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Computex 2019 | Lenovo and Qualcomm team up for 'Project Limitless', the first 5G laptop powered by the Snapdragon 8cx

Project Limitless features notebooks based on the Snapdragon 8cx 5G Compute Platform. (Source: Lenovo)
Project Limitless features notebooks based on the Snapdragon 8cx 5G Compute Platform. (Source: Lenovo)
Lenovo and Qualcomm have announced 'Project Limitless', a collaborative effort to build 'Always On, Always Connected PCs' based on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8cx 5G Compute Platform. Lenovo and Qualcomm demonstrated a near-final version of a laptop based on the Snapdragon 8cx that also bundles in the Snapdragon X55 5G modem. The first such notebooks are expected to be available sometime in early 2020.

We've been expecting the first 5G laptops sporting the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8cx this year and Lenovo has beaten everyone else to the game with the announcement of 'Project Limitless', a collaboration between the Chinese PC major and Qualcomm to innovate in the 'Always On, Always Connected PC' niche.

While the real-world utility of Windows 10 on ARM is still up for debate, Qualcomm is not giving up on the efforts to push ARM into mainstream computing. At the fag end of last year, Qualcomm unveiled the Snapdragon 8cx, a more powerful variant of the Snapdragon 855 tailor-made for ultra-low power notebooks. With the Snapdragon 8cx, Qualcomm said that it was aiming for performance equivalent to a 15W Core-i5 in a 7W passively cooled chip.

Project Limitless is designed to bring the advantages of using a full-fledged laptop and together with 5G for improved performance, battery life, and connectivity. The Snapdragon 8cx features four ARM Cortex-A76 Kryo 495 Gold cores and four ARM Cortex-A55 Kryo 495 Silver cores along with the Adreno 680 GPU. While the Snapdragon 8cx already integrates an X24 LTE modem that supports Cat. 22 LTE for a peak 4G download bandwidth of 2.5 Gbps, Project Limitless also features a Snapdragon X55 5G modem that can theoretically hit download speed up to 7 Gbps. 

The first Project Limitless notebooks being showcased at Computex 2019 are near-final versions according to Qualcomm. They basically resemble the Lenovo Yoga C630 convertible that was made available earlier this year, with minor design changes.

Lenovo said that more information will be made available early next year, which implies we should be seeing more detailed specifications and pricing during CES 2020 or MWC 2020. In the meanwhile, check out some of our hands-on images with the device below.

Source(s)

Lenovo Press Release

Qualcomm and Lenovo Unveil World’s First 5G PC Powered By The Qualcomm Snapdragon 8cx 5G Compute Platform
 
— Named “Project Limitless” The Collaboration Ushers in a New Era of Computing with 5G Always On, Always Connected PCs Built on the Snapdragon 8cx 5G Compute Platform —
 
TAIPEI, TAIWAN – May 27, 2019 – Qualcomm Technologies, Inc., a subsidiary of Qualcomm Incorporated (NASDAQ: QCOM), announced in conjunction with Lenovo™ the world’s first1 5G PC2 today at its COMPUTEX Press Conference. Project Limitless encompasses a strong technology collaboration between Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. a leader in 5G connectivity, and Lenovo, the leader in PCs, to bring innovation to the always on, always connected PC ecosystem. Project Limitless is powered by the Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ 8cx 5G compute platform and is the world’s first 7nm platform purpose-built for PCs that offers 5G connectivity.
 
“Our collaboration with Lenovo will deliver transformative PC user experiences for both consumers and the enterprise thanks to the platform’s performance and power efficiency,  combined with the high speed, low-latency connectivity made possible by 5G,” said Alex
Katouzian, senior vice president and general manager, mobile business unit, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. “Bandwidth-intensive tasks that involve downloading and uploading large files over a wireless connection can be exponentially faster, "making remote storage feel as seamless as local storage", this will change the way users create, collaborate and communicate with their computing devices.”
 
The Snapdragon 8cx 5G compute platform is the most extreme Snapdragon platform ever designed, with extreme performance, extreme battery life and extreme connectivity. It supports immersive user experiences, multi-gigabit LTE, multi-day battery life*, and enterprise applications and security. The platform features the Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ X55 5G modem, a single-chip multi-mode solution which along with Qualcomm Technologies' RF Front-End, allows OEMs to bring 5G connectivity to new and innovative PC form factors.  
 
“At Lenovo, we don’t innovate for the sake of technology alone. Everything we do is about improving people’s experience,” said Johnson Jia, senior vice president and general manager, Consumer Business of Intelligent Devices Group, Lenovo. “With real 5G in a PC, it’s all about satisfying users’ need for speed: faster file transfers and streaming in 4K, 8K and even AR/VR; faster and higher quality video chats on-the-go; even faster screen refreshes for mobile gaming. When we say limitless connectivity, we mean it – 5G PC users the world-over will save time, stay productive, or get online entertainment from nearly anywhere, at any time.”
 
The Snapdragon 8cx 5G platform includes the Snapdragon X55 5G modem, which integrates Category 22 LTE, achieving peak download speeds of up to 2.5 Gbps, for the fastest 4G connectivity available today. The platform is compatible with virtually any band used by global operators in any region, so users can rely on their Always On, Always Connected PC to stay connected almost anywhere in the world.
 
The 5G-enabled Project Limitless collaboration with Lenovo is the latest example of how Qualcomm invents breakthrough technologies that transform how the world connects, computes, and communicates. Consumers can expect more to come from Lenovo and Qualcomm in early 2020.
*Battery life varies significantly with settings, usage, and other factors.
 
Always On, Always Connected PCs require network connectivity.  1 Based on research conducted by Lenovo in May 2019 of laptops sold by major PC manufacturers shipping > 1 million units worldwide annually.  2 With required 5G network coverage (launching in select areas in 2019; expanding after that.  
 
 
 
About Qualcomm Qualcomm invents breakthrough technologies that transform how the world connects and communicates. When we connected the phone to the Internet, the mobile revolution was born. Today, our inventions are the foundation for life-changing products, experiences, and industries. As we lead the world to 5G, we envision this next big change in cellular technology spurring a new era of intelligent, connected devices and enabling new opportunities in connected cars, remote delivery of health care services, and the IoT — including smart cities, smart homes, and wearables. Qualcomm Incorporated includes our licensing business, QTL, and the vast majority of our patent portfolio. Qualcomm Technologies, Inc., a subsidiary of Qualcomm Incorporated, operates, along with its subsidiaries, all of our engineering, research and development functions, and all of our products and services businesses, including the QCT semiconductor business. For more information, visit Qualcomm’s website, OnQ blog, Twitter and Facebook pages.
 
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Qualcomm and Snapdragon are trademarks of Qualcomm Incorporated, registered in the United States and other countries.  
Qualcomm Snapdragon is a product of Qualcomm Technologies, Inc and/or its subsidiaries.  
LENOVO is a trademark of Lenovo.

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> Expert Reviews and News on Laptops, Smartphones and Tech Innovations > News > News Archive > Newsarchive 2019 05 > Lenovo and Qualcomm team up for 'Project Limitless', the first 5G laptop powered by the Snapdragon 8cx
Vaidyanathan Subramaniam, 2019-05-27 (Update: 2019-05-26)