News: 0175273023

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Qualcomm Halts Snapdragon Dev Kit

(Thursday October 17, 2024 @05:30PM (msmash) from the abrupt-departures dept.)


Chipmaker Qualcomm has [1]indefinitely paused production and support of its [2]Snapdragon Developer Kit for Windows , citing quality concerns. Qualcomm says the product "has not met our usual standards of excellence." The cancellation comes shortly after the recent launch of over 30 Snapdragon X-series powered PCs.



[1] https://www.jeffgeerling.com/blog/2024/qualcomm-cancels-snapdragon-dev-kit-refunds-all-orders

[2] https://it.slashdot.org/story/24/04/24/1432240/qualcomm-is-cheating-on-their-snapdragon-x-elitepro-benchmarks


Windows RT 2.0 (Score:2)

by itsme1234 ( 199680 )

Seems to be a bust, but this time after 4 generations.

It could be argued that... (Score:3)

by MpVpRb ( 1423381 )

...x86 is the worst possible processor architecture, but it wouldn't matter. It became the standard and there is LOTS of important, expensive x86 software out there. Backward compatibility is essential. Any new processor architecture MUST include PERFECT x86 emulation at reasonable performance. From what I've read, Snapdragon does not meet this requirement

Re:It could be argued that... (Score:4, Informative)

by dgatwood ( 11270 )

> ...x86 is the worst possible processor architecture, but it wouldn't matter. It became the standard and there is LOTS of important, expensive x86 software out there. Backward compatibility is essential. Any new processor architecture MUST include PERFECT x86 emulation at reasonable performance. From what I've read, Snapdragon does not meet this requirement

Yeah, Apple actually added an extension to the ARM spec — a special [1]CPU mode that implements total store ordering [sciencedirect.com] for Intel emulation purposes so that you don't have to choose between unexplained crashes and performance that tanks.

[1] https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1383762124000390

Re: (Score:2)

by gdshaw ( 1015745 )

ARM isn't exactly a new processor architecture (was using it for my desktop in 1987), and these days x86 is a rounding error by comparison. The idea of x86 compatibility being essential is a battle that was fought and lost many years ago.

Granted there might be good reasons for not running Windows on it, but some would argue there are good reasons for not running Windows on anything.

Re: (Score:2)

by itsme1234 ( 199680 )

They literally have Google Drive not working. That is on the 4th and most hyped generation from the second coming of ARM Windows.

Re: (Score:2)

by Pinky's Brain ( 1158667 )

After correcting for process, the differences between these wide superscalar processors with massive caches is negligible ... and the PITA of switchin ISAs was a silly diversion for Microsoft, for the second time. Microsoft always copies Apple in the worst possible way, they don't play to their own strengths.

I feel sorry for Qualcomm, the architecture seems solid, but there is simply no market for it.

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