GEEKOM, a Taiwanese tech company famous for making high quality mini PCs, is heading to CES for the second consecutive year in 2025 with an exciting lineup of new products. Known as the Green Mini PC Global Leader, GEEKOM always focuses on improving the quality and reliability of its products, and it also spares no effort in cutting down carbon emissions and making the world a greener place.

Among the many mini PCs that GEEKOM plans to put on show at CES 2025, there are many industry firsts. The GEEKOM QS1, for instance, is the world's first mini PC powered by a Qualcomm chipset. The tiny computer sports an Arm-based Qualcomm Snapdragon X1E-80-100 processor with twelve 4.0 GHz Oryon CPU cores, a 3.8 TFLOPS Adreno X1-85 GPU and a 45 TOPS Hexagon NPU. It is smart and fast enough to breeze through all of your daily home and office computing chores, yet energy-efficient enough to significantly cut down your electric bill.

Days of Arm-Qualcomm legal disputes continue, and with new day we get new updates. Gerard Williams III, CEO and founder of Nuvia, also one of the main brains behind Qualcomm's Oryon cores inside Snapdragon X processors, testified before the court that the chip design contains minimal Arm IP despite using the company's instruction set architecture. Williams estimated that "one percent or less" of the final design originated from Arm's IP. Despite Qualcomm using Arm ISA license, the company has very little Arm IP in its SoCs. Most of the Snapdragon X design has been done within Qualcomm's labs, in addition to Nuvia. Williams, who co-founded Nuvia in 2019, explained that while their processors use Arm's Armv8 instruction set, the core design was largely developed from scratch. Nuvia initially secured two non-transferable licenses from Arm: a Technology License Agreement (TLA) and an Architecture License Agreement (ALA).

These agreements allowed the company to develop custom cores while implementing Arm's instruction set. The development team created their own proprietary microarchitecture, including custom data paths and cache systems, rather than using Arm's existing designs. The controversy erupted when Qualcomm acquired Nuvia and announced plans to use the cores in PC processors rather than the initially intended datacenter applications. Arm demanded a renegotiation of licensing terms following the acquisition, which Qualcomm refused, arguing that its existing ALA covered Nuvia's designs. The dispute escalated when Arm revoked Nuvia's licenses in 2022 and terminated Qualcomm's Architecture License Agreement this October. Arm is now seeking the destruction of all Nuvia designs developed before the merger, arguing that the licensing agreements couldn't be transferred through acquisition. Qualcomm builds a case on TLA not being violated since the designs are mostly custom, so we have to see how the ruling proceeds. Arm wants to "hurt" Qualcomm with ALA revoking, and perhaps the final case ends with a settlement, given that Qualcomm is one of Arm's biggest customers.

Edimax is pleased to announce the release of the D5G-8459 Industrial 5G NR DIN-Rail Router, a powerful solution for seamless wireless and wired connectivity in the most challenging environments. Capable of operating within a temperature range of -20°C to 70°C, this router delivers reliable 5G NR internet access in locations where fixed broadband is unavailable or impractical.

Equipped with the RM520-GL (Qualcomm Snapdragon x62), the D5G-8459 router offers enhanced reliability, compatibility, and high performance. It supports automatic failover between 5G NR and wired Ethernet, ensuring continuous connectivity even during network disruptions. This level of redundancy is vital for industries reliant on uninterrupted services, including payment systems, remote data transfers, online meetings, and video streaming, making it an indispensable tool in ensuring smooth operations.

In an interesting exchange about product stance between Intel's interim co-CEO Michelle Johnston Holthaus and Qualcomm, both have offered conflicting statements about the market performance of Arm-based PCs. The dispute centers on customer satisfaction and return rates for PCs powered by Qualcomm's Snapdragon X processors. During the Barclays 22nd Annual Global Technology Conference, Holthaus claimed that retailers are experiencing high return rates for Arm PCs, mainly citing software compatibility issues. According to her, customers are finding that typical applications don't work as expected on these devices. "I mean, if you look at the return rate for Arm PCs, you go talk to any retailer, their number one concern is, wow, I get a large percentage of these back. Because you go to set them up, and the things that we just expect don't work," said Holthaus.

