Qualcomm Launches Snapdragon X Platform in India, Expanding Affordable AI PC Market

Snapdragon bets big on AI PCs and India: Exclusive conversation with Qualcomm India President Savi Soin

Qualcomm is actively engaging with the Indian government to support local innovation and the country's digital transformation. While Qualcomm Technologies remains to be a key player, not just in mobile chipsets but across industries ranging from automotive to AI-driven personal computing, the company is more bullish on the Indian market than ever before. At the heart of this transformation is the Snapdragon X Platform, Qualcomm Technologies' premium AI-driven computing experience, which makes AI PCs affordable and accessible. Savi Soin, Senior Vice President & President, Qualcomm India, reflected on the company's journey over the last year and its vision for 2025. "Last year was amazing for us. We wanted to bring Snapdragon's premium experience across multiple industries -- from 5G-connected homes to AI PCs, smartphones, and even smart clusters in two-wheelers. A major focus was also on Snapdragon India, developing products and solutions tailored to the Indian consumer and industry," he said. A major component of Qualcomm Technologies' is the AI PC revolution, which saw significant traction in 2024. AI PCs are designed to integrate on-device artificial intelligence seamlessly. While Qualcomm Technologies had introduced its Snapdragon X Elite Platform last year, it has now announced the Snapdragon X chipset which will be first used in India on the new Asus Zenbook A14 and Vivobook 16. The new Arm-based chip features Oryon CPU cores, similar to those in higher-end Snapdragon X-Series processors. It has a Neural Processing unit (NPU) with 45 TOPS (trillion operations per second) capability. This enables on-device AI processing and supports Microsoft's Copilot+ PC Platform. "India is a mobile-first country, and AI PCs are bringing mobile-like experiences to laptops. Traditional PCs are often seen as bulky and outdated, but with Snapdragon-powered AI PCs, we're introducing sleek, power-efficient devices that deliver intelligent features like real-time noise cancellation and contextual AI-driven personalisation," Mr. Soin explained. Other highlights of the new platform are extended battery life, Bluetooth 5.4 support, and compatibility with Wi-Fi 7. Qualcomm Technologies has worked closely with laptop manufacturers to ensure that AI PCs cater to the Indian market. The company is aiming to make AI-powered computing more accessible targeting the sub-$600 segment. "Why would anyone buy a regular PC when they can have an AI PC that enhances productivity, connectivity, and personalisation?" he asked. Qualcomm Technologies' commitment to India extends beyond devices. It also includes a strong focus on government partnerships and local innovation. "We are actively participating in India's semiconductor and AI missions. We are working closely with the government to explore opportunities in design and innovation within the country," Mr. Soin noted. The Indian government's push for digital transformation aligns with Qualcomm Technologies' AI-driven strategy. "AI at the edge, on- device AI, will be the backbone of India's digital revolution. Not everything needs to go to the cloud. AI running locally ensures security, privacy, and real-time processing," he added. Separately, Qualcomm Technologies has also opened its first-ever Snapdragon Experience Zone in India in partnership with Croma, marking a major shift in how it connects with consumers. Snapdragon's Experience Zone within Croma stores is designed to give consumers a hands-on feel of AI PCs, smartphones, XR solutions, and more. While AI PCs are a major focus, Qualcomm Technologies is also exploring new form factors for Snapdragon-powered AI. When asked about potential expansion beyond traditional PCs, Mr. Soin hinted at broader applications. "More on that soon. But Qualcomm Technologies has always been at the forefront of wireless connectivity, low-power computing, and AI integration. Whether it's retail, point-of-sale systems, or other connected devices, our technology will continue to push the boundaries." As Qualcomm Technologies gears up for 2025, the company's ambitions remain high. "This is just the beginning. 2025 will be a special year for us," Mr. Soin concluded, reinforcing the company's dedication to driving AI innovation and shaping the future of computing in India and beyond.

Qualcomm unleashes AI for all with latest Snapdragon X platform Bringing New AI PC Experiences to a New Tier of Devices for India

