[GTALUG] some first impressions of new Snapdragon PCs

[William Park]

If it's another Chromebook at Apple price, then I'll pass.

On 2024-07-08 09:15, D. Hugh Redelmeier via talk wrote:
> Note: I haven't touched one of these.  This is based on things I've read
> on the internet.
> 
> They looked attractive:
> 
> - PC's based on an ARM processor that was kind of like Apple's
> 
> - higher performance that x86, especially in computation per Watt.
> 
> - a liklihood of being open since they were aimed at Windows
> 
> - a liklihood of lower prices since multiple manufacturers can make PCs
>    based on the processor
> 
> So far, I'm tentatively disappointed:
> 
> - full(?) Linux support is six months away.  Support will be from
>    Qualcomm.  That doesn't really sound open.  And who knows how long six
>    months really is.
> 
> - first reports (from the Windows world) is that real performance isn't
>    what was promised.  Apparently, at full throttle, these burn a lot of
>    power.
> 
> - the cost is in the same ballpark as Apple computers.
> 
> - Qualcomm or Microsoft has not provided developers the tools to build
>    software for the platform.
> 
> - Intel and AMD are moving forward so any Qualcomm advantage may be
>    narrowing.
> 
> Oh, and "Recall", the centerpiece of Microsoft's Copilot+ PCs (the
> branding currently limited to Qualcomm-based products), seems to be a
> pretty bad security nightmare.
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