"Our devices continue to have greater than 4+ stars across consumer reviews and our products have received numerous accolades across the industry including awards from Fast Company, TechRadar, and many consumer publications. Our device return rates are within industry norm," said Qualcomm representative for CRN. Qualcomm projects that up to 50% of laptops will transition to non-x86 platforms within five years, signaling their confidence in Arm-based solutions. While software compatibility remains a challenge for Arm PCs, with not all Windows applications fully supported, Qualcomm and Microsoft have implemented an emulation layer to address these limitations. Holthaus acknowledged that Apple's successful transition to Arm-based processors has helped pave the way for broader Arm adoption in the PC market. "Apple did a lot of that heavy lift for Arm to make that ubiquitous with their iOS and their whole walled garden stack. So I'm not going to say Arm will get more, I'm sure, than it gets today. But there are certainly, I think, some real barriers to getting there," noted Holthaus.

Just a few days ago, we reported on a leaked teaser for GEEKOM's upcoming QS1 Pro mini PC. The system is set to mark GEEKOM's foray into the world of Arm-based PCs, likely in a bid to take on Apple's Mac mini. However, if a recent leak is to be believed, the QS1 Pro may have a tough time pulling that off.

The leaked specifications, courtesy of a Spanish publication, reveal that the QS1 Pro will feature the Snapdragon X1E-80-100 SoC - the second-fastest member of the X Elite family, slotting in below the 84-100 SKU. The X1E-80-100 boasts 12 Oryon cores, along with a 3.8 TFLOPs Adreno GPU. Interestingly, the leaked specs claim GPU performance of up to 4.6 TFLOPs, which is either a typo, or an indication that an X1E-84-100 variant will be available.

The latest market data from Canalys reveals a complex landscape for AI-capable PCs, with Qualcomm's Snapdragon X platform showing modest growth in the age of AI PC. Despite sequential growth of 180% in Q3 2024, Snapdragon X-powered devices represent less than 1.5% of the Windows market, according to research. Qualcomm managed to sell around 720,000 Snapdragon X devices, which accounts for only 0.8% of all PCs sold in Q3 2024. Microsoft leads the adoption of the Snapdragon X, having integrated the platform across much of its Surface lineup. The broader AI-capable PC market, however, tells a different story. Shipments reached 13.3 million units in Q3 2024, claiming 20% of total PC shipments. Windows devices dominated this category for the first time, securing a 53% market share, driven by the Windows 11 refresh cycle and advances in processor technology.

Canalys also noted some significant challenges ahead. A recent survey indicates hesitancy among channel partners, with 31% planning to avoid Microsoft's Copilot+ PCs in 2025 and 34% expecting these devices to constitute less than 10% of their sales. These premium offerings, which require a minimum of 40 NPU TOPS, are constantly being evaluated over their value proposition. Major manufacturers are pursuing diverse strategies to differentiate themselves. HP focuses on ISV partnerships to enhance AI capabilities, while Lenovo develops proprietary tools like Creator Zone and Lenovo AI Now. Dell and Lenovo are integrating on-device AI within their broader service ecosystems. With Windows 10's end-of-support approaching, manufacturers face pressure to drive upgrades among users with aging devices. The industry's sequential growth of 49% in AI-capable PCs suggests increasing market appetite, though customer adoption of premium AI features remains selective.

At its recent Investor Day, Qualcomm talked about the third generation of its "Oryon" CPU cores, completely disregarding the second-generation Oryon cores for its AI PC project. The company projects these processors will debut in 2025, targeting devices priced as low as $600 to broaden its market presence. Qualcomm hopes to capture 30-50% of the serviceable addressable market (SAM) for non-x86 AI notebooks by 2029, a significant extension from its earlier, more ambitious 2027 target. Qualcomm's Oryon 3 CPUs will succeed the Snapdragon X Plus chips and are expected to deliver substantial performance and efficiency improvements. While no performance hints were dropped for the third-gen, the second-gen Oryon cores receive about a 30% boost in processing power and 57% greater efficiency compared to the first-generation Oryon chips. This indirectly indicates that Oryon 3 will record an even higher performance jump.

