Qualcomm Challenges Intel’s Dominance in Desktop CPU Market

In a bold move to challenge Intel's long-standing dominance in the desktop CPU market, Qualcomm introduced its first custom Arm CPU, the Oryon CPU.

Introduction

Every year, Qualcomm sets the stage for innovation in the tech industry with its Snapdragon Summit, and 2023 was no exception.

This year, Qualcomm made significant announcements that promise to reshape the landscape of mobile and computing technology at the snapdragon summit.

Among these groundbreaking revelations are the launch of Qualcomm’s first custom Arm CPU, the Oryon CPU.

These developments are set to challenge Intel’s dominance in the desktop CPU market while delivering extraordinary improvements in performance and gaming.

Additionally, Qualcomm introduced Snapdragon X Elite and Snapdragon Seamless, bringing enhanced connectivity and AI capabilities to the forefront of technology. Let’s delve into the details of these four major announcements.

Kedar Kondap, Senior Vice President & General Manager of Compute & Gaming at Qualcomm Technologies, Inc., shared his thoughts at Snapdragon Summit.

“Snapdragon X Elite represents a dramatic leap in innovation for computing as we deliver our new, custom Qualcomm Oryon CPU for super-charged performance that will delight consumers with incredible power efficiency and take their creativity and productivity to the next level. Powerful on-device AI experiences will enable seamless multitasking and new intuitive user experiences, empowering consumers and businesses alike to create and accomplish more.”

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1. Qualcomm Oryon CPU at Snapdragon Summit

In a bold move to challenge Intel’s long-standing dominance in the desktop CPU market, Qualcomm introduced its first custom Arm CPU, the Oryon CPU.

The Snapdragon X Elite platform featuring the Oryon CPU promises a remarkable performance boost, delivering up to twice the CPU performance while consuming only a third of the power compared to competitors.

This development marks a pivotal moment in the tech industry, fostering competition and innovation in the laptop and desktop market. Although we eagerly anticipate further details, the Oryon CPU establishes a precedent for powerful, energy-efficient processing.

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2. Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 Mobile Platform at Snapdragon Summit

Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 mobile platform is the latest flagship offering that aims to redefine the mobile experience. It is built on TSMC’s cutting-edge 4nm process and incorporates a range of enhancements over its predecessor.

One of the standout features is support for 240 fps gaming on flagship smartphones, ensuring an exceptionally smooth and responsive gaming experience. This mobile platform marks a significant milestone as it focuses on generative AI and power efficiency, making it the first AI-centric mobile platform in Qualcomm’s history.

Its AI engine supports a wide range of multi-modal gen-AI models, including large language models. Consumers can expect smartphones equipped with Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 to hit the market in the coming weeks, promising unprecedented performance and intelligence in their hands.

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3. Snapdragon X Elite

Qualcomm designed the Snapdragon X Elite as a premium connectivity platform to enhance battery life and signal quality.

It’s hailed as the most potent computing processor ever created for PCs, equipped with a Qualcomm AI Engine and integrated Qualcomm Hexagon NPU to offer advanced AI capabilities.

Notably, the Snapdragon X Elite is capable of running generative AI LLM (Large Language Models) with over 13 billion parameters on-device. This breakthrough in AI capabilities promises to deliver blazing-fast performance and efficiency for a multitude of PC applications.

Furthermore, it features an updated dual Micro NPU with ultra-low power consumption, marking a significant leap in AI processing power for PCs.

Features of Snapdragon X Elite
12 Cores: A Beast Unleashed

At the heart of the Snapdragon X Elite lies its impressive octa-core architecture. With 12 powerful cores, this processor is designed to handle even the most demanding tasks with ease. The eight efficiency cores ensure that your everyday tasks run smoothly while optimizing power efficiency, while the four high-performance cores tackle intensive applications and gaming, delivering remarkable speed and responsiveness.

Clock Speeds that Impress

Snapdragon X Elite raises the bar with a base clock speed of 3.8 GHz, ensuring snappy performance for routine tasks. But what truly sets it apart is its ability to turbocharge when needed. With single and dual-core boost capabilities of up to 4.3 GHz, this processor effortlessly handles even the most demanding applications and games, providing a seamless user experience.

Cache: A 42 MB Buffer for Speed

Cache plays a vital role in speeding up data access and processing. The Snapdragon X Elite doesn’t disappoint in this department. With 42 MB of total cache, it maintains a vast reservoir of frequently accessed data, reducing latency and enhancing overall system responsiveness. This means faster app launches, quicker multitasking, and a smoother gaming experience.

