Qualcomm’s new Snapdragon 7c Gen 2 Compute Platform for entry-level Windows 10 laptops & Chromebooks is now official

Back in 2019, Qualcomm expanded its portfolio of chips for Windows on ARM PCs with the introduction of the Snapdragon 8c and Snapdragon 7c processors. Entry-level Windows machines and Chromebooks powered by these platforms are already out there on the market under various price points. Now, the company has introduced a new chip in the portfolio, the Snapdragon 7c Gen 2.

The Snapdragon 7c Gen 2 Compute Platform is the second generation of the company’s breakthrough entry-level platform for always-on, always-connected Windows PCs and Chromebooks with efficient performance and support for multi-day battery life. While we are not looking at a significant upgrade from its predecessor, the new compute platform is expected to deliver some meaningful enhancements to camera and audio capabilities, integrated LTE connectivity, AI acceleration, enterprise-grade security features, and more.

Qualcomm Snapdragon 7c Gen 2 Compute Platform Specifications

The Snapdragon 7c Gen 2 compute platform is designed for entry-level Windows 10 laptops and Chromebooks in the sub $400 (approximately Rs 29,000) price range. The Snapdragon 7c Gen 2 features Kyro 468 CPU cores with clock speeds up to 2.55Ghz. It’s built on the 8nm process technology and is based on 64-bit architecture. The CPU is coupled with an Adreno 618 GPU with a max on-device display support for up to QXGA @60Hz and FHD @60Hz. The max external display support tops out at QHD @60Hz.

The Snapdragon 7c Gen 2 features the Qualcomm Spectra 255 ISP with 14-bit image signal processing. It also has a Snapdragon X15 LTE modem with support for up to 600Mbps LTE downlink. The chip also has the 5th Gen Qualcomm Hexagon 692 DSP AI engine that can support intelligent applications ‘on-device’ to enable the latest accelerated features.

Qualcomm also says that the new chip comes with enterprise-grade security with features like Qualcomm Processor Security, Qualcomm Content Protection, and WPA3 Wi-Fi Security. Additional noteworthy features of the Snapdragon 7c Gen 2 compute platform includes Location-Aware GPS, Qualcomm Aqstic technology, Qualcomm aptX HD technology, and more.

Qualcomm Snapdragon 7c Gen 2 Compute Platform Performance

With the new Snapdragon 7c Gen 2 compute platform, Qualcomm is claiming some significant performance gains over Intel’s entry-level chips. The Snapdragon 7c Gen 2 compute platform is said to be up to 60-percent more efficient than the Intel Celeron N4020 based on the PCMark 10 applications score. The chip seems to be outperforming competing chips in the Chromebooks department as well, delivering some solid numbers across Geekbench 5, GFXBench 5.0, and other battery life tests.

Miguel Nunes, Senior Director, Product Management Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. said that they are excited to bring this next-generation upgrade to their entry-level platform. “Snapdragon 7c Gen 2 brings the leading innovations of our compute portfolio to the next generation of entry-tier and affordable devices. Laptops powered by this platform will redefine mobile computing for education users, first-line workers, and everyday light consumers, enabling reliable and powerful devices that feature advanced AI, and support for multi-day battery life,” he said.

We don’t have exact dates yetn but according to Qualcomm, the first devices based on the Snapdragon 7c Gen 2 compute platform is expected to commercially available this summer.