However, the Oryon 2 generation will skip the PC segment, appearing instead in Snapdragon 8 Elite smartphones. Despite these advancements, the road to higher market share is fraught with challenges. Qualcomm faces competition from potential entrants like MediaTek and NVIDIA, both expected to join the non-x86 notebook market by 2025. Furthermore, the company's revenue projections for the PC segment—$4 billion annually by 2029—pale compared to Intel's $29 billion in PC chip sales in 2023, highlighting the scale of competition in this space. Qualcomm's strategy also includes diversifying its revenue streams beyond PCs. By 2029, it targets $8 billion in automotive chip sales, $4 billion in industrial applications, and $2 billion from VR products. With competition in the Arm-based AI PCs heating up, companies must increase performance dramatically to get a head start.

Microsoft's Windows-on-Arm (WoA) project has been going through an expansion phase, with the recent range of Snapdragon X SoCs powering many laptops. However, as we are about to get bombed with WoA devices in 2025, Microsoft has prepared an official ISO image of the Windows 11 operating system, available for users to download on the official website. The download size is about 5 GB and requires an Arm-based system to work, as expected. The need for Windows 11 ISO image for WoA comes from the increased number of desktop builds shipped to developers worldwide based on Arm. There are many workstations like the ones offered by ODMs, with an Ampere Altra or Altra Max processor inside.

This is also good news for enthusiasts waiting for the NVIDIA-MediaTek collaboration to drop its first goodies next year, and we expect to see some interesting solutions arise. With Microsoft investing its developer resources into producing Windows 11 Arm builds, it signals that the adoption of Arm-based devices is about to get much higher interest from the consumer standpoint.

Samsung's latest semiconductor manufacturing technology is falling short of expectations, as the company struggles to achieve acceptable production rates for its cutting-edge 3 nm chips. The latest rumors indicate that both versions of Samsung's 3 nm Gate-All-Around (GAA) process produce fewer viable chips than anticipated. The initial targets set by the South Korean tech giant were aimed at a 70% yield rate in volume production. However, the first "SF3E-3GAE" iteration of the technology has only managed to achieve between 50-60% viable yield output. More troubling is the performance of the second-generation process, which is reportedly yielding only 20% of usable chips—a figure that falls dramatically short of production goals. The timing is particularly challenging for Samsung as major clients begin to reevaluate their manufacturing partnerships.

Qualcomm has opted to produce its latest Snapdragon 8 Elite processors exclusively through rival TSMC's 3 nm facilities. Even more telling is the exodus of South Korean companies, traditionally loyal to Samsung, who are now turning to TSMC's more reliable manufacturing processes. While Samsung can claim the achievement of bringing 3 nm GAA technology to market before TSMC's competing N3B process, this technical victory rings hollow without the ability to mass-produce chips efficiently. The gap between Samsung's aspirations and manufacturing reality continues to widen. However, Samsung is shifting its focus toward its next technological milestone. Development efforts are reportedly intensifying around a 2 nm manufacturing process, with plans to debut this technology in a new Exynos processor (codenamed 'Ulysses') for the 2027 Galaxy S27 smartphone series.

According to Bloomberg, Arm Holding PLC, the holding company behind the Arm instruction set and Arm chip designs, just issued a 60-day notice period of license retirement to Qualcomm, its long-time partner. The UK-based ISA provider has notified Qualcomm that it will cancel the Arm ISA architectural license agreement after the contract-mandated 60-day notice. The issues between the two arose in 2022, just a year after Qualcomm acquired Nuvia and its IP. Arm filed a lawsuit claiming that the reason was "Qualcomm attempted to transfer Nuvia licenses without Arm's consent, which is a standard restriction under Arm's license agreements." To transfer Nuvia core licensing, Qualcomm would need to ask Arm first and create a new licensing deal.

