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Although Qualcomm launched the Snapdragon platform laptops featuring the “Always Connected PC” concept in collaboration with Microsoft back in 2017, only a few brands like ASUS, Samsung, and Lenovo have released a handful of Snapdragon laptops. Watching Apple complete the ARM transition of Mac computers with the Apple M1 series chips, the road for Windows on ARM has been quite bumpy.
Recently, a Geekbench score for a Snapdragon laptop under Xiaomi, the “Xiaomi Book S 12.4,” was leaked online. From the screenshot, this product is equipped with the Snapdragon 8cx Gen2 and features a 12.4-inch screen, with single-core and multi-core scores of 766 and 2892, respectively.
In terms of performance, the Snapdragon 8cx Gen2 is still far behind the 8th generation Core low-power processors. Its specifications are basically the same as the Snapdragon 8cx Gen1, mainly enhancing AI performance, and it is essentially a modified version of the Snapdragon 855, which seems outdated by today’s standards.
The real chip we should look forward to from Qualcomm is the Snapdragon 8cx Gen3, released at the end of last year. This chip uses a 5nm process and consists of 4 Cortex-X1 super-large cores and 4 Cortex-A78 large cores, integrating the next-generation Adreno GPU. According to Qualcomm’s official data, the Snapdragon 8cx Gen3 shows a 40% improvement in single-core performance, an 85% improvement in multi-core performance, and a 60% performance boost in GPU compared to the previous generation CPU.
Lenovo’s new ThinkPad X13s will be the first laptop to feature the Snapdragon 8cx Gen3, with a 13.3-inch 16:10 high color gamut screen, weighing 1.06Kg and measuring 13.4mm thick. It can be configured with up to 32 GB DDR4X memory and 1TB SSD, supporting 5G and Wi-Fi 6/6E network connections. Equipped with a 49.5Wh battery, Lenovo claims that the ThinkPad X13s can achieve up to 28 hours of video playback time, expected to go on sale in May this year at a price of $1099 (approximately 6938 RMB).
So, what level of performance can we expect from Snapdragon laptops based on the Snapdragon 8cx series chips? Is it worth our anticipation?Next, I will briefly share the user experience of the world’s first mass-produced 5G laptop—YOGA 5G, from which you can find the answer.Weight Loss Miracle: The Secret Weapon of the Snapdragon Computing PlatformWe all know that Qualcomm Snapdragon chips are designed based on the ARM architecture, which is fundamentally different from processors customized based on the x86 architecture like Intel Core and AMD Ryzen. ARM chips have inherent advantages such as low power consumption and low heat generation, allowing them to run stably for long periods with passive cooling (fanless), thus helping OEM manufacturers create lighter and thinner laptops or 2-in-1 products.
Taking the Samsung Galaxy Book S as an example, this product features a 13.3-inch screen, an ultra-thin thickness of 11.8mm, and a weight of 960g, existing in both Intel Core version (Lakefield platform, such as i5-L16G7 processor) and Qualcomm Snapdragon version (Snapdragon 8cx). From the teardown images, it can be seen that the internal structure of the Core version Galaxy Book S is more complex, while the motherboard of the Snapdragon version Galaxy Book S appears simpler.
Teardown image of the Core version Galaxy Book S
Teardown image of the Snapdragon version Galaxy Book S, with exposed chips including the processor, memory, and flash storage
Unfortunately, the influence of Snapdragon laptops is still not strong enough, so OEM manufacturers are not very willing to create new molds for them, mostly using existing product molds, as seen with the Samsung Galaxy Book S and Lenovo’s latest YOGA 5G. Fortunately, the Snapdragon computing platform has better heat and power consumption control, so it does not suffer from overheating and throttling, significantly improving battery life.
Teardown image of Lenovo YOGA 5G, featuring large heat sinks and multiple heat pipes, sufficient to allow the Snapdragon 8cx to run at full powerThe True Performance of the Snapdragon 8cxThe YOGA 5G is the world’s first mass-produced 5G laptop, featuring a 14-inch touchscreen convertible display, powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8cx 5G computing platform, with 8GB LPDDR4X memory and 512GB UFS flash storage. The following evaluations and experiences are based on this product.
In simple terms, the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8cx computing platform is manufactured using a 7nm process, adopting a big.LITTLE architecture with 4 large cores and 4 small cores (all Kryo 495 cores), integrating the Adreno 680 GPU, Hexagon 690 DSP, Spectra 390 ISP, and Snapdragon X24 4G modem. Additionally, the Snapdragon 8cx computing platform also has an external Snapdragon X55 modem, providing it with the same 5G/4G LTE connectivity capabilities as the flagship Snapdragon 888 in the smartphone domain, combined with a larger (built-in) antenna scale than smartphones, allowing for gigabit-level connection speeds and stability anytime, anywhere.
Since the Snapdragon 8cx was initiated relatively early, its CPU cores are still based on the Cortex-A76 architecture of the Snapdragon 855, merely changing from a 1+3+4 tri-cluster to a 4+4 dual-cluster scheme, where more high-frequency large cores can provide stronger CPU computing performance. Furthermore, the integrated Adreno 680 in the Snapdragon 8cx is also the strongest in the Adreno 6 series, with theoretical 3D performance even surpassing that of the Snapdragon 888.
So, how strong is the performance of the YOGA 5G powered by the Snapdragon 8cx computing platform? Let’s compare it with a laptop equipped with the 8th generation Core i5-8250U processor. From the Fritz Chess Benchmark and 3DMark11 physical sub-item test scores, the CPU computing performance of the Snapdragon 8cx is about 50% of that of the Core i5-8250U, but its GPU graphics performance can match that of the integrated UHD620 graphics of the i5-8250U. As a chip with a TDP of only 7W, this performance is still acceptable, considering that ARM architecture chips inherently have some efficiency loss when running on Windows 10.
