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Surface Pro variants with Snapdragon processors may be in the works

The 8cx, or perhaps its successors, may make it to Microsoft PCs in the next few years. (Source: The Verge)
The 8cx, or perhaps its successors, may make it to Microsoft PCs in the next few years. (Source: The Verge)
The future of Microsoft PCs such as the Surface Pro may yet be Qualcomm-based. A new report on the development of Windows on ARM includes references to several prototypes from this line with Snapdragon processors rather than those from Intel. Therefore, this prospect may now be more feasible than ever.

Qualcomm was full of hope and enthusiasm when it announced the Snapdragon 8cx, a version of its mobile processor for more extensive PCs. However, this prospect was quickly dragged back to reality, as this alternative to Intel platforms was held back through the exhibition of reduced performance and a dearth of apps optimized for the OS (Windows for ARM) involved.

However, it appears that the shift towards ultra-lightweight, ultra-mobile computing that the Snapdragon 8cx represents may now be gaining steam after all. A new report posted on Thurrott asserts that Mozilla is working on Firefox for this version of the Microsoft OS. This is an important development, as Edge had heretofore been the only Windows on ARM browser around.

The new Thurrot report also hinted at the existence of new Surface Pro variants running on Snapdragon SoCs. This suggests that Microsoft may be developing some faith in this emerging platform after all. It may also be interesting to see how Intel and AMD react to this new form of competition in the PC space.

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> Expert Reviews and News on Laptops, Smartphones and Tech Innovations > News > News Archive > Newsarchive 2019 04 > Surface Pro variants with Snapdragon processors may be in the works
Deirdre O Donnell, 2019-04-12 (Update: 2019-04-12)