Qualcomm targets $300 Windows laptop market with new Snapdragon C platform
Acer, HP, and Lenovo are the initial partners for the new architecture, which aims to bring Arm-based computing to the sub-$400 tier despite ongoing supply constraints.
Qualcomm has unveiled the Snapdragon C platform, a new budget-oriented chipset designed to enable Windows laptops priced from $300. The announcement marks a significant shift in the Arm-based PC landscape, which has historically entered the market at price points of $1,000, $700, and $600. This move comes as the broader PC sector contends with rising costs and supply constraints often referred to as “RAMageddon”.
Mandar Deshpande, Qualcomm’s senior director of product management, stated on a conference call that the company is “raising the bar” for budget-conscious buyers. The platform promises responsive systems with lag-free performance for tasks such as browsing, video calls, and streaming, alongside all-day battery life and minimal fan noise. Deshpande described the target devices as “a laptop that just works,” aiming to provide a seamless experience at an entry-level price point.
To achieve this affordability, the Snapdragon C platform utilises older Kryo CPU cores, previously found in smartphones and Chromebooks, rather than the newer Oryon architecture that underpins Qualcomm’s latest high-end chips. While the slowest tier of the platform includes a neural processing unit (NPU) for local AI compute, it does not meet Microsoft’s stringent Copilot Plus PC requirements, limiting its compatibility with the full suite of Microsoft’s AI tools.
Acer, HP, and Lenovo are the initial partners for the new platform. Acer has already announced the Aspire Go 15 AG15-Q31P, which features a 15.6-inch 1080p display, up to 8GB of RAM, 512GB of storage, Wi-Fi 6E, and a 53Wh battery. The device includes two full-function USB-C ports, a USB-A port, and an HDMI 1.4 port. Acer has not yet disclosed detailed specifications, a release date, or the specific price for the model.
Qualcomm confirmed that devices based on the Snapdragon C platform are expected to ship later this year. The company is not yet ready to discuss the platform’s application in Chromebooks, referred to as Googlebooks, and stated that detailed specifications for the Snapdragon C architecture will be released in a couple of months.
