Qualcomm announced its latest chipset for Windows 10 PCs today, the Snapdragon 8cx. Unlike previous iterations that were derived from mobile SoCs, this one is built from the ground up for PCs, and it"s meant to compete with a 15W Intel Core i5.
Another key feature is that this is the first Snapdragon processor that"s certified for Windows 10 Enterprise. As we noted back in October when the processor requirements were updated for the Windows 10 October 2018 Update, the Snapdragon 850 was included for all desktop SKUs except for Enterprise. But while the 850 still won"t be supported, the Snapdragon 8cx will be.
Other than the obvious performance benefits, one of the key points is security. With integrated 4G LTE, users can be connected wherever they are without the concerns that are presented by public Wi-Fi networks, which are often insecure. After all, connectivity is increasingly important in a world where more and more businesses are moving to the cloud.
Naturally, businesses tend to have their own apps and services, and Qualcomm is working to help them move those apps to native ARM64. The Snapdragon 8cx won"t be shipping on new devices until the third quarter of next year, so Qualcomm will be working with partners, OEMs and customers alike.