When you buy through affiliate links in our content, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Learn 
Qualcomm has used IFA to launch an 8-core Snapdragon X Plus chip that should lower the price of ARM-based Copilot+ PCs.
The newly introduced variant still has speedy on-device AI thanks to the same neural processing unit (NPU) as on other Snapdragon X models. It just has two fewer CPU cores than the 10-core version, and includes a lower-clocked 3.2GHz chip as well as one matching the 3.4GHz of the existing Plus line.
You can also expect the same Adreno GPU and support for three external 4K monitors at 60Hz.
The new system-on-chip brings the price of a Copilot+ PC down to the $700 to $900 range, according to Qualcomm chief Cristiano Amon. The systems have typically started around $1,000.
Some of the 8-core Snapdragon X Plus systems are available today. Multiple manufacturers are producing laptops based on the new hardware, including Acer, ASUS, Dell, HP, Lenovo, and Samsung.
The new part won’t get Qualcomm into the budget PC category that frequently dominates sales, particularly in developing countries. However, it might change the perception of Snapdragon X-based laptops as premium devices.
The move could also help Windows PC makers compete against Apple’s MacBook line. While many ARM-based Windows portables tend to be priced similarly to the MacBook Air or MacBook Pro, the 8-core Snapdragon X Plus could help them undercut Apple by a significant margin while still delivering comparable battery life and strong AI performance.
