The first major wave of ARM-based Windows laptops was launched this summer, starting at $999 and up. However, a new and slightly less powerful Snapdragon X Plus chip could soon make PCs significantly cheaper.
Today, Qualcomm has announced its first 8-core Snapdragon X Plus chips, which will debut in the Asus Zenbook S 15 and Dell Inspiron 14, each retailing for $899.
The 8-core chip offers the same AI performance but significantly weaker graphics
These new Qualcomm chips retain all the features of their 10-core Snapdragon X Plus and 12-core Snapdragon X Elite chips but are slightly weaker in specific areas, particularly graphics. On average, these chips offer less than half the GPU power needed for games and other graphics-intensive applications.
While the 8-core Snapdragon X Plus chips maintain the same 45 TOPS of AI performance from their NPU, they come with 12MB less CPU cache. For those unfamiliar, the 10-core Snapdragon X Plus features a 42 MB cache, while the newly launched 8-core version comes with only 30 MB of cache.
The ISP of the 8-core chip appears to be less capable compared to its 10-core counterpart. While the 10-core Snapdragon X Plus supports dual cameras with up to 36 MP resolution or a single camera with up to 64 MP resolution, the newly launched 8-core version only supports a single 36 MP camera.
According to Qualcomm’s internal benchmarks (which readers should consider with a grain of salt), these 8-core chips are approximately 80% as capable at CPU tasks as the 12-core models and perform on par with the 10-core chips for productivity tasks. However, the company has predictably halved the graphics performance.
Cheaper Snapdragon X Plus-powered PCs could become a great deal for entry-level buyers
For entry-level computer buyers, these cost savings might be worth it. For instance, the Asus Vivobook S 15, which originally cost $1,300 with a 12-core chip, now costs just $900 with the 8-core version. It retains the same 70-watt-hour battery and 3K 120Hz OLED screen but comes with half the storage (512GB instead of 1TB).
However, pricing differences might be less significant due to sales: the 12-core Asus Vivobook S 15 is already on sale for around $1,100, and Dell is offering a 12-core Inspiron 14 Plus for $899.
Asus also announced a Qualcomm-based creator laptop, the $1,099 ProArt PZ13, featuring a 3K OLED touchscreen, a 70-watt-hour battery, a detachable keyboard, and stylus support. Both Asus models should be available today, while Dell also introduced Snapdragon X Plus-powered Inspiron and Latitude laptops with similar specs. However, the company has yet to reveal the pricing.
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