Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite Mini-PC Dev Kit Arrives at $899

[AleksandarK]

Qualcomm has started accepting preorders for its Snapdragon Dev Kit for Windows, based on the Snapdragon X Elite processor. Initially announced in May, the device is now available for preorder through Arrow at a competitive price point of $899. Despite its relatively high cost compared to typical mini PCs, it undercuts most recent laptops equipped with Snapdragon X processors, making it an attractive option for both developers and power users alike. Measuring a mere 199 x 175 x 35 mm, it comes equipped with 32 GB of LPDDR5x RAM, a 512 GB NVMe SSD, and support for the latest Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5 technologies. The connectivity options are equally robust, featuring three USB4 Type-C ports, two USB 3.2 Type-A ports, an HDMI output, and an Ethernet port.

This mini PC's heart lies the Snapdragon X Elite (X1E-00-1DE) processor. This chip houses 12 Oryon CPU cores capable of reaching speeds up to 3.8 GHz, with a dual-core boost potential of 4.3 GHz. The processor also integrates Adreno graphics, delivering up to 4.6 TFLOPS of performance, and a Hexagon NPU capable of up to 45 TOPS for AI tasks. While similar to its laptop counterpart, the X1E-84-100, this version is optimized for desktop use. It can consume up to 80 watts of power, enabling superior sustained performance without the constraints of battery life or heat dissipation typically associated with mobile devices. This dev kit is made primarily to optimize x86-64 software to run on the Arm platform; hence, removing the power limit is beneficial for translating the code to Windows on Arm. The Snapdragon Dev Kit for Windows ships with a 180 W power adapter and comes pre-installed with Windows 11, making it ready for immediate use upon arrival.



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[kondamin]

That’s a lot of money for a little box that could run really hot.

 

[hsew]

I get that this is a Dev kit, but it’s going to be difficult for Qualcomm to get any meaningful levels of adoption with these premium prices being charged devices carrying their newest SOCs. It’s not like they can be the next Apple either, given their reliance on Windows.

 

[kondamin]

I get that this is a Dev kit, but it’s going to be difficult for Qualcomm to get any meaningful levels of adoption with these premium prices being charged devices carrying their newest SOCs. It’s not like they can be the next Apple either, given their reliance on Windows.

indeed, I,get the laptops are pricey because good components are costly and they want to offer a premium experience.

the dev kit is nothing special, sell them to known software companies at cost or with a small margin.

 

[R0H1T]

Or at a marginal loss, the 180w power supply is interesting though!

 

[Ferrum Master]

the 180w power supply is interesting though!

It's for PD.

 

[Daven]

This reminds me of the Apple PowerPC to Intel transition kit.

Developer Transition Kit - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

It was $1000 but the form factor was a full blown workstation tower. It rocked a 3.6 Ghz Pentium 4.

Aww the memories.

 

[wNotyarD]

This reminds me of the Apple PowerPC to Intel transition kit.

Developer Transition Kit - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

It was $1000 but the form factor was a full blown workstation tower. It rocked a 3.6 Ghz Pentium 4.

Aww the memories.

Reading the same article, the Intel-to-Arm DTK was essentially a Mac Mini. So it's easy to see where Qualcomm took ideas from.

 

[persondb]

They should be selling those at a loss, as they have no market share and are unlikely to get any from selling premium kits.

 

[enb141]

I get that this is a Dev kit, but it’s going to be difficult for Qualcomm to get any meaningful levels of adoption with these premium prices being charged devices carrying their newest SOCs. It’s not like they can be the next Apple either, given their reliance on Windows.

Well, a mac mini with 32 GB in RAM / 512 GB Storage 12 core CPU, 19 core GPU, 16 core neural engine costs $1999.00, so in comparison, this is a bargain.

 

[Garrus]

Well, a mac mini with 32 GB in RAM / 512 GB Storage 12 core CPU, 19 core GPU, 16 core neural engine costs $1999.00, so in comparison, this is a bargain.

The Mac Mini you are referring to has a 4x faster GPU though, for starters...

 

[enb141]

The Mac Mini you are referring to has a 4x faster GPU though, for starters...

But only 8/256, so you are capped by ram and storage.