Qualcomm’s upcoming Snapdragon 8cx lineup for Windows PCs: What you need to know

Qualcomm is one of the leading chipmakers for smartphones and tablets, but it has also been trying to break into the Windows PC market with its ARM-based processors. However, its current offerings, such as the Snapdragon 8cx Gen 3, have not been able to match the performance and efficiency of Intel’s and AMD’s x86 chips, let alone Apple’s M-series chips for Macs.

Back in November 2022, Qualcomm announced Oryon, its next-generation CPU for Snapdragon platforms. This custom CPU core is expected to deliver a new level of performance in Snapdragon-based devices. The Oryon CPUs will be first shipped as part of the upcoming Snapdragon 8cx Gen 4 processors targeted for PCs.  The new processors based on Oryon CPUs, codenamed “Hamoa”, are expected to be unveiled in October and launch in early 2024. Today, WinFuture.de published some key details about these upcoming Snapdragon 8cx Gen 4 processors.

Here are some of the key features and specifications of Qualcomm’s new Snapdragon 8cx Gen 4 range for Windows PCs:

• The new Snapdragon 8cx Gen 4 processors will use a 5nm process technology, which should improve power efficiency and performance compared to the previous generation.
• These processors will feature up to 12 cores, divided into two clusters: one for high-performance tasks and another for low-power tasks. The high-performance cluster will use custom-designed “Oryon” cores that are based on Nuvia’s ARM architecture. The low-power cluster will use standard ARM Cortex-A55 cores.
• The new Snapdragon 8cx Gen 4 will come in three variants: SC8380 with 12 cores (8 Oryon + 4 Cortex-A55), SC8370 with 10 cores (6 Oryon + 4 Cortex-A55), and SC8350 with 8 cores (4 Oryon + 4 Cortex-A55). These variants will also have different clock speeds and cache sizes.
• The new CPUs will support up to 32GB of LPDDR5 memory and up to PCIe Gen 4 storage.
• The new CPUs will support various connectivity options, such as Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.2, USB 4.0, Thunderbolt 4.0, and HDMI 2.1. They will also be compatible with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X65 modem for 5G connectivity.

Qualcomm’s new CPU range for Windows PCs sounds promising, but it remains to be seen how well they will perform in real-world scenarios and how widely they will be adopted by PC manufacturers and consumers. The company faces stiff competition from Intel, AMD, and Apple, as well as from other ARM chipmakers like MediaTek and Samsung. However, if Qualcomm can deliver on its promises, it could shake up the Windows PC market and offer a viable alternative to x86 and Apple platforms.