Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X Plus and Snapdragon X Elite processors for Windows PCs are debuting in laptops and tablets, but Qualcomm CEO Cristiano Amon says the company’s new chips will eventually be available in “all PC form factors.”
During Qualcomm’s Computex keynote event, Amon showed a presentation slide teasing additional form factors including mini PCs and all-in-one desktops.
The mini PC isn’t exactly a surprise – Qualcomm’s Snapdragon Dev Kit for Windows is a compact desktop computer that measures 8″ x 7″ x 1.3″ and features a Snapdragon X Elite processor. It was announced last month, and developers can sign up to pre-order one for $899.
While it’s unclear if we’ll see any third-party mini PCs with Snapdragon processors, Amon says Qualcomm is “very happy to be working with partners in all the different form factors for the industry,” which suggests that we could see additional desktops in the future.
Of course, part of the appeal of Qualcomm’s processors is that they promise better performance-per-watt than you’ll get from most recent Intel or AMD chips, which makes them a good fit for thin and light systems that can balance performance and long battery life. But that same energy-efficient, high-performance design can come in handy in small form-factor desktops, all-in-one PCs where the guts of a computer are stuffed behind the display in a thin chassis.
It’s also possible that we could see bigger desktops that use the additional space to offer enhanced cooling, allowing the chips to run at a higher TDP for even better performance.