The licensing reworking came just in time when Qualcomm experienced its biggest expansion. The new Snapdragon 8 Elite is being used in the mobile sector, the Snapdragon X Elite/Plus is being used in Copilot+ PCs, and the automotive sector is also getting the new Snapdragon Cockpit/Ride Elite chipsets. Most of that is centered around Nuvia Oryon core IP, a high-performance, low-power design. Arm's representatives declined to comment on this move for Bloomberg, while a Qualcomm spokesman noted that the British company was trying to "strong-arm a longtime partner."

At Snapdragon Summit, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. unveiled the Snapdragon 8 Elite Mobile Platform, the most powerful and world's fastest mobile system-on-a-chip ever. Our flagship mobile platforms are now taking on the Elite name, showcasing the remarkable progress it represents for the industry. This platform debuts industry leading technologies such as the second generation custom-built Qualcomm Oryon CPU, Qualcomm Adreno GPU and enhanced Qualcomm Hexagon NPU, all of which deliver game changing performance improvements.

These innovations empower the Snapdragon 8 Elite to transform user experiences with their devices - making on-device multi-modal generative AI applications a reality on smartphones powered by Snapdragon. These technologies also fuel many other experiences across camera capabilities, with our most powerful AI-ISP, as well as next level gaming, super-fast web browsing and more.

Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. and Epic Games today announced the deployment of Unreal Engine pre-integrated and optimized for the Snapdragon Cockpit Platform, a key platform of Qualcomm Technologies' Snapdragon Digital Chassis solutions, to create an out-of-box solution that empowers global automakers to deliver immersive user experiences. With the cohesive human machine interface (HMI) solution, automakers will be equipped to develop high-quality digital cockpit systems that are customizable and scalable across all vehicle types, and tiers.

The collaboration marks the first time Unreal Engine is being directly integrated into Snapdragon automotive platforms. Through the technology collaboration, global automakers who utilize Snapdragon Digital Chassis solutions will have exclusive access to Unreal Engine tools with optimized features, providing powerful, never-before-seen, in-cabin visualization capabilities, which includes fully customizable 2D and 3D visuals to set new industry standards for in-cabin environments.

Qualcomm debuted its Snapdragon X Elite/Plus series of laptop processors a few months ago, and the company is already testing the next-generation Snapdragon X2 series. Interestingly, the new "SC8480XP" SoC is carrying a codename "project Glymur." Up until now, Qualcomm has exclusively used codenames of places in Hawaii. However, with the Snapdragon X2 series, it shifts to Iceland, with the highest waterfall name being used for this next-generation processor. While we have almost zero clue about core counts and clocks, we know that the CPU cores will be an iteration of Nuvia's Oryon design, likely being pre-designed before the acquisition of the Nuvia design team.

According to Winfuture, Qualcomm started testing the next-generation SC8480XP SoC in July and August, testing various RAM and storage configurations. The company will likely evaluate the best configurations for the upcoming platform, tune the RAM speed with the SoC, and decide on guidelines for storage configurations. We are still waiting to see meaningful hints about the next-generation platform, and we are especially curious about the clocks and core counts that Qualcomm is preparing.

Based on information shared by a Baidu user called Piglin, we now have access to an annotated die image of Qualcomm's Snapdragon X Elite processor. This analysis provides insights into the architecture of this new system-on-chip, highlighting several key features, including large CPU cores, a GPU, and a complex cache system. The report indicates that the Snapdragon X Elite die measures 169.6 mm² and is fabricated using TSMC's N4P 4 nm-class process. A notable aspect of the die shot is the considerable size of the "Phoenix" Oryon CPU cores, each reportedly measuring around 2.55 mm². These cores are significantly larger than typical Arm CPU cores, which is logical given their original purpose for the data center. The SoC features a total of 12 CPU cores in an 8+4 configuration.

