Qualcomm Targets Budget Laptops with New Chip

Qualcomm has released more details about Snapdragon C, the Arm-based chip it is preparing for low-cost laptops. The company is betting that a combination of modest CPU performance, integrated graphics, and low power consumption can give manufacturers another option in a segment of the market typically dominated by entry-level Intel systems starting around $300.

Chip Specifications

The processor has eight Qualcomm Kryo CPU cores. Qualcomm lists a maximum clock speed of 3 GHz for single-core workloads and 2 GHz for multi-core workloads, along with 2 MB of total cache.

Its specification notes provide some additional detail but do not fully explain how the chip behaves under a full workload: four cores can run at 2.0 GHz, while three can reach 2.6 GHz. Qualcomm has not said how all eight cores perform simultaneously.

Performance Claims

Qualcomm’s performance claims are based on a reference laptop with 8GB of memory. The company compared the system with an Acer TravelMate powered by Intel’s N250 processor and equipped with 8GB of RAM.

Qualcomm said Snapdragon C delivered 44% higher single-core Geekbench performance and 24% higher multi-core performance while running on battery power. The company reported larger gains in Cinebench, claiming that Snapdragon C was 50% faster in single-threaded testing and 67% faster in multi-threaded testing.

It also claimed a 39% lead in Speedometer 3.1. Geekbench and Speedometer are likely more useful indicators for the types of tasks expected from a low-cost laptop, such as browsing, running web applications, and handling basic productivity tasks.

Battery Life

Qualcomm is also putting battery life at the center of its pitch. The company said Snapdragon C was 106% more power-efficient than the Intel N250 during Netflix streaming in Microsoft Edge, 68% more efficient while browsing the web, and 74% more efficient during a Teams video call.

It said the platform can provide “all-day” battery life, but has not provided a specific runtime estimate for finished laptops. Those figures need some context, as Qualcomm’s reference system had a 16-inch display, while the Acer TravelMate used in the comparison has an 11.6-inch panel.

Display size, resolution, panel technology, and battery capacity can all affect battery life, so final notebooks may not match the reference design. Qualcomm has not released performance figures for Snapdragon C laptops when connected to power, nor has it published independent testing of a retail system.

Market Impact

Acer, HP, Asus, and Lenovo are expected to build systems using the chip. Acer has already shown the Aspire Go 15, its first Snapdragon C laptop. The system is set to include 8GB of RAM, a 512GB SSD and a range of ports, although Acer has not announced a price or release date.

Snapdragon C could give PC makers a lower-priced Arm option to compete with Intel’s Wildcat Lake systems and Apple’s MacBook Neo.

Until finished products are available, the company’s numbers remain vendor claims rather than a complete picture of how the platform will perform in day-to-day use. The timing of those launches remains unclear, with manufacturers potentially using IFA in Berlin to introduce their first models, or waiting until CES.

Qualcomm’s $300 target may also be difficult to maintain if memory and other component costs continue to rise.