The hardware partners of Qualcomm likely did not pursue the company for the Snapdragon 8cx Gen 3 due to its lack of performance punch. But fortunately, Qualcomm can turn the tables with the Snapdragon 8cx Gen 4.
Previously, we learned about the new SoC’s potential and how it can take on the Apple M2. However, we were not really sure when Qualcomm planned to launch it. Now, a report states that the new SoC is currently being tested with 10-inch tablets.
That means we might be pretty close to getting more info about the devices packed with the Snapdragon 8cx Gen 4. But will the devices be out in the wild anytime soon?
Expected Launch Date of the Snapdragon 8cx Gen 4
Qualcomm is unlike other companies that test prototypes or reference designs for further product development. Instead, it thoroughly tests its products at every stage. According to previous reports, Qualcomm is said to be testing the software development on devices since last November.
So, what does all of that mean? It means that the Snapdragon 8cx Gen 4 might not get an official launch date unless Qualcomm is done with all the tests. However, we did get more info about the SoC.
Aside from the currently tested 10-inch tablets, the new CPU might also end up in larger 13-inch notebooks. After all, Qualcomm is going head to head with Apple with the SoC. So, it makes sense for it to compete in the space where the Apple MacBook shines.
Nonetheless, the plan for adding the Snapdragon 8cx Gen 4 to notebooks is good and bad news at the same time. It means that the hardware manufacturers will need to test the CPU with both Windows and Android. This could eventually delay the launch.
Windows Integration Will Push the Launch Back
The thing is, new SoCs do not have any problem running on Android. Windows integration, however, is a different story. It has been the Achilles’ heel of Microsoft and Qualcomm. Now, Qualcomm needs to deal with different problems to integrate the Qualcomm 8cx Gen 4.
Gizchina News of the week
That includes the lack of app support to abysmal performance on most of the current apps. All these negative aspects are basically the only reason why consumers never seriously looked at products such as the 8cx Gen 4 in the past.
Apple’s Success Plays a Crucial Role
The success of Apple’s M-series SoCs is basically giving Qualcomm the motivation it needs to push through. Apple has smartly re-purposed its old chipsets and integrated them into affordable iPad models. That made the Cupertino giant garner a massive market share.
Talking of which, the new SoC on a smaller-sized device, such as a 10-inch tablet, should not be a problem. From what we know, an early sample of the Snapdragon 8cx Gen 4 based on the 4nm node of TSMC operated at 3.00 GHz. That means Qualcomm is not worried about thermals for the new CPU.
Expected Specs of Snapdragon 8cx Gen 4
The new Qualcomm SoC is said to come with 12 cores, which will have four power-efficiency cores and eight performance cores. Previous leaks suggest that the SoC will include WiFi 7, integrated 5G, and support for external GPUs. And external GPU support will surely make gamers take an interest in the new SoC.
All these exciting features should make the hardware partners of Qualcomm dive full-in into the new SoC. And we surely hope to get a more concrete performance report of the CPU in the upcoming days. So, stay tuned if you want to see whether the new SoC can actually take on Apple.