The Snapdragon X platform is set to accelerate broader adoption of Copilot+ PCs in India, delivering a wide range of on-device AI experiences with best-in class performance, efficiency, and multi-day battery life. ASUS introduced the Vivobook 16 and Zenbook A14 at the Snapdragon X launch event in Delhi, marking India's first Copilot+ PCs powered by Snapdragon X. The laptops are priced starting at Rs. 65,990, with pre-orders available starting today through leading retail partners. Qualcomm is expanding its retail presence as it unveiled its first offline Snapdragon Experience Zone at Croma, Juhu in Mumbai. The availability of laptops powered by Snapdragon X Series is also expected to expand significantly through Flipkart Minutes, enabling flexibility for Indian customers to order and receive devices within 10 minutes. Snapdragon X: Redefining Copilot+ PC Performance in India Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. is strengthening its Copilot+ PC leadership with the introduction of the Snapdragon X platform in India, a new tier that makes AI PCs accessible for everyone. The new Snapdragon X platform delivers an impressive 45 TOPS of AI performance. The launch of the first PC powered by Snapdragon X in India is bringing Copilot+ PC experiences to even more users by offering advanced on-device AI capabilities, incredible performance, and multi-day battery life to a broader audience. Designed to empower the masses, the new era of PCs powered by Snapdragon X is poised to redefine the AI PC industry in India. Devices powered by Snapdragon deliver premium experiences within a sleek, lightweight, and highly portable design, offering multi-day battery life and unparalleled performance for end users. Utilizing the power of the Qualcomm OryonTM CPU, Snapdragon X is delivering essential performance to the next generation of PCs. This platform delivers up to 163% faster performance[i] at ISO-power than our competitors who also require 168% more power. The Snapdragon X processor balances performance and built-in intelligence with a 45 TOPS NPU, enabling you to work more efficiently. With an integrated power efficient GPU, Snapdragon X supports dynamic graphics ideal for creating presentations, web browsing, or streaming content. The Snapdragon X platform exemplifies affordability, revolutionizing laptop interactions with unparalleled finesse. Whether streaming, video calling, or engaging in photo and video editing, every action is enriched, smoother, and more responsive. Stay seamlessly connected from virtually anywhere, with 5G and Wi-Fi 7. The Snapdragon Sound™ Technology Suite offers immersive, high-fidelity audio for wireless listening. Furthermore, Snapdragon X incorporates robust privacy features, enabling comprehensive protection from chip to cloud. First to launch, the Asus Vivobook 16 and Zenbook A14 will be India's inaugural Snapdragon X devices. Starting at a price of Rs. 65,990, these devices are now available for pre-order. This launch marks an exciting development, bringing cutting-edge AI-powered computing to a wider audience and setting a new standard for affordable, high-performance laptops, with other OEMs to follow soon. "As AI becomes essential in daily life, we see a great chance to transform the PC industry. In India, the Snapdragon X platform will expand our reach, offering advanced AI-powered computing to a new tier of consumers, making it more affordable and accessible for all. This transformation will significantly boost productivity and user satisfaction." -- Kedar Kondap, Senior Vice President & General Manager, Compute and Gaming, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. Mr. Kedar Kondap, Senior Vice President & General Manager, Compute and Gaming, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. at the Snapdragon X Event Mr. Savi Soin, Senior Vice President & President, Qualcomm India, QUALCOMM International, Inc. at the Snapdragon X launch event Qualcomm Technologies launched its first offline Experience Zone at Croma, Juhu in Mumbai Embracing an omnichannel approach, Qualcomm Technologies launched its first offline Experience Zone at Croma, Juhu in Mumbai last week, offering customers an immersive experience of the Snapdragon ecosystem. The online presence of Snapdragon X Series laptops will expand through Flipkart Minutes, enabling customers to order and receive their devices in just 10 minutes. This seamless integration of physical and digital retail will revolutionize customer interactions with Snapdragon technology in India, offering convenience and speed. "Building on the overwhelming success of laptops powered by Snapdragon X Elite and Snapdragon X Plus, the Snapdragon X platform is set to revolutionize the accessibility of Copilot+ PCs in India. Our collaborations with Croma and Flipkart allow consumers to effortlessly engage with, experience, and purchase these cutting-edge devices. With Snapdragon X, we are not just continuing our legacy of innovation but also making advanced AI technology more accessible to everyone." -- Savi Soin, Senior Vice President & President, Qualcomm India, QUALCOMM International, Inc. Qualcomm Technologies continues to work on advanced on-device AI capabilities in collaboration with multiple Independent Software Vendors (ISVs). The launch featured Tech Mahindra's Indic LLM, IndusQ, which supports multiple 37 regional dialects and Manav, a multi-lingual AI tutor. Other innovative demos included a voice input-enabled coding assistant from Codemate, a deepfake image, video and audio detection solution from Kroop AI; an internet assistant and code generative agentic tool from OrangeCat, and IIT Gandhinagar's Ganga Model, which enables translation, sentiment analysis, and chat generation, all optimized for Snapdragon X-Series. Partner Quotes: Croma "We at Croma are excited to partner with Qualcomm Technologies to expand the offline availability of the range of devices powered by Snapdragon, boosting AI usage. The unveiling of the Snapdragon Experience Zone at Croma, Juhu last week was a major first step in this endeavor. The zone showcases various AI-enabled devices powered by Snapdragon, including the latest range of Copilot+ PCs. With the Snapdragon Experience Zone showcase at Croma Stores, consumers can experience cutting edge AI innovations and see firsthand how they work on the latest AI-enabled smartphones, tablets, wearables and hearables, including Copilot+ PCs powered by Snapdragon X Series." -- Shibashish Roy, CEO, Infiniti Retail Ltd (Croma) Flipkart "Flipkart is proud to partner with Qualcomm Technologies to make devices powered by Snapdragon X more accessible than ever. This collaboration strengthens our reach to young consumers, leading to the adoption of quick commerce and the delivery of cutting-edge AI technology right where they are and when they need it. With Flipkart Minutes, our quick commerce platform, users can receive their orders for devices powered by Snapdragon X Series in under 10 minutes. This includes the latest Copilot+ PCs, bringing cutting-edge AI technology to their doorstep. Fast, convenient, and seamless - next-gen innovation has never been more accessible." -- Ajay Veer Yadav, Senior Vice President, Flipkart Asus "The Copilot+ PC era is set to revolutionize AI, and Qualcomm Technologies and ASUS are leading the charge in India and globally. The ASUS Vivobook 16 and ASUS Zenbook A14 are the ideal Copilot+ PCs, designed to enable AI use cases for everyone and being made available at accessible price points. We are pleased to partner with Qualcomm Technologies on the India launch of the Snapdragon X platform and are proud to be the first to launch Copilot+ PCs in India using this new platform that will cater to various audiences. We are certain that these devices will deliver exceptional AI-driven performance and efficiency, transforming the way users engage with their devices streamlining everyday tasks with the power of AI." -- Arnold Su, Vice President, Consumer and Gaming PC, System Business Group, ASUS India Snapdragon and Qualcomm are products of Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. and/or its subsidiaries. Snapdragon, Snapdragon Seamless, and Qualcomm Hexagon are a trademark or registered trademark of Qualcomm Incorporated.

