All hail Qualcomm’s new chip!
In June 2024, the audio experience on Windows PCs is poised for a revolutionary upgrade.
The upgrade is expected to come with the release of Windows PCs that are powered with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X Elite chip. This chip is integrated with the Snapdragon Sound Technology. For users, this means enjoying music, movies, and games with the clarity and depth of sound that is used to only be achievable through high-end wired connections.
Here’s what you can expect from this technology:
Exploring the Snapdragon Sound Technology: Features and Benefits
Qualcomm’s Snapdragon Sound Technology is designed to redefine audio experiences on Windows PCs. This brings several groundbreaking audio features, each contributing to a better listening experience.
Dynamic spatial audio
Dynamic Spatial Audio brings a new approach to how sound is delivered and perceived in a digital environment.
Unlike traditional stereo audio, this feature creates a 360-degree soundscape, offering listeners the sensation of being in the center of the action, whether they’re watching a movie, playing a video game, or listening to music. This is designed to work with both wired and wireless connections, providing a consistent, high-quality experience across all devices.
This technology also leverages complex algorithms to track the listener’s head movement. It adjusts the audio in real time to ensure the sound remains anchored to the source, creating a more natural and immersive listening experience.
Improved latency
Latency, the delay between an audio signal being sent and when it’s heard, is a critical factor in the enjoyment of games and videos.
Snapdragon Sound significantly improves upon this with its advanced technology, reducing latency to as low as 48ms. This is a stark improvement over the typical 300ms found in many Bluetooth headphones, ensuring that audio and video are perfectly synced.
For gamers, Qualcomm promises a more enhanced experience with the possibility of sub-20ms latency. This is achieved through the use of adapters and dongles equipped with the S3 Gen 2 chip. It mirrors the responsiveness of a wired connection without the physical tether.
Lossless audio
Another key feature of Snapdragon Sound is its support for aptX Lossless audio.
This feature can deliver CD-quality sound wirelessly. It supports 16-bit 48kHz lossless audio over Bluetooth LE. This aims to go away from previous standards that often compromised sound quality for wireless convenience.
The experience can even be made better if paired with headphones with the S7 and S7 Pro platforms. Doing so further extends this capability to support up to 96Hz lossless audio via Qualcomm’s XPAN Technology, utilizing WiFi for an even richer audio experience.
This allows for an exact replication of the audio track. And, ensures listeners receive the sound exactly as it was produced, without any compression artifacts.
Robust connection
A stable and reliable connection is important, especially in environments crowded with wireless signals.
Snapdragon Sound optimizes the connection between devices, ensuring minimal dropouts and audio glitches.
This robust connection is achieved through Qualcomm Bluetooth High Speed Link technology. It enhances the resilience and stability of the wireless link even in busy or interference-prone environments.
Qualcomm’s XPAN Technology also extends the range of your devices beyond the standard Bluetooth range. This switches the connection between WiFi and Bluetooth if you go outside the Bluetooth range, to maintain connection even when you leave the room.
Other Features to Expect on the New PCs
Beyond audio, the Snapdragon X Elite chip brings a suite of enhancements to Windows PCs.
One of the standout claims regarding the Snapdragon X Elite chip is its performance prowess.
Qualcomm asserts that its new chips are “21% faster than Apple’s M3” in multi-core performance.
Moreover, the introduction of on-device AI capabilities stands out as a significant enhancement.
Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X Elite chip aligns with the expected release of Microsoft’s next major operating system update, rumored to be Windows 12. Qualcomm’s CEO, Cristiano Amon, has highlighted this alignment and what it means for AI.
This indicates that the Snapdragon X Elite will facilitate powerful AI experiences directly on the PC, without the need for cloud processing.
The move towards on-device AI could revolutionize how tasks are performed. It offers faster, more efficient processing for AI-driven applications. This can include improved voice recognition, real-time language translation, and more sophisticated personal assistants.
With leading PC manufacturers such as Acer, Asus, Dell, HP, Lenovo, and Samsung gearing up to release devices powered by the Snapdragon X Elite, consumers can look forward to a new era of high-fidelity, wireless audio on their Windows PCs starting June 2024.