google recently launched nativeChrome for Windows on ARM, just before the Snapdragon X Elite debut. Many native apps fromAdobe, Cisco, Citrix, and other developer firms are on their way to the WoA platform. Microsoft has already ported most of its apps for consumers and developers. You can find a list of native apps available on the WoA platform fromhere.
Apart from the powerful Oryon CPU, theHexagon NPUon the Snapdragon X Elite is an added bonus. We are rapidly moving towards an AI era, and Microsoft is also doubling down on this front. Microsoft has added aCopilot key to the Windows keyboardfor instant access to the AI chatbot on Windows 11. The company is also working onseveral AI featureswhich will be released with theWindows 11 24H2update.
While Intel has also packed an integrated NPU into its Core Ultra processors, it can collectivelydeliver up to 34 TOPS, and AMD up to 39 TOPS. x86 processors can’t seem to match the AI performance of the Snapdragon X Elite chipset.
After the agreement expires, many players likeAMD, Nvidia, MediaTek, and Samsung plan to build custom ARM-based chips for Windows on ARM. The diverse competition will ensure that Windows gets the best performance and efficiency in terms of CPU, GPU, NPU, and more. Not to forget, good competition will also reduce the price of ARM-based PCs.
To sum up, Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X Elite ispoised to change the landscape of Windows computing. The era of bad battery life and always-spinning fans with heat emanating from every side resulting in poor performance is set to be replaced by a new standard of efficiency and power.
The era of bad battery life and always-spinning fans with heat emanating from all sides resulting in poor performance is set to be replaced by a new standard of efficiency and power.
That said, high pricing can temper the anticipation people have with the Snapdragon X Elite launch. According to a recentWinFuturereport, the upcoming Samsung Galaxy Book4 Edge is said to come with the Snapdragon X Elite chipset, and it may bepriced around 1800 euros($1954 or Rs. 1.6 lakhs) in Europe.
If this remains the case, it will hinder the adoption of ARM-based Windows PCs. Qualcomm, along with laptop manufacturers mustprice X Elite-powered laptops competitivelyto make ARM-based PCs a success in the market.
Passionate about Windows, ChromeOS, Android, security and privacy issues. Have a penchant to solve everyday computing problems.
