Qualcomm Enters the Notebook Segment with the Snapdragon 8cx Gen 2

Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. today announced at Internationale Funkausstellung (IFA) Berlin the Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ 8cx Gen 2 5G compute platform, the company’s most advanced and efficient compute platform. Users will benefit from superior performance and multi-day battery life*, 5G connectivity, enterprise-grade security, and AI acceleration, as well as an advanced camera and audio technology. These features will enable and support the digital transformation and mobility needs for remote productivity and learning experiences. The Snapdragon 8cx Gen 2 is designed to enable industry-leading 5G PC experiences and build on the innovative first-generation Snapdragon 8cx 5G compute platform, which powered the World’s First 5G PC.

“Working remotely is a new reality, and more businesses are looking to quickly and securely connect their employee base, accelerating the need for always-on, always-connected PCs that are thin, light and truly mobile, equipped with blazing-fast 5G cellular and Wi-Fi 6 connectivity, and coupled with multi-day battery-life to boost productivity,” said Miguel Nunes, Senior Director, Product Management, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. “We are excited to expand our customer reach with Acer, to continue bringing the best of the Smartphone to the PC. Together, we will deliver cutting-edge devices and experiences to consumers and businesses, enabling them to connect, create, and collaborate anytime from virtually anywhere.”

“Acer and Qualcomm understand the importance of fast, reliable, high-performance computing power and 5G connectivity for transforming how users work and learn,” said James Lin, General Manager, Notebooks, IT Products Business, Acer. “We’re excited to partner with Qualcomm and launch our first-ever Windows on Snapdragon PC, powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8cx Gen 2 5G compute platform. This collaboration will expand the possibilities of how users experience their PCs, offering high speeds and multi-day battery life in a sleek, fanless design.”

The Snapdragon 8cx Gen 2 5G compute platform will transform the PC user experience with high-speed connectivity, enhanced audio and camera technology, AI acceleration, and enterprise-grade security features. With more performance and higher efficiency compared to the previous generation, the Snapdragon 8cx Gen 2 5G compute platform is setting a new standard for consumer, small business, and enterprise PCs.

Qualcomm Snapdragon 8cx Gen 2 5G Compute Platform:

Qualcomm Snapdragon 8cx Gen 2 5G

Performance and Power

The evolution of the Snapdragon 8cx platform brings advanced power and performance to personal computer users. The Snapdragon 8cx Gen 2 5G delivers over 50% greater system-wide performance and battery life versus competing solutions**, so end users may enjoy a device that can keep up with them. Snapdragon compute platforms enable multi-day battery life in a device that is always on and always connected***. With Snapdragon 8cx Gen 2 5G, users will not have to sacrifice performance or longevity for connectivity or security.

Connectivity

The Snapdragon 8cx Gen 2 5G is the second compute platform from Qualcomm Technologies to offer 5G connectivity through both Sub-6 GHz and 5G mmWave, enabling blazing fast, multi-gigabit speed and stability for end users. Snapdragon 8cx Gen 2 5G also supports Wi-Fi 6. Devices utilizing this Gen 2 compute platform will offer users the leading connectivity critical to work from virtually anywhere and help alleviate home networks congested by multiple connected devices.

Audio & Camera

Users expect quality audio and camera experiences in their premium PC, to enhance remote work and remote learning experiences. The Snapdragon 8cx Gen 2 5G compute platform supports a clear audio experience by utilizing Qualcomm Aqstic™ echo cancellation and noise suppression (ECNS) technology to intelligently focus on the sounds coming from the PC and the user’s environment.
Devices powered by the Snapdragon 8cx Gen 2 5G compute platform can also utilize high-resolution camera modules. Equipped with a Qualcomm Spectra™ ISP that enables mobile camera technology, with up to 4K HDR and support for up to 32 MP camera, Snapdragon 8cx Gen 2 5G offers cutting-edge video conferencing and live streaming capabilities.
Devices powered by Snapdragon 8cx Gen 2 5G also support dual 4K displays through a single Type C cable to a dock, enabling maximum flexibility and productivity.

AI

Utilizing the Qualcomm® AI Engine, the Snapdragon 8cx Gen 2 5G compute platform will support AI accelerated experiences on the PC and deliver breakthrough AI performance with extreme power efficiency. Users can experience stronger video conferencing interactions through tools such as accelerated eye contact and expressive avatars. The platform’s efficient AI processing also enables developers to innovate across the Windows ecosystem.

Security

Snapdragon 8cx Gen 2 5G will drive a new standard of security and manageability for enterprises, small businesses, and education. Snapdragon-powered always on, always connected PCs provide IT administrators visibility to manage on-prem functionality and security from virtually anywhere. Lastly, the Snapdragon 8cx Gen 2 5G supports Microsoft Secured Core PC and Windows Hypervisor.
The Snapdragon 8cx Gen 2 5G compute platform is expected to be in commercial devices in late 2020.