The GPU, called Adreno X1, takes up 24.3 mm² of die area, roughly half the size of the CPU and CPU cache section. Despite its compact size, Qualcomm claims the GPU delivers approximately 4.6 FP32 TFLOPS of raw performance. Interestingly, the 45 TOPS NPU, which Qualcomm has emphasized as a key feature, is not clearly visible in the image. Another significant aspect is the extensive cache system. The three quad-core CPU clusters each occupy 16.1 mm², and feature 12 MB of high-speed L2 cache. Additionally, 6 MB is dedicated to system-level cache on 5.09 mm² area, along with a separate GPU cache. In total, the CPU boasts 54 MB of caches distributed across the die. The report also compares the Snapdragon X Elite to Apple's M4 SoC. However, it's worth noting that this isn't an exact comparison, as Apple utilizes an N3E 3 nm-class node for its chip. Below is the annotated die of Snapdragon X Elite and Apple's M4 from the original report.

Gaming giant Valve appears to be venturing into uncharted territory. Recent findings on SteamDB have revealed that the company may be working on integrating ARM architecture and Android app support into its ecosystem. A mysterious application, codenamed "ValveTestApp3043620," has been spotted with an update that includes interesting changes. The update features new tags for several popular games, including Left 4 Dead 2, Garry's Mod, and Kerbal Space Program. These tags, such as "proton-arm64" and "proton-arm64e," indicate that Valve is testing a version of Proton specifically designed for ARM64-based systems. Proton, Valve's brainchild developed in partnership with CodeWeavers, is the magic behind running Windows games on Linux systems. By extending this technology to ARM64, Valve could be paving the way for PC gaming on portable Arm-based devices, potentially signaling a new hardware strategy.

The plot thickens with mentions of "proton_experimental" and "proton-arm64ec-vanguard" in the changelog, hinting at ongoing tests and experimental builds. Additionally, references to Waydroid, a tool enabling Android apps on Linux, suggest that Valve's ambitions may extend beyond gaming, possibly aiming to broaden software accessibility of its platform. This development has sparked speculation about the possibility of Steam games running on Android smartphones and tablets or even a possible Arm-powered version of the Steam Deck. However, a more likely scenario could be testing for Windows support on Arm-based chips. The timing of these experiments aligns with recent announcements of laptops featuring Qualcomm's ARM64-based Snapdragon X CPUs. These devices can run Windows-based games through Microsoft and Qualcomm's emulation layer, Prism. If Valve's Proton can provide superior performance or more stable emulation for Windows-based games on Arm devices, it could position itself as a strong competitor to Prism.

ASUS today announced its participation in the upcoming IBC 2024, showcasing the theme A Glimpse into Tomorrow's Tech.Visitors to the ASUS booth (Hall 2 Booth #A29 RAI Amsterdam) will be able to enjoy the ProArt Masters' Talks featuring industry experts from renowned companies Adobe, NVIDIA and Scan Computers, as well as professional filmmaker Bas Goossens, professional senior trainer Leon Barnard, and co-founder and CEO of Redshark Media, Matt Gregory.

As well, through the full run of IBC from September 13-16, 2024, ASUS will highlight a range of cutting-edge technology ideal for professionals, including ProArt Display PA32KCX, the world's first 8K Mini LED professional monitor; ProArt Display OLED PA32UCDM, which brings 4K QD-OLED to creators; ProArt Display 5K PA27JCV, featuring a stunning 5120 x 2880 resolution for unparalleled clarity; and ProArt Display PA32UCE and PA27UCGE, the latest 4K monitors with built-in calibration. The latest ASUS AI-powered laptops and workstations will also be on show.

Ahead of IFA 2024, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. announced the expansion of its Snapdragon X Series portfolio with the introduction of Snapdragon X Plus 8-core, a breakthrough platform that unleashes multiday battery life, unprecedented performance and AI-powered Copilot+ experiences to even more people.

The 8-core Qualcomm Oryon CPU powering this Snapdragon X Plus platform enables lightning-fast responsiveness and efficiency, delivering 61% faster CPU performance while competitor peak performance requires 179% more power. An integrated GPU and support for up to three external monitors ensures exceptional graphics and immersive visual experiences. At the heart of the Snapdragon X Plus 8-core is a powerful 45 TOPS NPU of AI processing power and leading performance per watt which, paired with the platform's significant advancements in connectivity, will push productivity to new heights in ultra-portable designs with incredible battery life. Whether creating presentations on-the-go or videoconferencing, the versatile functionality of this platform will enable transformative experiences.

