Qualcomm Snapdragon Tech Summit: Day 2 Keynote on ACPC and Gaming
by Dr. Ian Cutress on December 1, 2021 6:00 PM EST06:04PM EST - We're here on Day 2 of the Qualcomm Snapdragon Tech Summit, ready for a keynote on the next generation of Always Connected PCs (ACPCs) and non-Smartphone gaming. We've got new silicon and new handheld devices to talk about.
06:11PM EST - And here we go
06:11PM EST - Day 2
06:12PM EST - Yesterday was all about smartphone, today is about PC and handheld gaming
06:12PM EST - Cristiano taking the lead again today
06:13PM EST - Taking mobile experiences into different devices
06:13PM EST - Qualcomm is most famous in mobile/smartphone
06:13PM EST - That's never going to change - going to continue to be the company that drives the pace of mobile
06:14PM EST - Focusing on connecting billions of devices and making them smarter
06:14PM EST - It's a repeated statement - it's hard to emphasise the growth of the cloud
06:14PM EST - If you believe in growth of the cloud, a company like qualcomm is making those connections
06:15PM EST - Next few years you will see QC at the entire edge, not just mobile
06:15PM EST - The role beyond the smartphone
06:15PM EST - Look at that handheld device
06:16PM EST - Qualcomm has a one technology roadmap
06:16PM EST - Seeing traction at a high pace on a number of devices
06:16PM EST - Look into adding VR/AR/XR
06:17PM EST - Revolution in mobile gaming too
06:17PM EST - Snapdragon automative
06:17PM EST - ICE and digital cockpits
06:17PM EST - This is not a vision, it's happening today
06:17PM EST - 1600+ devices beyond smartphone using snapdragon
06:18PM EST - CEO of Lenovo on a video now
06:19PM EST - Being connected all the time
06:20PM EST - Smart Home, Smart City
06:20PM EST - Lenovo shares this view
06:20PM EST - driving transformation at the edge for consumers and businesses
06:20PM EST - 'the new normal'
06:22PM EST - Better together
06:23PM EST - Back to Qualcomm
06:23PM EST - Metaverse time
06:24PM EST - Regardless of device, you'll need connectivity
06:24PM EST - No matter the version of the metaverse
06:25PM EST - Automotive is part of the metaverse
06:27PM EST - The opportunity is real, it's more than a buzzword
06:28PM EST - 5G driving the evolution of social
06:29PM EST - It's not about one size fits all though
06:30PM EST - Facebook/Meta video now
06:31PM EST - Meta rep and Cristiano in the metaverse
06:32PM EST - Andrew's avatar looks like he's playing a piano
06:33PM EST - well, hands on a keyboard
06:34PM EST - Talking about the industry
06:37PM EST - ok back to QC, talk about gaming
06:37PM EST - Mobile gaming is big (50%+ revenue in gaming)
06:38PM EST - G3x Gen 1 announcement
06:39PM EST - Collab with razer
06:39PM EST - G3x Gen 1
06:40PM EST - Designed for mobile gamers
06:40PM EST - Inspiring new form factors
06:40PM EST - Phones and up
06:40PM EST - Switch like
06:40PM EST - running android
06:40PM EST - Best sustained GPU perf/watt
06:40PM EST - VRR, HDR
06:41PM EST - Snapdragon G3x handheld developer kit
06:41PM EST - Razer video time
06:42PM EST - Ongoing qualcomm support and solutions with Razer
06:44PM EST - Connecting different visual categories
06:44PM EST - Snapdragon Play in automotive
06:45PM EST - The car becomes a hub for distribution for services and media
06:45PM EST - Customized experiences
06:46PM EST - Redefining intelligent transportation
06:46PM EST - Building an ecosystem around qualcomm - the system perspective
06:46PM EST - connectivity, compute, graphics, security, all on Qualcomm
06:47PM EST - Build a platform for all those applications
06:47PM EST - Connected advanced computer on wheels
06:48PM EST - All about platforms
06:48PM EST - Build on the trends of transformation for the cars of tomorrow
06:48PM EST - Working with 25/26 car brands
06:48PM EST - No mention about car issues getting silicon to even manage heated seats
06:48PM EST - Collab with GM and Cadillac
06:49PM EST - video time
06:50PM EST - Cadillac is set to be EV luxury leader
06:51PM EST - Snapdragon Drive has super cruise enabled for 200k miles of roads in the US
06:53PM EST - Cadillac is talking about driving features Tesla had 4 years ago
06:54PM EST - This is going on a bit long
06:55PM EST - 'Please buy the Lyric, there are lots of Qualcomm chips in there'
06:55PM EST - The Cadillac Lyric 2023
06:56PM EST - Now to ACPC
06:56PM EST - ACPC is Redefining the PC for the future
06:58PM EST - The future is all about connected high performance compute
06:59PM EST - next gen productivity
07:00PM EST - transition to new architectures and ecosystems
07:00PM EST - Panos from Microsoft live convo at a distance
07:01PM EST - the delay is about 750ms
07:01PM EST - PCs have become essential to us over last few years
07:01PM EST - the engine that powers the home
07:02PM EST - home, work, and life
07:02PM EST - move between spaces, devices, and remaining connected
07:03PM EST - How does 5G change Windows?
