Google has a new version of Chrome for Windows laptops that run Qualcomm Snapdragon processors. The two companies say the Snapdragon version of Chrome shows “a dramatic performance improvement.” The new Chrome variant is available for download today.
Although there are already Snapdragon Windows laptops you can buy, today’s announcement is mainly about paving the way for upcoming devices running on the Snapdragon X Elite. Qualcomm says the chip will far surpass the speed of its Snapdragon 8cx Gen 3 line. (But if you have a currently available Snapdragon-running computer, the new Chrome for Snapdragon will work there, too.)
Google sees the companies’ long history of working together on Android (dating back 16 years) as a perk as Qualcomm tries to eat into Intel’s PC market share. “Our close collaboration with Qualcomm Technologies will help ensure that Chrome users get the best possible experience while browsing the Web on current ARM-compatible PCs,” Google Senior Vice President Hiroshi Lockheimer wrote in a press release.
The first Snapdragon X Elite PCs are scheduled to launch in the middle of this year. The chip is powered by 12 Oryon cores and has what Qualcomm says is double the CPU performance of Intel’s 13th-gen Core i7-1360P and i7-1355U — while using 68 percent less power. The chip is based on a 4nm design fabricated by TSMC. Typical clock speeds range from 3.8GHz to a dual-core boost of up to 4.3GHz.
Qualcomm even says most Windows games will run at nearly full speed without any need to tweak code or change assets.
Although Intel is Qualcomm’s most direct competitor in Windows, it’s also trying to match or surpass what Apple has done with its M-series silicon. Qualcomm’s challenge is doing that on different hardware from various companies — something Apple doesn’t have to worry about with its integrated model.
