Qualcomm Predicts Arm Laptops Will Drop to $700 by 2025

Currently, the Microsoft Surface Laptop, priced at $999 and equipped with Qualcomm's Snapdragon X series chip, stands as the most affordable option among devices carrying the chipset. However, this price point remains significantly higher compared to devices with x86 processors, making the Windows 11 Arm experience less accessible to consumers.

During the Q3 2024 earnings call, Qualcomm CEO Cristiano Amon acknowledged this pricing issue. Qualcomm plans to collaborate with OEMs to launch more affordable laptop options by 2025.

Amon stated that Qualcomm would extend its Snapdragon X series product roadmap to address the absence of X laptops in the sub-$700 retail price segment, ensuring the price reduction does not compromise the performance of the NPU (Neural Processing Unit).

Meeting Microsoft's Copilot+PC chip performance requirements is essential, as any decrease in NPU performance might jeopardize Microsoft certification. Thus, Qualcomm aims to reduce chip costs without sacrificing NPU capabilities.

While Qualcomm is currently hesitant to disclose sales or financial data for the first batch of laptops featuring the Snapdragon X Elite and X Plus chips, the company noted it's too early to draw conclusions. However, Qualcomm is actively developing the next batch of Copilot+PC with OEM partners.

Beyond chip production, Qualcomm is also profiting significantly from licensing its patented technologies to other companies. During the earnings call, it was mentioned that two major Chinese OEMs have signed long-term agreements with Qualcomm, effective until 2027, similar to Qualcomm's licensing agreements with Apple.

Lastly, the next Qualcomm Snapdragon Technology Summit is scheduled for October 2024, where Qualcomm revealed plans to design its custom CPU, which will be part of the next-generation flagship Snapdragon 8 series smartphone chips.