Qualcomm’s 8CX Gen 2 5G processor promises a new wave of better ARM-based laptops

It’s been almost two years since Qualcomm announced its flagship ARM processor Snapdragon 8CX for Windows laptops, but at IFA 2020, the company is unveiling its successor: the Snapdragon 8X Gen 252, which promises some additional improvements over the original.

Qualcomm 8cx General 2 would go further than saying on its predecessor that it would provide an “advantage in the performance and efficiency of the payload” was not far ahead in terms of what specific performance improvements it would make in the next performance.

However, there is Qualcomm Too much Interested in showing that the new 8CX Gen2 chipset is able to go toe-to-toe with Intel’s traditional systems. It claims that the 8CX Gen2 offers significant performance benefits from both the 10th Gen Core i5 chip compared to Intel as well as Intel’s Lakfield chips (which is to directly challenge Qualcomm’s laptop efforts and also use the same hybrid core system). Is.)

The 8CX Gen 2 also improves battery life, with Qualcomm promising to use not only a single chargeable one day but up to 25 consecutive hours, which is enough for “many days of battery life” – an impressive achievement, really Guess holds in the real world.

Other new features on the 8CX Gen2 include Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.1, Qualcomm’s Extra Audio Dio Technol (G (used for “eco-cancellation and noise suppression”), and support for a dual 4K external monitor at 60fps. There are also vague promises of enhanced AI capabilities, which should allow for more features such as the Surface Pro X’s eye-contact feature, and improved security functionality for business and enterprise customers.

Despite adding “5G” to the name, the 8CX Gen 2 doesn’t really repeat much on the connectivity front: it will offer the same X24 LTE modem and X55 5G modem options as the original 8X, but it will decide where to offer. To manufacturers.

Refreshed chips are coming as Qualcomm wants to suppress its advantage with 5G laptops. When the 8CX was announced in December 2018, the first 5G laptops only started coming this year, and my colleague Cameron Faulkner noted in a review of the Lenovo Flex 5G that while the battery life on these machines is really exceptional, things like app support Still not ARM-based Windows for computers. Plus, Qualcomm is going to have some new competition: Samsung has announced the Galaxy Book Flex 5G, powered by Intel’s 11th Gen chips and built on Samsung’s own 5G modem.

Qualcomm says it expects the first 8CX General 25G devices to come out later this year, starting with the Acer Spin 7, which was announced with the new chipset (and will also be Acer’s first 5G computer).