Qualcomm woos SEA with cheaper AI PCs
Full-court press from chipmaker for Snapdragon X Series processors
Chipmaker Qualcomm was in town last week to talk up the benefits of its Snapdragon X Series of processors. At the Snapdragon X Series Southeast Asia Media Summit in Singapore, executives from Qualcomm and PC makers Acer, Asus, Dell, HP and Lenovo gave the gathered media and industry partners a first-look at its entire range of processors for AI PCs.
Like the Apple silicon used in Macbooks, these Snapdragon chips are based on the ARM architecture. They also come with built-in neural processing units (NPUs) that can accelerate AI workloads. The flagship Snapdragon X Elite processor debuted last year in Windows Copilot+ PCs, followed by the Snapdragon X Plus. The latest Snapdragon X was introduced at CES in January. Intended for entry-level laptops, Qualcomm says Snapdragon X offers smooth and reliable performance, multi-day battery-life, and robust connectivity.
Some of the key talking points during a panel discussion involving executives from major PC makers include how Southeast Asia is opening its arms to ARM-powered PCs, and the huge potential for AI in the region. Another salient point is that SEA is a diverse region with varying income levels, which is where the latest, more affordable Snapdragon X chip can play a starring role. Or as one panelist said: “There has to be a device for every user”.
Last month, Qualcomm claimed to have captured 10% market share of all Windows laptops (over US$800) in the United States in the last quarter of 2024. But most laptops, especially those for office workers and students, fall below this price point. In fact, a November 2024 survey found that Qualcomm Snapdragon laptops accounted for less than 0.8% of the overall market then. Having cheaper Snapdragon X laptops reportedly in the US$600 range will likely help with expanding Qualcomm’s market share.
Having tried one of the first Snapdragon X laptops in the market — Asus Zenbook A14 — my first impression is that it’s good enough for everyday computing. Yes, the performance is lower than the higher-end Snapdragon X Elite and X Plus, especially for tasks like video encoding. But it’s sufficient for web browsing, media consumption, and office productivity. More importantly, the Snapdragon X offers the same AI performance (up to 45 TOPS) as the X Elite and X Plus.
However, the Asus Zenbook A14 isn’t exactly a budget laptop at S$1,699. It uses premium materials that results in a super-light (980g!) chassis. Instead, several Asus Vivobook models, as well as an Acer laptop, are expected to launch with Snapdragon X in the coming months at more mainstream prices. So far, the Zenbook A14 has wowed me with the excellent battery life — stay tuned for the full review tomorrow!
In other reviews, we tested Xiaomi’s latest flagship smartphone, checked out an AI PC from MSI, and took plenty of photos with the Vivo V50 5G. Find out our thoughts on these new gadgets below:
While the flagship Xiaomi 15 Ultra continues to impress in the photography department, it lacks the variable aperture feature that was found in its predecessor. That perhaps diminishes its appeal for photography buffs, though these Leica-powered cameras are still very good. That aside, the phone has everything you’d expect from a 2025 flagship device, including plenty of AI features.
The MSI Prestige 16 AI+ Evo is an excellent choice if you want a big-screen laptop with long battery life and some AI smarts. Interestingly, it also has an Ethernet port, while its larger chassis means it can accommodate a huge touchpad and even a numeric keypad. It’s equipped with Intel’s top Core Ultra 9 mobile processor, so you can expect it to excel in office productivity apps.
The Vivo V50 5G is a good mid-range option if you’re big on taking portrait shots. The hardware is a slight upgrade over the previous model, notably a larger 6,000mAh battery. But the Aura LED fill light at the rear is now twice as bright, and helps with low-light shots. The result: Portrait shots look great, and photos generally look vibrant and detailed in good lighting.