Qualcomm is serious about placing itself inside Windows 10 notebooks, and the Snapdragon 850 is its new proposition. A processor with integrated 4G that promises us Internet access anywhere and up to 25 hours of uptime.
Qualcomm announces the Snapdragon 850 – small changes with a single goal
About 6 months ago, the first Windows 10 laptops with Snapdragon arrived, and the chips were soon replaced. While the Snapdragon 850 is a new processor designed for notebooks, the previous generation used the Snapdragon 835 which was also used by many smartphones.
While each manufacturer will create its own designs using the Snapdragon 850, Qualcomm says it will achieve 25 hours of autonomy on very thin and lightweight equipment.
The version of Windows for ARM architecture will continue to run most traditional desktop programs, as long as they are 32-bit and do not require very high performance, such as advanced 3D games.
Image – Qualcomm Snapdragon 850, the new processor for 4G Windows notebooks
Qualcomm Snapdragon 850, specifications
While Qualcomm seeks to promote the performance of notebooks more than the specific features of their chipsets, they are clearly the foundation for everything else, so they are important.
Let’s take a look at the Snapdragon 850 datasheet to get to know it better:
- CPU: 8 Kryo 358 cores up to 2.95 GHz
- Manufacturing process: 10 nm
- Graphics: Adreno 630
- Video: Play and record Ultra HP Premium
- Modem: Snapdragon X20 with 4G / LTE at 1.2 Gbps
- Sound: support for 3.5 mm jack and USB C + aptX in Bluetooth
Improvements in performance, autonomy and connectivity
The Snapdragon 850, while still manufactured in a 10 nm process like its predecessor, offers what you would expect from a refurbishment: up to 30% more power, up to 20% more range and up to 20% more 4G speed.
Qualcomm’s first platform-based notebooks had performance issues with demanding Windows desktop apps, and Snapdragon is expected to give them a major boost.