Apple M1 MacBook targeted by Qualcomm’s next-gen Snapdragon 8cx chip

Global chip giant, Qualcomm, is reportedly working on a new chipset, under the moniker SC8280, for Windows notebooks and hybrid devices: a monster of a chip and a follow-up to the Snapdragon 8cx, which is the second-generation of its flagship ARM processor for Windows. Apple, of course, not so long ago knocked Qualcomm for six with its own ARM-based M1 chip that has been running riot ever since. 

Apple’s M1-powered devices are brilliant. Fact. Here at T3, we seem to be constantly going back and forth over our favorite M1-powered machine, be that the MacBook Pro 13-inch M1 or Apple MacBook Air (M1, 2020), and which we most like to have with us at any one time.

Recent news of France-based company, Scaleway, now giving users the chance to rent the Apple M1 Mac mini, means that access to Apple's M1 devices is getting increasingly cheap, flexible, and available to a broader range of the Cupertino giant's customers. With this said, it's time for Qualcomm to step up and bring Windows notebooks in line with the Apple M1 machines. 

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Qualcomm's chipsets have been slightly lacking when compared to Apple's proprietary M1 silicon chips; moreover, its chipsets have even been eclipsed by the likes of AMD and Intel. In the mobile arena, there's even talk of the OnePlus Nord successor, the OnePlus Nord 2, dropping Qualcomm entirely for a switch to MediaTek for its MediaTek Dimensity 1200 chipset.

While the ongoing silicon supply issues are still causing major problems, Apple's M1-fuelled MacBook machines continue to separate the wheat from the chaff in the notebook world. As such, Qualcomm really must find a better answer for Windows machines having only recently shipped processors that handle less taxing workloads on less spec'd out devices.

With that said, if new information is to be believed: Qualcomm is no longer placing its attention on energy-saving and high-end cores, as is seen in the Snapdragon 8cx Gen2 and Snapdragon 8cx, but has shifted its attention to a processor that boasts not only ultra-high energy-saving innards, but a dual-offering of high-performance cores that clock different speeds (via WinFuture.de).

This new, more potent chip could be an unbridled high-end SoC for future entries to our best laptops running on Windows. According to the report, not only has the chip been spotted under the SC8280 model number, but it's allegedly being tested in at least two variants.

One of the variants is the Snapdragon SC8280XP, running at 2.7GHz, and joining up with four more high-end cores, which respectively clock-in 2.43GHz. It should bring a significant uptick to Windows 2-in-1s and Windows PCs performance should it see the light of day.

As of now, there is still no concrete detail on a projected launch date, but a chip of this nature would likely be looking towards a 2022 release date in light of the shortages that are impacting not only laptops, but also impairing the stock levels of the Xbox Series X, PS5, and Xbox Series S. Stay tuned for more information.