Laptops launched with Qualcomm’s next-generation Snapdragon X Elite and Plus processors had limited success in the third quarter of 2024. According to Canalys, only about 720,000 notebooks with Snapdragon X processors were sold during this period. This corresponds to only 0.8% of the total PC market. In other words, only one in every 125 PCs sold has a Snapdragon X processor.
Why haven’t laptops with Snapdragon X Elite/Plus processors caught on?
In fact, these devices were rumored to usher in a new era in the Windows ecosystem with ARM-based processors. However, in a market dominated by x86 processors, it seems difficult to achieve the success of Apple’s M1 and M2 processors. Especially Apple’s full control over its own hardware, software and ecosystem is an important factor in this success.
Windows devices continue to offer a wide variety of both x86 and ARM processors. Among devices with Snapdragon X processors, the largest share is taken by Microsoft’s Surface series, which has largely transitioned to these chips. Microsoft is followed by Dell, while brands such as HP, Lenovo, Acer and Asus also have a small presence in this field. However, these brands are said to be more cautious about fully transitioning to Snapdragon X-based devices.
Interestingly, about 20% (13.3 million devices) of the computers sold in the third quarter had AI-powered features. So essentially, we can say that Snapdragon X processors could gain more traction in the future, if not now, due to their AI capabilities. Although Qualcomm’s plan to revolutionize the Windows ecosystem with ARM-based processors has had limited success for now, the potential for growth in this segment is high. But, of course, the adoption of this technology depends on greater support from users and software developers.
What do you think about computers with Snapdragon X processors? Could these ARM-based devices be an alternative to x86?
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