According to a recent report from Globes, Arm, the chip design giant and maker of the Arm ISA, is reportedly developing a new discrete GPU at its Ra'anana development center in Israel. This development signals Arm's intention to compete directly with industry leaders like Intel, AMD, and NVIDIA in the massive discrete GPU market. Sources close to the matter reveal that Arm has assembled a team of approximately 100 skilled chip and software development engineers at its Israeli facility. The team is focused on creating GPUs primarily aimed at the video game market. However, industry insiders speculate that this technology could potentially be adapted for AI processing in the future, mirroring the trajectory of NVIDIA, which slowly integrated AI hardware accelerators into its lineup.

The Israeli development center is playing a crucial role in this initiative. The hardware teams are overseeing the development of key components for these GPUs, including the flagship Immortalis and Mali GPU. Meanwhile, the software teams are creating interfaces for external graphics engine developers, working with both established game developers and startups. Arm is already entering the PC market through its partners like Qualcomm with Snapdragon X chips. However, these chips run an integrated GPU, and Arm wants to provide discrete GPUs and compete there. While details are still scarce, Arm could make GPUs to accompany Arm-based Copilot+ PCs and some desktop builds. The final execution plan still needs to be discovered, and we are still waiting to see which stage Arm's discrete GPU project is in.

Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. today announces the Snapdragon 4s Gen 2 Mobile Platform - designed to make 5G more accessible and reliable. This new platform is another example of how Qualcomm is committed to engineering human progress, pioneering the global transition from 4G to 5G to empower communities and industries alike. Snapdragon 4s Gen 2 is also packed with feature-rich enhancements, including robust CPU performance for seamless multitasking and productivity, dual band navIC for better position accuracy, AI-enhanced audio, and entertainment experiences like smooth gameplay and powerful video streaming.


"The Snapdragon 4s Gen 2 Mobile Platform is a significant leap forward in making 5G technology more accessible, so more people can navigate the world at 5G speeds," said Chris Patrick, senior vice president and general manager of mobile handsets, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. "Thanks to cutting-edge engineering, we balanced affordability with strong performance and all-day battery life, as well as widespread access to 5G for more enhanced mobile experiences."

Qualcomm CEO Cristiano Amon has announced plans to introduce Snapdragon X-powered PCs at a groundbreaking price point of $700 by next year. This revelation, made during the company's recent third-quarter earnings call, signals a significant shift in the accessibility of high-performance Arm-based computers. Currently, the most affordable Snapdragon X laptops on the market, such as the Microsoft Surface Pro and Surface Laptop, retail for $999. The $700 price tag prospect represents a substantial reduction, potentially opening up the technology to a broader consumer base. The only "affordable" Snapdragon X-based PC is the Snapdragon Dev Kit, with a price point of $899. However, the entire laptop solution is still more expensive. Mr. Amon emphasized that despite the lower cost of the potential $700 units, these upcoming devices will maintain neural processing unit (NPU) performance. This commitment suggests that Qualcomm is confident in its ability to optimize costs without sacrificing the advanced capabilities that have made Snapdragon X chips appealing to power users and developers alike.

While specific details about the hardware configurations remain undisclosed, it is interesting to see what steps Qualcomm will take to deliver on this promise. If the company can provide 8-core chips with 16 GB of RAM to the masses for $700, the industry would likely react very well, especially students who require decent computing capabilities on the go, if the $700 PC ends up being a laptop. The announcement also hinted at an expansion of Qualcomm-powered computers, with new models expected to debut at the upcoming IFA tech conference. These additions will likely bolster the selection of Microsoft Copilot+ PCs, further integrating AI capabilities into everyday computing experiences. The CEO also noted, "We expect PC to be the next biggest driver of diversification for the company," with some Snapdragon X PC already being sold out. The demand appears to be strong, and undercutting competition on pricing is an ideal way to get as many customers on board as possible.

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.

