Qualcomm, Microsoft Announce First Windows 10 Laptops With Snapdragon 835 Processors

Microsoft and Qualcomm have officially unveiled the first ARM-power Windows 10 laptops manufactured by HP, Lenovo and Asus. These laptops are being powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 835 system-on-chip (SoC), which is a mobile processor that’s typically found inside flagship smartphones.

“Qualcomm Technologies continues to transform the way people use their mobile devices,” executive vice president of Qualcomm Cristiano Amon said. “At the second annual Snapdragon Technology Summit, we are excited to highlight our role in the mobile ecosystem while we continue to execute on our strategy with Microsoft for the Always Connected PC.”

Microsoft and Qualcomm are marketing the new ARM-based laptops as “always-on” PCs, meaning these computers are always connected to LTE data connections. This is made possible though Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 835 processor. With this technology onboard, these new Windows 10 laptops can function more like an iPad than a traditional Windows laptop, according to The Verge.

So far, the laptops that were announced by Microsoft and Qualcomm are similar to previously released 2-in-1 tablet/laptops that have Intel processors. HP and Asus have already announced their devices; the 12.3-inch HP ENVY x2 and the 13.3-inch Asus NovaGo. HP’s device will be available in Spring 2018, while Asus hasn’t given a release date yet for the $599 NovaGo. Meanwhile, Lenovo is expected to announce its own device in the coming weeks.

The new Snapdragon 835-powered Windows 10 devices look and feel like any regular laptops that users have seen before. On the software side of things, there’s no difference at all. These laptops are capable of running Microsoft’s full Windows 10 operating system.

At launch, HP and Asus’ laptops will run Windows 10 S, a version of the Windows 10 operating system that is only able to run apps that have been downloaded from the Windows Store. However, users will be able to upgrade to Windows 10 Pro for free, possibly, for a limited time.

When these laptops run Windows 10 Pro, they are capable of running desktop apps from Microsoft and popular third-party apps. Users will also be able to download 32-bit exe files from the web in order to install apps. The only thing that these laptops do not support are 64-bit Windows apps and apps that use kernel mode drivers.

Besides those exceptions, users should be able to run all other full desktop apps on the Snapdragon 835-powered Windows 10 laptops. Since the Snapdragon 835 is a mobile processor, users shouldn’t expect the same type of performance that they can experience from an Intel processor because these apps will be emulated on the devices. However, having Qualcomm’s processor on Windows 10 laptops does have one major advantage: battery life.

Qualcomm says that due to the Snapdragon 835’s power-saving features, these laptops will be able to support “beyond all-day battery life.” As suggested, these ARM-based laptops will be able to offer a second day of full usage, something that most laptops are incapable of doing, as pointed out by TechCrunch.

Qualcomm hopes that these new devices can convince other manufacturers to start making laptops with its Snapdragon mobile processor onboard.