Arm-Powered PCs Aim for Mainstream with Cheaper Prices

Qualcomm, a leading provider of mobile chips, is aiming to make Arm-powered Windows PCs more accessible to the mass market by lowering their prices. The company's CEO, Christiano Amon, has stated that Qualcomm aims to bring the cost of Arm PCs down to £550 by 2025, a significant drop from current prices.

The push for more affordable Arm PCs comes after the recent release of several well-received models, including the latest Surface Pro and Surface Laptop. These devices have benefited from improvements to Windows 11's x86 translation layer, a broader selection of native apps, and powerful Snapdragon X Pro and X Elite chips from Qualcomm. However, these devices currently sit in the premium price range, starting at around £800 for entry-level models.

Qualcomm's strategy for lowering prices appears to involve focusing on the integrated neural processing unit (NPU), a component responsible for AI-related tasks. Amon highlighted the NPU in his statement, suggesting that the company might be willing to compromise on CPU and GPU performance to achieve lower price points while maintaining strong AI capabilities.

This approach is noteworthy given Microsoft's "Copilot+ PC" program, which requires a minimum NPU performance of 40 trillion operations per second (TOPS) for compatibility with its AI-powered features. Microsoft has not set specific CPU or GPU performance requirements beyond those necessary for basic Windows 11 functionality.

While Arm and Qualcomm have set ambitious goals for Arm's share of the PC market, with Arm CEO Rene Haas predicting over 50% market share in the next five years, achieving this level of penetration will require wider adoption and a broader range of price points.

For Arm PCs to truly become mainstream, they need to offer a comparable experience to both the x86 PC market and Apple's Mac lineup. This includes offering a diverse range of devices, from affordable laptops to mini desktops, similar to the existing x86 PC ecosystem.

Crucially, the growth of the Arm PC ecosystem also relies on attracting more developers to create software specifically for Arm processors. Currently, a lack of third-party drivers for peripherals like printers, mice, and audio equipment poses a major challenge. As the number of Arm PCs increases, it becomes more attractive for developers to create native Arm software, driving further adoption and improving the overall user experience.

Whether Qualcomm's ambition to bring Arm PCs to the masses comes to fruition remains to be seen. However, their commitment to lowering prices and expanding the range of available devices indicates a significant push to make Arm-powered PCs a viable alternative for a broader audience.