In the ongoing Qualcomm summit 2017, Qualcomm has partnered with Asus and HP to come with an interesting set of hardware. Asus and HP, the two of the leading notebook manufacturers have partnered with Qualcomm to launch Windows-powered notebooks that run on the ARM-based Mobile Solution (Qualcomm Snapdragon 835).
People calling these notebooks as the iPad killer and we don’t agree with them. Considering the performance difference between the Apple A11 Bionic Chip and the Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 is huge. In fact, the upcoming iPad (which will be available from Q1 of 2018) is likely to feature improved Apple A11x, which should offer double the performance of the Qualcomm’s counterpart.
However, on their own, these notebooks have a lot to offer, which was missing on the Windows OS powered notebooks till date. However, these notebooks will be running on a toned down version of the Windows 10 S operating system, which cannot run any Windows legacy applications, and one can only run applications downloaded from the Microsoft apps store.
These notebooks are called “Always Connected PCs” and what does that mean?
Always Connected PCs are something, which goes by the name hybrid laptops. These notebooks offer faster 4G LTE speeds and WiFi Hotspot connectivity with up to 20 to 22 hours of battery life on a single charge (video playback capability). The missing features from the entry-level Intel processors are solved using the Qualcomm’s counterpart.
Just like the most of the entry-level notebooks, the device offers a fanless design. The processors on these notebooks are clocked at 2.21 GHz clock speed, paired with up to 8 GB LPDD4x RAM and 126 or 256 GB onboard flash storage.
As of now, the only manufacturers that have announced their products are Asus and HP, however, down the lane, more and more laptop or notebook manufacturers are expected join the Ferry wheel. The more interesting fact about these notebooks will cost a lot less than that of the Intel-powered notebooks. Asus has already revealed the price tag of their new lineup which starts from $500 and goes up to $800 (₹ 35,000 to ₹50,000).
If we look at the tech specifications, the HP Envy X2 offers and the Asus NovaGo offers premium metal built with a sturdy form factor. One can see a 13.0-inch touch IPS LCD display with QHD resolution. In terms of in-hand feel, these notebooks will weight less than 2 kilograms, which will help to use the device on the go. In terms of connectivity, these notebooks offer USB type C port, full-sized SD card slot, mini HDMI port, 3.5 mm headphone jack and a single SIM card slot with 4G LTE capability.
Conclusion: These are for those kinds of audience, who use the device on the go and needs bigger battery life and uninterrupted LTE connectivity. If you are looking for a notebook with the ability to render videos, create 3D models, then, this is not the laptop that you might be interested in.
However, as of now, no OEM has announced the availability of these notebooks in India and we might want to wait for few more months before experiencing this new hardware. So, what do you think about these new ARM-based notebooks, can these be the future of the notebooks? Share your view in the comment box.