Snapdragon X Chipset and Qualcomm's India Ambitions: Five Things to Know

Snapdragon X is claimed to deliver battery life of multiple days The first wave of AI PCs, or as Microsoft calls them, Copilot+ PCs, hit India in the second half of 2024. Snapdragon led the race with its X series chipsets, and several OEMs introduced AI-enabled laptops in the country. While these devices generated a buzz given the hype around artificial intelligence (AI) and the new Copilot-driven features in Windows 11, the impact on the PC market was not significant, with the consumer PC segment witnessing a meagre 2.6 percent shipment growth year-on-year (YoY) in India in 2024, as per market research firm IDC. While the reasons for this can be speculative and multi-faceted, one key aspect was price-based accessibility in a price-sensitive market. In 2024, only two Snapdragon X series chipset models were available -- X Elite and X Plus -- and both catered to the premium segment. As a result, the laptops that entered the market were priced steeply and primarily focused on enterprise users. With generative AI capabilities still in its nascent stage in the PC space, the majority of Indian PC buyers are left out of the Copilot+ PC experience. However, Qualcomm likely prepared for this by introducing new eight-core variants of the X Plus chipset, which are aimed at bringing down the prices of Copilot+ PCs. Then, at the Consumer Electronics Show earlier this year, the chipmaker further solidified its intent with a new Snapdragon X chipset aimed at devices in the $600 (roughly Rs. 52,000) price segment. After a month's wait, the Snapdragon X chipset was officially launched in the Indian market. Consequently, Asus opened pre-reservations for the first two laptops -- Zenbook A14 and Vivobook 16 -- that were equipped with this chipset. With a starting price (of Vivobook 16) of Rs. 65,990 (Zenbook is pricier at Rs. 99,990), these Copilot+ PCs have entered a more massy segment and become more accessible to buyers. But before you go book your potentially first AI PC, there are some things you should know about the newly launched chip. Currently, nine different chipset variants are available across the entire Snapdragon X lineup, with varying cores, clock speeds, and GPU performance. However, one unifying factor is the dedicated Hexagon neural processing unit (NPU) with 45 trillion operations per second (TOPS), which can also be found in the new chipset built for budget devices. For those new to AI parlance, TOPS is essentially a metric used to measure the computational performance of AI hardware, particularly in deep learning and machine learning applications. The higher the metric, the faster an AI model can process information and execute tasks. The metric is also important for developers and those working with AI, as it determines the computation power of a device required to train an AI model. Further, the metric also indicates how power-efficient a chipset is. With the same 45 TOPS available in the high-end X Elite chipset, Snapdragon X-powered devices will likely offer similar AI processing even in the budget segment. However, since OEM optimisation determines a large part of this, it can vary from brand to brand. A CPU can benefit from a more powerful NPU, but at the end of the day, the primary metric is always the CPU performance. Unsurprisingly, since the chipset is aimed at budget laptops and PCs, it does offer lower performance compared to the X Elite and X Plus platforms. The Snapdragon X is a 4nm chip with eight Oryon CPU cores with a max clock speed of up to 3GHz. In contrast, the X Plus chipsets sport a maximum of 10 cores with up to 3.4GHz peak clock speed on efficiency cores and up to one performance core with 4.0GHz max clock speed, and the X Elite features 12 cores with up to 3.8GHz max clock speed, and up to two performance cores peaked at 4.3GHz. For the layperson, this means the Snapdragon X chipset gets the lowest performance among the entire lineup. Despite that, the company boasts that "This platform delivers up to 163 percent faster performance at ISO-power than our competitors who also require 168 percent more power at ISO-performance." However, in the footnote, the company does reveal that the comparison was done against the Intel Core Ultra 5 120U processor, which was launched in January 2024 and offers more cores and higher clock speeds compared to the Snapdragon X. In an exclusive conversation with Gadgets 360, Qualcomm's Senior Vice President of Product Management, Kedar Kondap, highlighted the vision behind entering the budget PC segment with the newly launched processor. The chipmaker currently has a multi-pronged approach in the retail space, both generating more awareness about AI PCs and creating brand awareness about Snapdragon's role in the space. Snapdragon became a key partner for Microsoft in introducing Copilot+ branded PCs to the world. The first Surface devices with AI capabilities were also equipped with X series chipsets. Kondap explained that the company worked to develop compatibility for hundreds of apps that now run natively on Snapdragon PCs. Additionally, the Arm emulator Prism offers reliable performance for those apps that aren't natively supported. Qualcomm is also working with a large number of large language model (LLM) developers. Its Qualcomm AI Hub offers easy deployment and inference running of AI models and a unified interface to let developers use the LLMs to power their apps. While he shied away from revealing whether the company plans to partner with OEMs on Snapdragon-exclusive stores, the Snapdragon executive highlighted that the company is focusing on being closer to the consumer to build trust in a device that runs on Snapdragon CPUs. During the launch event, Qualcomm also announced that it has partnered with Flipkart Minutes to enable the delivery of devices equipped with the Snapdragon X chipset within ten minutes in India. All of these factors work for Snapdragon when entering the affordable PC segment, where consumer trust plays a big role. However, the company is still a reasonably new name compared to that of Intel or AMD, which have established themselves in this space. Last week, Qualcomm announced the launch of its first-ever Snapdragon Experience Zone in India in partnership with Croma. The retail footprint showcases ecosystem products such as smartphones, PCs, wearables, and audio products featuring Snapdragon chipsets. The store's employees have been trained to demonstrate the processor's capabilities, including on-device AI processing. Buyers will be able to interact with these devices, get hands-on experience, and seek expert advice from the staff. This new initiative allows the company to be closer to the end consumer and not rely on OEMs to set narratives about the brand. This appears to largely be a marketing-driven move instead of a new revenue channel, and it can boost the company's perception among potential buyers. Some smartphone buyers already look for Snapdragon-branded processors when deciding to purchase a device, and the company is likely aiming for a similar play in the PC segment with the new Experience Zone. This section requires a disclaimer first, so here it is. At present, there is no way for us to know exactly how power-efficient the Snapdragon X chipset is since the first Copilot+ PCs with the processor will not be available in the public domain before March 3. Instead, we are focusing on the claims made by the company, conversations we've had with company executives, and our experience with other Snapdragon-powered AI PCs. During the launch event, the company claimed that Snapdragon X offers a battery life "that can go for multiple days on a single charge." Usually, a claim like that would get an incredulous look from most laptop users, as typically, even with modest usage, devices barely last a day on a single charge, let alone multiple days. But, as we have seen in our reviews of Snapdragon-powered AI PCs such as the HP EliteBook Ultra G1q (here), HP OmniBook X (here), and Dell XPS 13 (here), these devices have consistently offered a battery backup between 14 hours to more than a day with moderate usage. These premium devices also feature OLED screens that generally tax the battery life. It is possible that with LCD screens and with less power-intensive tasks, the budget laptops could deliver multi-day backup. It still is a tall claim, however. Last year, Mike Roberts, Vice President & Global Head, Product, Partner and Technology Marketing at Qualcomm, spoke with Gadgets 360 and shed light on the company's approach towards power optimisation. He said, "I think our key advantage is performance per watt. Performance is great, but if my battery life stinks, nobody's going to want to use it. And to me, that's the core of who we are as a mobile company. So, we have a sustainable advantage of ARM versus x86." A large part of this optimisation comes from the parallel processing of the dedicated NPU, which is why Intel and AMD's chipsets with NPU have also seen an increase in battery life. However, a lot more is done at the architecture and fabrication level, which might be the case with the Snapdragon X chipset.

