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Qualcomm Snapdragon C: $300 Laptops Incoming?
14 Aug
Summary
- Snapdragon C chip aims to make $300 laptops possible in 2026.
- Features eight low-power cores and supports up to 16GB RAM.
- Offers strong efficiency and connectivity for entry-level devices.
Qualcomm's upcoming Snapdragon C system-on-chip (SoC) is poised to redefine the budget laptop market, with aspirations to enable sub-$300 devices by 2026. This entry-level chip integrates eight Kryo CPU cores, capable of boosting up to 3GHz for single-core tasks and 2GHz for all cores, alongside an Adreno GPU and a Hexagon NPU for AI acceleration.
To maintain cost-effectiveness and power efficiency, the Snapdragon C supports LPDDR4X and LPDDR5X memory, up to 4,200 MT/s and 6,400 MT/s respectively, and can accommodate up to 16GB. Storage options may include UFS 2.2 or 3.1, or PCIe 3 SSDs, with typical configurations likely featuring 4-8GB of RAM and 128GB-256GB of storage.
Connectivity is another strong suit, with native support for Wi-Fi 6/6E, Bluetooth 6.0, and USB 3.1. Early laptop designs showcased by manufacturers like Asus, Acer, HP, and Lenovo include a robust array of ports, such as USB-A and USB-C, a 3.5mm audio jack, HDMI output, and slots for SIM cards and microSD cards.
Qualcomm's internal benchmarks suggest the Snapdragon C outperforms Intel's N250 chip by up to 24% in multi-core and 44% in single-core workloads, while boasting over twice the efficiency. These figures, if validated, point towards significant battery life advantages for laptops equipped with the Snapdragon C.