3DMark11 test score comparison, the 3D performance of the Snapdragon 8cx is almost the same as that of the i5-8250U’s integrated UHD620
3DMark11 test score comparison, the 3D performance of the Snapdragon 8cx is almost the same as that of the i5-8250U’s integrated UHD620The memory specifications of the YOGA 5G are quite impressive, with dual-channel LPDDR4X-4266 being among the best in the laptop field. As for its built-in 512GB UFS3.0 flash storage, while it is considered high-end in the smartphone domain, it is clearly “outperformed” by the mid-to-high-end PCIe 3.0/4.0 SSDs that are currently popular in the PC field, especially in terms of write performance, which shows a significant gap.
Read and write performance of UFS3.0 flash storageFocusing on Ecosystem: The Real Experience of Snapdragon LaptopsUnlike smartphones and tablets, Snapdragon laptops pre-installed with Windows 10 on ARM need to handle more office and productivity applications, which translates to—can they run the .exe programs we commonly use?I was initially very concerned, as there is a lot of talk online that Snapdragon laptops are only suitable for UWP applications (applications downloaded from the Windows Store) and are not very friendly to Win32 program compatibility. However, from my experience over a period of time, these concerns were unnecessary. At least the office software I commonly use (such as Sogou Input Method, Office/WPS, WinRAR, Baidu Netdisk, WeChat, QQ, DingTalk, and Tongdaxin for stock trading, etc.) and the games I often play can be perfectly installed and run on the Lenovo YOGA 5G.
Multi-screen collaboration is also one of the hottest features in the PC and mobile circles. The Lenovo YOGA 5G can project to other Android phones via Lenovo One Lite, allowing control of the phone from the laptop screen, so you can enjoy your phone during work. Considering that some users still need a browser that supports Flash plugins, I specifically installed QQ Browser, which can smoothly enable the fast mode and load the Flash plugin. Photoshop is also software I commonly use, and it runs smoothly on the Lenovo YOGA 5G, loading over 50 photos for editing in a process similar to traditional x86 PCs, with the Snapdragon 8cx processor’s execution efficiency exceeding expectations.
For lightweight Snapdragon laptops like the Lenovo YOGA 5G, expecting them to run AAA games is unrealistic. Fortunately, I usually only play the 3C maps in “Warcraft III” to challenge the computer and spend time in “League of Legends.” The performance of this product is sufficient to smoothly handle the above two games, with “League of Legends” running at 25FPS to 30FPS at 1080P+ medium settings, which is playable, and further lowering the graphics settings can improve the frame rate.
It is important to note that Snapdragon laptops like the Lenovo YOGA 5G currently cannot run 64-bit applications. The good news is that Qualcomm is continuously working with the ecosystem to ensure the excellent experience and application compatibility of Snapdragon laptops. In 2020, Microsoft announced at its annual Ignite conference a deepened collaboration with Qualcomm to further enhance the performance and application compatibility experience of Windows 10 devices powered by Snapdragon computing platforms. Additionally, after the release of Windows 11, Qualcomm also officially announced that Snapdragon 7c, 8c, and 8cx computing platforms are all supported by Windows 11, considering that the latter natively supports Android apps, Snapdragon laptops powered by ARM chips will inevitably achieve better compatibility than x86 platforms.
When Snapdragon laptops running Windows 11 can execute 64-bit programs and experience Android apps with higher efficiency, the future looks promising.Furthermore, I specifically tested the battery life of the Lenovo YOGA 5G. At 50% brightness, with Wi-Fi and 5G networks connected, and at 25% volume, I looped a local 1080P video using the built-in Windows 10 player from 11:00 PM to 8:13 AM the next day, consuming 40% of the battery in total over 9 hours. This means that this Snapdragon laptop, with a built-in 60Wh battery capacity, has a local video playback battery life of about 22.5 hours. If used for lighter tasks like document editing, it can easily last 24 hours.Filling the Gaps: The True Mobile All-Round AssistantCompared to traditional x86 laptops, the biggest feature of Snapdragon laptops is their ability to help devices become slimmer, significantly improve battery life, achieve a zero-noise working environment, and gain high-speed internet connectivity anytime, anywhere by installing a 5G SIM card. Whether you are in a classroom, dormitory, library, tea house, coffee shop, train station, or scenic camping area, as long as there is network signal coverage, you can always stay connected without having to “beg” for Wi-Fi signals. For users who need to respond immediately to new work tasks, it allows them to keep their emails and application data synchronized, fully leveraging the instant-on and immediate connectivity features of Snapdragon laptops.
However, we also need to correctly recognize the shortcomings of Snapdragon laptops in terms of performance and compatibility. They are currently only capable of handling light office and entertainment tasks, suitable for users who already have a high-performance PC at home, serving as a second or even third computer specifically for outdoor or long-distance mobile office work. If you need to purchase the only mobile office device at home, a lightweight laptop powered by the 12th generation Core or Ryzen 6000U series is still more reliable in the short term.
The performance of the Snapdragon 8cx Gen3 will see a significant leap, but at most, it will reach the level of the 10th generation Core, still unable to take on heavy responsibilities. Now we can only hope that with brands like Xiaomi joining the family of Snapdragon laptops, the prices of Always Connected PCs can be lowered. If in the future, Snapdragon 8cx Gen3 laptops are priced just over 4000 RMB, it is estimated that more users will consider them as candidates for backup laptops.Only with increased sales can industry chain companies recoup funds to continue research and development, thus embarking on a virtuous cycle of iteration. Windows on ARM is not without demand; it is just that the current offerings are not good enough.
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