MacBooks have been leading the laptop market in recent years, outperforming Windows laptops in efficiency and performance-per-watt, resulting in thinner, quieter, and longer-lasting devices. The efficiency of modern MacBooks ensures that users don’t experience performance loss even when running on battery power.
While I was hopeful for the resurgence of Windows laptops in 2024 with the advent of Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X Elite chips, recent developments have cast doubt on the success of this transition.
Sky-high ambitions
Qualcomm has been pushing for ARM-based Windows laptops since 2017 with the introduction of Always Connected PCs, powered by Snapdragon chips and an ARM version of Windows 10. Despite the promise of longer battery life and LTE connectivity, the transition faced challenges due to poor performance and limited software compatibility, resulting in a limited selection and high prices.
Qualcomm’s latest Snapdragon X Elite chips offered a glimmer of hope, boasting significant performance improvements over Intel, AMD, and even Apple. Major laptop manufacturers showed interest in these new chips, signaling a potential transition to ARM architecture that could rival Apple’s MacBooks.
However, recent leaks have raised doubts about the promise of these new Qualcomm systems.
The doubts creep in
Performance tests of the Snapdragon X Elite system showed competitive scores but fell short of the initial promises compared to Apple’s M3 MacBook Air. Although the gaming capabilities of the Qualcomm systems showed promise, the overall performance may not outshine Apple’s offerings.
While the Qualcomm systems are impressive, questions remain about key factors like chassis size, efficiency, battery life, and pricing, leaving uncertainty about how they will fare against MacBooks.
A long road ahead
While there is hope for these laptops to provide strong competition for MacBooks, it is clear that further improvements and advancements are needed in the coming years to truly rival Apple in the laptop market.
