There are a number of things to look for during the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas this week. One of the more interesting events will see Qualcomm officially launch the Snapdragon 835 mobile processor. Windows 10 fans will take notice because this is the first (mobile) SoC to have full support for Microsoft’s platform at launch.
Ok, some of you may be thinking about a recent demo (below) Microsoft and Qualcomm made to show Windows 10 running on a Snapdragon 820. Sure, the platform can conceivably run on the current 820 chip. However, Microsoft and Qualcomm have explicitly said devices with the Snapdragon 835 will be the first ARM-capable processor to support Windows 10.
At the time of the demo, Microsoft showed that it has built a fully working ARM version of Windows 10. The Snapdragon 835 will be the first processor to deliver the platform to devices.
Microsoft pointed out in December “Hardware partners will be able to build a range of new Qualcomm Snapdragon-powered Windows 10 PCs that run x86 Win32 and universal Windows apps, including Adobe Photoshop, Microsoft Office and popular Windows games.
This rather suggests the more Qualcomm processors will be Windows-compatible. That makes sense as the company usually makes a family of chips. These chips cover various hardware and price levels. The Snapdragon 835 will be the flagship, but expect stablemates like a Snapdragon 635 and 435. It is interesting to see full Windows 10 could work on budget smartphones potentially.
The CES launch will not be the first time we have seen the Snapdragon 835. Indeed, Qualcomm officially announced the chipset last month, including details of the specs. Now the official press release for the processor has leaked just days before Qualcomm fully launches the chip. Oddly, in the leaked press release, Qualcomm makes little mention of the ARM Windows support.
Snapdragon 835 Development and Specs
As with previous SoC’s, Qualcomm collaborated with Samsung to create the Snapdragon 835. Samsung already develops its own chips through the Exynos brand. In this partnership, the pair built the 835 on a 10 nm FinFET process. This means the chip is significantly smaller and more energy efficient.
For example, its predecessor, the Snapdragon 820, was 14 nm. The new chip is 30% smaller, 40% more efficient, and offers 27% more performance.