Qualcomm's Kedar Kondap on Bringing Low-Cost Snapdragon CPUs to India

Qualcomm has also set up an experience zone at Croma outlet in Mumbai Qualcomm will unveil new Snapdragon X laptop CPUs next week to power low-cost AI-capable devices in India. The firm has targeted the midrange laptop segment in the country. The chipmaker's OEM partners are expected to introduce new Copilot+ laptops priced around $600 (roughly Rs. 52,000) and offer support for on-device AI features. The company is also expanding via retail channels -- it set up the first Snapdragon Experience Zone at a Croma outlet in Mumbai on Thursday. Ahead of the launch of the new Snapdragon X-powered laptop models, Gadgets 360 sat down with Kedar Kondap, Qualcomm's Senior Vice President of Product Management, to discuss the chipmaker's plans to expand in India and how its retail expansion fits into its strategy. ⁠On Qualcomm's efforts to bring its Arm-based Snapdragon chips to laptops in India Kedar Kondap: Our journey on PCs started a few years ago -- we launched a new CPU, which was the Qualcomm Oryon CPU, and our intent was to deliver the best performance, battery life, and AI performance. We did this across three different tiers - the Snapdragon X Elite, Snapdragon X Plus, and the new Snapdragon X. The sweet spot for PCs in India is around $600 (roughly Rs. 52,000). Snapdragon X Elite targeted PCs that cost over $1,000 (roughly Rs. 86,700), X Plus covers PCs priced at $800 (roughly Rs. 69,400) and above, and the newer Snapdragon X is designed for $600 (roughly Rs. 52,000) or more. The consumer understands Snapdragon in phones, and we want to drive that same association with Snapdragon in PCs. We just launched a new Snapdragon Experience Zone at one of the flagship Croma stores in Mumbai. And so, the intent is to familiarise the Indian consumer with the association between the phone and the PC while showcasing all the different experiences enabled by these chipsets. How the laptop market in India has responded to Snapdragon-powered laptops Kedar Kondap: I think it's still very early, but it has been promising. Penetration for PCs in India is about 10 percent. We want to make sure consumers understand the benefits of the technology and the advancements we're making in PCs. We did the same thing with phones. When you think of premium Android phones, they offer long battery life, CPU and camera performance, reliable GPS, and more. We want to drive that same association on PCs. Microsoft has been a fantastic partner. First, they brought all the Copilot+ experiences exclusively to Snapdragon. At the same time, other PC OEMs like Dell, HP, Lenovo, and Asus have built their core platform products across different price points from the Snapdragon X, X Plus, and X Elite, including in India. This process typically takes a little bit of time. We have already unveiled multiple devices at Croma today, and you'll hear more from our partners on February 24 regarding Snapdragon X. What led to Snapdragon's retail expansion, and how launching an experience zone at Croma fits into Qualcomm's strategy Kedar Kondap: Look, we come from a legacy of phones, and the way a consumer buys a phone is very different from how they buy a PC. Not every buyer wants to touch and feel a phone, but there's still a large number of customers that want to try out a PC before purchasing it. Second, more specifically in India, the consumer relates to Snapdragon on phones, but they might not relate to Snapdragon PCs just yet. People want to be able to understand what exactly Generative AI is and what they can do with it on a laptop. There are a lot of use cases for creators, students, corporate employees, or software engineers. We want people to associate Snapdragon PCs with premium experiences with Windows, so that when they walk into a Croma store, they can try out these experiences for themselves at the new Snapdragon Experience Zone, which isn't available at other retailers. On improveing compatibility with popular apps relied on by Indian users on Snapdragon-powered laptops Kedar Kondap: To begin with, Microsoft telemetry data shows that 93 percent of the apps used globally today are native. I like to think about app compatibility in three phases. Microsoft did a fantastic job with Prism, which is the Arm emulator which offers reliable performance. Second, we've got hundreds of apps now that are already running natively on Snapdragon PCs. And finally, these apps can take advantage of the heterogeneous architecture that we have across the ISVs - for example, when apps run on the CPU, but some tasks are offloaded to the GPU and the NPU. That's when you start to see benefits like improved battery life. So for the most part, for consumers in India, most core apps are probably already working natively on Snapdragon PCs. When it comes to LLMs, we're already working with most -- if not all -- providers. With our Qualcomm AI hub, developers can upload and compile all of their code. As long as the app is on the AI Hub, it's seamless enough for the developer to be able to take that application and just support it. We give them all the tools the documentation to make it as seamless as possible. Competing in an AI-drivel computer market using Snapdragon's diversified portfolio across price segments