Particle, a leading IoT edge-to-cloud platform provider, has launched Tachyon, its first Qualcomm Snapdragon powered single-board computer (SBC) designed to make cutting-edge chipsets and AI tooling widely accessible to consumers and businesses.

Tachyon brings the power of a modern smartphone to the far corners of the world with speedy hardware, a powerful AI accelerator, built-in high-bandwidth 5G and Wi-Fi 6E connectivity, and a Linux-powered Ubuntu operating system. By providing a complete edge-to-cloud infrastructure, Particle enables customers to focus on what matters most: their application.

The much-anticipated revolution in AI-powered personal computing seems to be off to a slower start than expected. Qualcomm's Snapdragon X CPUs, touted as game-changers in the AI PC market, have struggled to gain significant traction since their launch. Recent data from PassMark, a popular benchmarking software, reveals that Snapdragon X CPUs account for a mere 0.3% of submissions in the past 30 days. This is a massive contrast to the 99.7% share held by traditional x86 processors from Intel and AMD, which raises questions about the immediate future of ARM-based PCs. The underwhelming adoption comes despite bold predictions from industry leaders. Qualcomm CEO Cristiano Amon had projected that ARM-based CPUs could capture up to 50% of the Windows PC market by 2029. Similarly, ARM's CEO anticipated a shift away from x86's long-standing dominance.

However, it turns out that these PCs are primarily bought for the battery life, not their AI capabilities. Of course, it's premature to declare Arm's Windows venture a failure. The AI PC market is still in its infancy, and upcoming mid-tier laptops featuring Snapdragon X Elite CPUs could boost adoption rates. A lot of time still needs to pass before the volume of these PCs reaches millions of units shipped by x86 makers. The true test will come with the launch of AMD's Ryzen AI 300 and Intel's Lunar Lake CPUs, providing a clearer picture of how ARM-based options compare in AI performance. As the AI PC landscape evolves, Qualcomm faces mounting pressure. NVIDIA's anticipated entry into the market and significant performance improvements in next-generation x86 processors from Intel and AMD pose a massive challenge. The coming months will be crucial in determining whether Snapdragon X CPUs can live up to their initial hype and carve out a significant place in the AI PC ecosystem.

Edifier International, the award-winning audio electronics designer, announces the STAX SPIRIT S5 Wireless Planar magnetic headphones. In the 2012, Edifier acquired STAX Ltd., a company with over 80 years history, and a specialist in electrostatic headphones. The brand name "STAX" is almost considered the benchmark of electrostatic headphones. Inspired by STAX's pursuance of high-fidelity music and craftsmanship in the field, the STAX SPIRIT brand was created as a high-end sub brand for Edifier headphone products with the aim of developing more high-quality products for audiophile users.

The STAX SPIRIT S5 are Planar magnetic headphones. Planar magnetic drivers are commonly found in Hi-fi headphones and other high-end audio equipment. With their unique way of operation, planar magnetic drivers can represent a superior audio experience with rich details and impressive transient response. With solid innovation and advanced features, the STAX SPIRIT S5 packs upgraded planar magnetic drivers and the latest Bluetooth V5.4 technology into a compact and portable form-factor. The 2μm thin film and 2nd gen EqualMass wiring technology generate a performance comparable to legendary electrostatic headphones.

Samsung Electronics today announced its all-new Galaxy Z Fold6 and Galaxy Z Flip6, along with Galaxy Buds3 and Galaxy Buds3 Pro at Galaxy Unpacked in Paris.

Earlier this year, Samsung ushered in the era of mobile AI through the power of Galaxy AI. With the introduction of the new Galaxy Z series, Samsung is opening the next chapter of Galaxy AI by leveraging its most versatile and flexible form factor perfectly designed to enable a range of unique mobile experiences. Whether using Galaxy Z Fold's large screen, Galaxy Z Flip's FlexWindow or making the most of the iconic FlexMode, Galaxy Z Fold6 and Flip6 will provide more opportunities to maximize AI capabilities. Built on the foundation of Samsung's history of form factor innovation, Galaxy AI uses powerful, intelligent, and durable foldable experience to accelerate a new era of communication, productivity, and creativity.