Microsoft is anticipated to unveil its first set of Surface laptops featuring the Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite chip at an event on May 20. This marks a significant shift from x86-based PCs to ARM-based personal computing devices. Microsoft isn’t alone in this transition; other original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) like Dell and Samsung are expected to introduce their own ARM-based PCs.
this is the Windows 11 Bloom wallpaper variant that will ship on the new ARM laptops pic.twitter.com/Q2kItBPKFI
— Tom Warren (@tomwarren) May 19, 2024
Windows 11 Latest Features To Be Announced
During the event, Microsoft is also expected to announce new Windows 11 features and demonstrate how the OS has been optimized for the ARM platform, potentially including new on-device generative AI features.
For a long time, PCs have predominantly used x86 architecture, powered by Intel or AMD CPUs. While there have been a few ARM-based Windows laptops in the past, they haven’t achieved significant success.
However, Apple’s transition from Intel to its in-house Apple Silicon for Macs changed the landscape. Macs with Apple Silicon are not only more powerful but also more energy-efficient. This shift allowed MacBooks to become thinner, more efficient, and offer impressive battery life unmatched by any Windows laptop, helping Apple to gain market share. Despite being under 10 percent, Apple shipped a record 4.8 million Mac units in Q1 2024, according to IDC, making it the fourth largest personal computer company globally.
Qualcomm, known for its dominance in the Android smartphone market, has introduced a new family of processors – Snapdragon X Elite, for Windows PCs. These processors promise “game-changing performance and efficiency” and are “built for AI,” with the first wave of ARM-PCs based on these chips.
While the current high-end Windows laptops are quite powerful, they lack the efficiency of M3-powered MacBooks. Qualcomm aims to close this gap with its latest processors.
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