First Windows 8 PCs will use Qualcomm Snapdragon chips

CHIP DESIGNER Qualcomm has announced a partnership with Microsoft to provide Snapdragon mobile processors and Gobi mobile internet connectivity services in the first batch of Windows 8 PCs.

Qualcomm plans to provide its next generation Snapdragon processors, which can provide dual-band WiFi, Bluetooth, and FM radio through the Atheros WCN3660 combo chip, for Windows 8 devices. When combined with Gobi, these chips offer a pre-certified multi-mode 3G/4G LTE module for even greater connectivity.

Qualcomm already provides Snapdragon processors for a wide range of devices, including smartphones and tablets, but it is interesting that Microsoft has chosen them for its initial Windows 8 computers, and even more interesting that there is no mention of Windows 8 tablets, which are expected to be able to run the operating system.

This is likely why Microsoft is working with Qualcomm in the first place, laying the early foundations for a strong entry into the lucrative tablet market dominated by Microsoft rivals Apple and Google, but we'll likely also see Snapdragon powered laptops and other devices.

Not many details are known about the upcoming Snapdragon processors, but based on the previous range, which includes the single-core 1GHz S1 that a number of Windows Phone 7 devices run on, and the dual-core 1.5GHz S2, we can likely expect a dual-core or even quad-core processor that approaches or exceeds 2GHz, which will give portable Windows 8 devices plenty of speed.

In fact, Qualcomm announced in February that it was working on a family of 2.5GHz Snapdragon processors, including single-core, dual-core and quad-core models that could see their debut with Windows 8 computers. These were confirmed to The INQUIRER last month to be the S4 Krait line-up, expected for release next year. These processors will also offer a 65 per cent reduction in power usage compared to other ARM CPUs.

Microsoft said it chose Qualcomm partially for this kind of power efficiency, which is an important issue for today's battery-hogging mobile devices, particularly when connecting to mobile broadband networks as will be expected for a device employing Qualcomm's Gobi system.

"We are excited to be at [Microsoft's Windows developer conference] BUILD to show the Windows ecosystem and how we are working together towards commercialization of apps and hardware that will run Windows 8," said Luis Pineda, SVP of product management for computing and consumer products at Qualcomm. "It is a priority for Qualcomm to work with the developer community to optimize the Snapdragon and Gobi-powered platform for Windows 8 to provide an unparalleled mobile user experience."

The Qualcomm announcement came as part of a Windows 8 developer preview. Windows 8 is expected to be released some time in 2012. µ