Kedar Kondap: The one thing we've kept constant across the Snapdragon X, X Plus, and X Elite chips is the same NPU, with 45 TOPS. We've kept the same DDR across all chips to ensure that all of these LLMs and generative AI models have all the bandwidth they will need while scaling the other parts of the technologies across the tiers. At the same time, models are also being optimised. So what you could do with, say, a 13 billion parameter model, now you could run like 20-40 million parameter models while still achieving comparable accuracy. As a result, we can deliver reliable performance battery life across the entire tier of products, using the same Oryon CPUs that scale, and it's the same 45 TOPS for AI use cases. On the possibility of customers holding on to laptops powered by Arm-based processors for longer Kedar Kondap: If a consumer walks into a store, they need to understand that some legacy devices from non-Snapdragon-based architecture don't have an NPU. So you're not future-proofing your purchase -- if you buy a PC without 45 TOPS performance, it might be 'outdated' within a few weeks or months. Generative AI is moving rapidly, so you wouldn't be buying a PC of the future. When you think about smartphones, consumers didn't upgrade as fast at first. But when they saw the benefits of technology, consumers in India quickly switched from a feature phone to a smartphone, which enabled features like clicking images, browsing the web, watching content without a TV, and so on. Eventually, customers started upgrading to phones with bigger screens or with 5G connectivity. So as consumers are more aware of what they are getting, they might be more willing to spend and use a better device. The PC market hasn't seen that level of excitement in years, but we want to bring that back with Snapdragon Experience Zones. When consumers start to see the benefits, such as "okay, this PC lasts a long time", or "I don't need an external camera, because this PC optimises the built-in camera performance", or "it saves my time with Generative AI features",,. Working with educational institutions in India to increase awareness of Arm-based computers Kedar Kondap: We're doing multiple university engagements across the globe, and we're making it as ubiquitous as possible for the kids and showing them exactly what they can do with AI models on these PCs. And again, while we want to grow fast, we also want to ensure that we understand whether we've solved any of their application issues, before we go to a university. In certain student communities, they may want a certain set of applications that may not necessarily be ported yet. So, while it is a big audience for us, we have to make sure that we spend time, working with all the developers, just like we do in the enterprise and in commercial space. As part of our developer communities, we also provide access to Snapdragon PCs to help them understand the platform. Comparing Snapdragon-powered AI PCs with traditional x86 systems that are now beginning to offer AI features Kedar Kondap: Running everything on the cloud is not economically viable -- we're going to need on-device AI, you're going to need some cloud computing, and a hybrid version that uses a bit of both. I think the fact that everybody else is responding by providing access to more on-device AI just tells you the importance of where this is going. When it comes to the Snapdragon X, I don't think there's a competitor today that even supports 45 TOPS performance at that price segment. Making AI-powered technology more accessible via Qualcomm's retail expansion Kedar Kondap: We're training resellers and the sales staff at retailers about AI technology available on Snapdragon devices, and we can also better demonstrate generative AI tools at experience zones like the one we just opened at Croma. You can show the user what you can do with the device, instead of just talking about it, by performing tasks like image upscaling or features like DJ Pro, which is aimed at musicians. At Qualcomm, we have over 3,000 engineers at Qualcomm using AI to write several million lines of code through Codegen. Being able to see that in person at a store is different. The customer also realises that the PC continues to understand the user and their needs over time. When we're in a retail environment, and the retail staff can explain that a customer can get this experience on this $600 (roughly Rs. 52,000) laptop or perform these additional tasks on a $1,000 (roughly Rs. 86,700) model, customers might then decide to purchase a laptop with AI features based on their budget. On potential plans to partner with OEMs on exclusive stores that only sell Snapdragon-powered PCs Kedar Kondap: I can't share details of what we're working on at the moment, but like I said, our first experience zone with Croma in India is now open to showcase the capabilities of Snapdragon PCs. We'll see how it goes. It's designed to bring us closer to the consumer while ensuring that the same Snapdragon brand that the consumer trusts in a phone today is the one they can trust on PCs or in XR or, in wearables or in any of the other devices that power a consumer's experience today. Think of it as a journey that we're on and want to relate to the consumer as quickly as we can.