Leading-Edge 4nm Process

One of the key highlights of the Snapdragon X Elite is its 4nm manufacturing process. This advanced process not only makes the processor smaller and more power-efficient but also significantly boosts performance. With more transistors packed into a smaller space, you get faster speeds and reduced power consumption, resulting in longer battery life.

Memory and Data Speeds

In the memory department, the Snapdragon X Elite shines once again. It supports LPDDR5X-8533 RAM, providing lightning-fast data access and transfer speeds. With a maximum capacity of up to 64 GB and a peak bandwidth of 136 GB/s, this processor ensures that your device can handle multitasking and resource-intensive applications without breaking a sweat.

Cutting-Edge Connectivity

Qualcomm’s Snapdragon processors have long been praised for their connectivity features, and the Snapdragon X Elite doesn’t disappoint. With support for 5G connectivity, Wi-Fi 6E, and Bluetooth 5.2, you can expect lightning-fast downloads, low latency online gaming, and seamless streaming, all while preserving battery life.

In an age where AI is poised to transform computing, the Snapdragon X Elite provides the answer. It’s designed to cater to the next generation of intelligent and power-intensive tasks, promising a computing experience that excels in both creativity and productivity.

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4. Snapdragon Seamless

Qualcomm’s Snapdragon Seamless is a revolutionary device connectivity technology that addresses the increasingly complex world of modern digital ecosystems. It aims to simplify and enhance the process of connecting and seamlessly transitioning between various devices, fostering a cohesive and user-friendly experience. Here, we delve into the intricate details of this cutting-edge technology:

Cross-Platform Connectivity:

One of the standout features of Snapdragon Seamless is its ability to transcend the boundaries of operating systems. It enables devices to seamlessly communicate and interact, irrespective of whether they run on Android, Windows, or other operating systems.

This cross-platform compatibility ensures that users can effortlessly connect and share information, bridging the gap between different devices and ecosystems.

Simplified Device Interaction:

Qualcomm’s technology simplifies the interaction between smartphones, laptops, tablets, and other devices. It provides an intuitive and consistent user experience, eliminating the need for users to navigate through convoluted settings or struggle with compatibility issues.

This means that tasks such as sharing files, syncing data, and even mirroring screens become straightforward and hassle-free.

Collaboration and Data Sharing:

Snapdragon Seamless encourages collaboration and information sharing across multiple devices. This facilitates the fluid transfer of data, such as documents, images, and multimedia, from one device to another, promoting a more integrated and productive workflow.

For example, a user can start working on a document on their laptop, seamlessly transition to their smartphone, and then continue on their tablet without any interruption, thanks to the seamless synchronization enabled by this technology.

Enhanced User Experience:

The overarching goal of Snapdragon Seamless is to enhance the overall user experience. Users will no longer be tied to a single device or hindered by compatibility issues.

Whether at home, in the office, or on the go, Snapdragon Seamless ensures a smooth and intuitive digital experience, allowing individuals to leverage the full potential of their device ecosystem.

Ecosystem Integration: Qualcomm’s technology integrates seamlessly with a variety of devices, including smartphones, laptops, tablets, and potentially other smart devices in the future.

This broad ecosystem integration expands the potential applications of this technology, from personal use to collaborative work environments, making it a versatile and valuable addition to the tech landscape.

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Conclusion

The Snapdragon Summit 2023 unveiled groundbreaking announcements by Qualcomm, heralding a new era in mobile and computing tech. The introduction of the Oryon CPU challenges Intel’s dominance, promising innovation in the laptop and desktop market.

Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 focuses on generative AI and power efficiency, enhancing smartphone performance and intelligence. Snapdragon X Elite and Snapdragon Seamless reaffirm Qualcomm’s commitment to pushing tech boundaries and delivering groundbreaking solutions to global consumers.

Kumar Priyadarshi
Kumar Priyadarshi

Kumar Joined IISER Pune after qualifying IIT-JEE in 2012. In his 5th year, he travelled to Singapore for his master’s thesis which yielded a Research Paper in ACS Nano. Kumar Joined Global Foundries as a process Engineer in Singapore working at 40 nm Process node. Working as a scientist at IIT Bombay as Senior Scientist, Kumar Led the team which built India’s 1st Memory Chip with Semiconductor Lab (SCL).

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