A new processor has been announced by Qualcomm designed especially for Windows 10 Always Connected PCs. This new Snapdragon 850 is an improvement on the Snapdragon 835 which was first used in Always Connected PCs and it provides better connectivity and increased battery life. The platform for the Always Connected PC is a design of both Qualcomm and Microsoft to act as competition for the iPad Pro. It has the following properties: an ARM processor, integrated LTE, lasting battery life, and an instant-on resume with no hibernation.
According to Qualcomm, the Snapdragon 850 will not be coming to phones because it is in essence a customized version of Snapdragon 845 that was launched in phones early this year. The increase in functionality is 20 percent, battery life increased by 20 percent, and a 20 percent increase in gigabit data speed which exceeds the Snapdragon 835. The Snapdragon 850 is built on the same X20 modem for cellular connectivity as the Snapdragon 845 and according to Qualcomm, the Snapdragon 850 has both software and hardware tuning that increases its performance as against the Snapdragon 845.
Even though it was just last spring that the first Always Connected PCs with Snapdragon 835 were released, Qualcomm addresses that its PC partners should be able to release PCs with the Snapdragon 850 just before the holiday season. The company further stated that it will have more partners soon and the platform will launch in a soon to be announced Samsung device. Snapdragon 835 appeared in PCs from Asus, HP and Lenovo.
Qualcomm may not make Always Connected PC devices, but it offers a reference platform for OEMs to base their computers on. Right now, the company also creates front-end designs for the modem antennas so PC makers won’t need to figure out how to make it themselves.
Always Connected PCs previously had performance issues especially when they used x86 Intel processors, were hoping that with the Snapdragon 850, all that will be developed.