Qualcomm expands Copilot+ PC reach with Snapdragon X Platform launch in India

Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. has announced the introduction of its Snapdragon X platform in India, aiming to broaden the availability of AI-enabled personal computers, after it was introduced at the CES last month. This new platform is positioned as a means of delivering Copilot+ PC experiences to a wider consumer base. The Snapdragon X platform features a Neural Processing Unit (NPU) capable of 45 TOPS (trillions of operations per second) of AI performance. The company emphasizes the platform's focus on on-device AI capabilities, performance, and extended battery life. According to Qualcomm, devices powered by Snapdragon X are designed to offer premium experiences within a portable form factor. The platform utilizes the Qualcomm Oryon CPU, and the company claims performance advantages over competitors in terms of performance per watt. Specifically, Qualcomm states up to 163% faster performance at ISO-power compared to competitors requiring 168% more power. The integrated GPU is designed to support graphics-intensive tasks such as presentations, web browsing, and content streaming. The 45 TOPS NPU aims to enhance efficiency in various workloads. Qualcomm highlights the platform's focus on affordability, aiming to refine user interactions with laptops. Features such as 5G and Wi-Fi 7 connectivity are included, alongside the Snapdragon Sound Technology Suite for audio. Privacy features are incorporated to provide protection from chip to cloud. The introduction of the Snapdragon X platform in India signifies Qualcomm's intent to expand the reach of AI PC technology. The platform's specifications and features are presented as a balance of performance, power efficiency, and integrated AI capabilities. The first devices in India featuring the Snapdragon X platform are the ASUS Vivobook 16 and Zenbook A14, with a starting price of Rs. 65,990. These devices are currently available for pre-order. Qualcomm anticipates that other Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) will release Snapdragon X-powered devices in the future. The launch of the Snapdragon X platform in India signifies an expansion of AI PC availability, with a focus on affordability and performance. The platform's features, including its AI processing capabilities and battery efficiency, are positioned to cater to a broader range of users. Commenting on the launch, Kedar Kondap, Senior Vice President & General Manager, Compute and Gaming, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. said:

Qualcomm Snapdragon X Chipset for Budget Copilot+ PCs Unveiled in India

The chipset was first unveiled by Qualcomm at CES 2025 The new 4nm processors feature eight Oryon CPU cores The Snapdragon X chipset supports up to 64GB of LPDDR5x RAM Snapdragon X platform was launched in India on Monday. The latest chipset by Qualcomm arrives as the fourth model in the Snapdragon X series, joining the Snapdragon X Elite, X Plus (10-core), and X Plus (octa-core) processors. The chipset is aimed at affordable Copilot+ PCs priced under $600 (roughly Rs. 52,000), and was first unveiled at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2025. Similar to the other platforms in the series, it also comes with artificial intelligence (AI) performance with 45 trillion operations per second (TOPS). In a press release, Qualcomm India announced the launch of the affordable AI chipset for PCs and laptops. The X1-26-100 model chip features eight Oryon CPU cores with a max clock speed of up to 3GHz. The 4nm Snapdragon X CPU is paired with a Qualcomm Adreno GPU with 1.7 tera floating-point operations per second (TFLOPS) that supports up to three external displays at 4K/ 60Hz. It also comes with a dedicated Hexagon neural processing unit (NPU) with up to 45 TOPS of AI performance. The Snapdragon X platform supports up to 64GB of LPDDR5x RAM, with 135GB/s memory bandwidth. The processor supports Windows 11 with the on-device AI features that are added on most Copilot+ PCs. It also offers support for UFS 4.0 storage. For connectivity, it supports 5G and Wi-Fi 7 connectivity, including High-Band Simultaneous (HBS) Multi-Link support. The company claimed that the chipset will offer up to 10Gbps download speed. Snapdragon Sound Technology Suite has been added to the platform to support lossless audio for high-fidelity music with wireless headphones. Further, the Snapdragon X chipset supports the Mobile Industry Processor Interface (MIPI) camera along with features such as auto-framing, background blur, and facial authentication. The company also claimed that the chipset has optimised performance to offer battery backup of multiple days. Notably, the newly launched Snapdragon X processor will first be available with the Asus Zenbook A14 and Vivobook 16 Copilot+ PCs, with a starting price of Rs. 65,990. Qualcomm India highlighted that other OEMs will soon introduce more laptops featuring this chipset.

Qualcomm Launches Snapdragon X to Transform AI Computing in India

Designed to empower the masses, the new era of PCs powered by Snapdragon X is poised to redefine the AI PC industry in India. Devices powered by Snapdragon deliver premium experiences within a sleek, lightweight, and highly portable design, offering multi-day battery life and unparalleled performance for end users. Utilizing the power of the Qualcomm OryonTM CPU, Snapdragon X is delivering essential performance to the next generation of PCs.

Croma Hosts Snapdragon's First Offline Experience Zone in India - A New Era for Qualcomm