07:03PM EST - It changes how people work, remote work, play, travelling
07:04PM EST - No matter the user, the device, the use case, the company, the connection - on-demand connectivity and compute inspires
07:05PM EST - AI brings so many capabilities
07:05PM EST - Edge and cloud
07:07PM EST - Collab on Windows 11 for Windows on Snapdragon
07:08PM EST - Momentum for software to be native on Windows on Snapdragon
07:08PM EST - x86-64-bit emulation on Windows 11
07:09PM EST - Android compatibility too
07:09PM EST - Android on Windows on Snapdragon - AoWoS
07:10PM EST - I asked one of the QC execs earlier today about the Microsoft x Qualcomm agreement being exclusive. He said he couldn't say
07:11PM EST - More at Microsoft Build 2022
07:12PM EST - Miguel Nunes to the stage
07:13PM EST - Updates to ACPC
07:14PM EST - Enabling the world where everyone and everything is intelligently connected
07:14PM EST - The freedom to stay connected
07:14PM EST - Led by Qualcomm
07:15PM EST - The best of the smartphone to the entire ecosystem
07:15PM EST - 8cx, 8c, 7c
07:16PM EST - There should be a snapdragon for everyone
07:16PM EST - 64-bit emulation of x86 is very important
07:16PM EST - I spoke with Miguel earlier today - the barriers to full emulation were more software than hardware funnily enough
07:17PM EST - 'laptops at the intelligent edge'
07:19PM EST - transforming businesses
07:20PM EST - QC redefined what it meant to be a laptop
07:20PM EST - more than just a laptop
07:20PM EST - security, connectivity, and experiences
07:21PM EST - Battery life that keeps on going
07:21PM EST - Announcing 8cx Gen 3
07:22PM EST - 5nm hardware
07:23PM EST - First 5nm chip for PCs running Windows
07:23PM EST - Qualcomm AI included
07:23PM EST - Also 5G
07:24PM EST - 4x 3.0 GHz Prime cores + 4x 2.4 GHz Efficiency Cores, 14MB Total Cache (8MB L3+6MB System cache)
07:24PM EST - Single threaded perf +40% vs previous generation
07:24PM EST - 85% faster MT perf
07:25PM EST - Matches 22W i5 performance at 9 W
07:26PM EST - Or at 15W offers 25% more perf than i5
07:26PM EST - 60% better perf/watt
07:26PM EST - 8cx Gen 3 GPU - +60% faster Adreno Gen on Gen
07:26PM EST - 40% better GPU perf/watt compared to x86 competition
07:27PM EST - Photoshop and Lightroom have been optimized natively for Adreno
07:27PM EST - Shapr3D too
07:29PM EST - Shapr3D demo time
07:30PM EST - Now gaming, optimizing for snapdragon
07:30PM EST - Eve Online is optimized for snapdragon
07:30PM EST - also Among Us
07:31PM EST - Roblox too
07:31PM EST - 30% longer battery than competing platforms
07:32PM EST - Spectra ISP inside for video conferencing
07:33PM EST - Auto-focus, white balance, up to 4K HDR for Teams and Zoom
07:33PM EST - Up to 4 cameras x 24 MPs
07:33PM EST - Qualcomm Voice Suite - AI Accelerated Echo Cancellation and Noise Suppression
07:35PM EST - 8cx Gen 2 did 9 TOPs, Gen 3 does 29 TOPs (CPU+GPU+Hexagon+ISP)
07:36PM EST - I asked Miguel earlier - some software can use it all, while others are better served by one or a combination of two or three. Otherwise you need separate AI concurrent workloads to get to that value
07:37PM EST - dedicated AI IP on Snapdragon to enable this - not relying on CPU or GPU which might be lower efficiency
07:40PM EST - Now security
07:41PM EST - lowest level root of trust
07:41PM EST - Layered Secure Boot, zero trust, Pluton
07:41PM EST - reduces surface area for attacks
07:42PM EST - Bringing the best of smartphone to the best of laptop
07:44PM EST - VP Strategy on the stage, Miran Chun
07:45PM EST - Best part of market research is talking to end custoemrs
07:45PM EST - hybrid work environment from business customers
07:45PM EST - ACPC are pivotal to WFH
07:45PM EST - Productivity gain and end user satisfaction
07:49PM EST - business video time
07:51PM EST - another business video
07:53PM EST - Qualcomm Small Business Accelerator Program
07:53PM EST - Enabling education with always connected devices - Windows and Chromebooks
07:56PM EST - Back to Miguel
07:56PM EST - Lots of 7c devices in the market at entry
07:56PM EST - New 7c+ Gen3 entry level chip
07:57PM EST - enabling 5G at entry
07:57PM EST - 60% CPU ST vs 7c Gen 2
07:57PM EST - 6.5 TOPs
07:57PM EST - +70% GPU perf
07:58PM EST - Integrated X53 modem for 5G, 3.7 Gbps
07:58PM EST - Coming first half 2022, both Gen 3 chips
07:59PM EST - another business video time
08:02PM EST - Driving convergence of Mobile and PC
08:03PM EST - Now more gaming
08:03PM EST - 52% of revenue is now mobile - but how much of that is IAPs for 2D titles
08:05PM EST - 'it has to feel good in the hands'
08:06PM EST - Snapdragon for gaming devices - Snapdragon G brand
08:06PM EST - G3x as earlier
08:06PM EST - Dedicated to gamers
08:07PM EST - 8-core Kryo + Adreno
08:08PM EST - no details beyond that
08:08PM EST - 5G mmWave = Wi-Fi 6E
08:09PM EST - Snapdragon Sound
08:10PM EST - Now talking about Razer again - didn't we do this already?
08:10PM EST - This feels out of order
08:12PM EST - Razer to the stage
08:14PM EST - talking about developers and content, but nothing new here
08:18PM EST - Designed to maximise sustained performance. It has a fan
08:18PM EST - Gaming for hours
08:18PM EST - Advanced haptics
08:18PM EST - Dual motors in the handle
08:18PM EST - Ergonomics for long gameplay
08:18PM EST - Perfect Weight - feels great in the hands
08:19PM EST - apparently
08:19PM EST - Mapping buttons to physical controls
08:20PM EST - 6.65-inch OLED screen, FHD+, 120 Hz refresh rate, 1 billion colors
08:20PM EST - Doesn't say if VRR or if that 10-bit color is true 10-bit or 8-bit + FRC
08:20PM EST - 4-way speakers
08:20PM EST - 1080p webcam
08:21PM EST - 2 microphones (with AI ANC?)
08:21PM EST - 4K60 external support
08:22PM EST - 5G mmWave support
08:22PM EST - Connect XR viewers
08:23PM EST - 6000 mAh battery
08:23PM EST - This is a dev kit - so even if OLED, do they care about panel accuracy?
08:23PM EST - Android only and related streaming ecosystem services
08:26PM EST - And that's a wrap. Time for demos
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zodiacfml - Thursday, December 16, 2021 - link
Finally, Switch competition, never thought they'd consider but rather too late. They also don't seem serious with VR/meta which is next big thing, I guess they're going to miss on that again.