For years, Snapdragon has been the silent force behind many of the world's leading smartphones, powering premium experiences in flagship and mid-range devices alike. However, Qualcomm's presence has largely been through online platforms and partnerships with major device manufacturers like Samsung, OnePlus, and Xiaomi rather than direct consumer engagement. That changes now. With its first-ever offline experience zone in India, Qualcomm is stepping into physical retail through a partnership with Croma, marking a major shift in how it connects with consumers. At the Snapdragon x Croma event in Mumbai, Kedar Kondap, Senior Vice President of Product Management at Qualcomm, explained the timing and significance of this expansion: "The route to market for buying a PC, consumers still want to be able to see, touch, feel the device, understand the experiences, which is why we're entering this partnership to drive an experience zone." With the rise of AI-powered computing, growing demand for performance-driven devices, and shifting consumer buying behaviours, Qualcomm believes that an offline presence is key to bridging the knowledge gap and driving the adoption of Snapdragon-powered Copilot+ PCs, smartphones, and XR solutions. Choosing Croma as Snapdragon's first offline experience zone in India wasn't a random decision -- it was a strategic move based on consumer behaviour and market trends. "Consumers relate to Croma as a premium buying experience," Kondap explained. "We wanted to unveil this experience zone at Croma and be able to showcase the experiences that consumers can get in a store like this." Snapdragon's experience zone within Croma stores is designed to give consumers a hands-on feel of AI PCs, smartphones, XR solutions, and more. Unlike online listings or specification sheets, these retail spaces allow potential buyers to touch, test, and compare devices before making a purchase. Kondap emphasised the importance of offline retail in India, where PC penetration remains low and buying behaviours differ from Western markets: "Even to this day, you know, PC penetration in India is still pretty small, right? It's less than 10%. Consumers still want to see, touch, and feel the device before making a decision." This move also highlights a crucial shift in how global technology brands view the Indian market. With a population that rapidly adopts mobile technology but still relies on offline stores for major tech purchases, the challenge has been educating consumers on why upgrading to AI-powered devices like AI PCs and connected devices can enhance their digital experiences. By tapping into Croma's established offline network, Snapdragon aims to educate and engage Indian consumers in a way that digital marketing alone cannot. Despite the rise of e-commerce, offline retail remains dominant for high-value tech purchases. According to Counterpoint Research, over 50% of smartphones in India are still purchased offline, driven by the need for in-person product testing, expert recommendations, and financing options. The preference for buying laptops offline is even stronger. A report from GFK India suggests that over 70% of laptops are still bought through offline stores, as consumers want to physically experience build quality, screen clarity, and keyboard feel before making a purchase. By establishing its first-ever offline experience zone, Qualcomm is ensuring that Snapdragon-powered Copilot+ PCs, smartphones, and XR devices are not just seen but understood by buyers before they make an investment. For many Indian consumers, Snapdragon is synonymous with smartphones, but Qualcomm's ambitions extend far beyond mobile devices. With its Snapdragon-powered Copilot+ PCs, XR solutions, and connected devices, the company is aiming to establish a broader brand identity across multiple consumer tech categories. "In phones, we've obviously had a big presence in India. And I think if a consumer walks into a store in India, they equate Snapdragon with a premium experience. We want to have that similar mindset here," Kondap said. The goal is to build the same level of trust and recognition for Snapdragon-powered Copilot+ PCs that consumers already associate with Snapdragon smartphones. "It's almost like a peace of mind that when I'm buying a Snapdragon PC, I know I'm getting the best performance, the best battery life, and the best AI experience -- no matter the price point." For Qualcomm, this is a critical moment of transformation. The company has spent decades innovating in the mobile chipset space, but as AI reshapes computing, it is now positioning itself as a key player in next-generation consumer technology across multiple verticals. Through offline partnerships like Croma, Qualcomm is ensuring that consumers fully understand the advantages of Snapdragon-powered devices before making a purchase decision. To make this offline push truly impactful, Qualcomm is investing heavily in staff training, live demonstrations, and consumer education programs within Croma stores. "As you think about AI being at the bleeding edge of what we're doing across devices, we are training and looking at Croma as a central venue where consumers can come and learn." Snapdragon's experience zones will feature interactive demos, showcasing real-world AI applications, battery efficiency comparisons, and hands-on testing of Snapdragon-powered devices. Consumers visiting the Snapdragon Experience Zone will be able to test AI-powered features on laptops and smartphones, such as real-time language translation, on-device AI assistants, and intelligent photo editing tools that enhance productivity and creativity. One of the biggest challenges facing AI adoption in India is consumer awareness. While AI is becoming more integrated into devices, many users don't fully understand how it improves performance, efficiency, and user experience. "People still think of AI as just a quick text search. But AI is moving beyond that -- into multi-modal experiences like text-to-image, image-to-video, and real-time AI-driven enhancements," Kondap noted. These offline-driven educational experiences will play a crucial role in convincing consumers why they should invest in Snapdragon-powered Copilot+ PCs and other next-gen devices. The Juhu, Mumbai Croma store is just the beginning. Qualcomm plans to expand its offline footprint across India, ensuring that more consumers get a first-hand experience of Snapdragon's technology. "No, it will expand. This was the unveiling today," Kondap confirmed when asked whether more Croma retail locations across India are in the pipeline. By making Snapdragon-powered devices available in more physical locations, Qualcomm is ensuring that its AI PCs, XR devices, and next-gen technology aren't just for tech enthusiasts -- they're accessible and understandable for all consumers. A key factor in this retail expansion will be whether it can drive conversions. While awareness is crucial, the real test will be whether Indian consumers are convinced enough to invest in AI PCs. The launch of Snapdragon's first offline experience zone at Croma marks a significant shift in Qualcomm's approach to the Indian market. By moving beyond just being a chipset brand and directly engaging with consumers, Qualcomm is laying the foundation for greater brand recognition, increased AI PC adoption, and a more immersive retail experience. With expanding partnerships, hands-on demos, and a focus on consumer education, Snapdragon is positioning itself not just as a behind-the-scenes powerhouse, but as a brand that Indian consumers can directly interact with, trust, and invest in. "We want consumers to walk into a store and immediately associate Snapdragon with premium performance, best-in-class battery life, and AI-powered experiences -- just like they do with our smartphones today." As Qualcomm continues to expand its retail presence in India, it's clear that Snapdragon's journey into the consumer space is just getting started.

Snapdragon X Platform Launched - AI Features, ASUS Laptops & More!

Qualcomm has unveiled its latest Snapdragon X Platform, an AI-driven chipset designed for next-gen computing. This new entry-level SoC in the Snapdragon X lineup brings real-time AI assistance for smarter voice recognition, image/video processing, and more, without requiring an internet connection! At the launch, ASUS showcased new AI-powered laptops, including the Vivobook 16 and Zenbook A14, starting at just Rs 65,990. More brands like HP, Lenovo, Dell, and Acer are expected to follow with budget-friendly AI PCs soon. Watch through the entire video to know more.

First Snapdragon Experience Zone Opens Up at a Croma Store in Juhu

More Experience Zones are said to be launched across India soon Qualcomm recently announced the launch of its first-ever Snapdragon Experience Zone in India in partnership with Croma, a leading consumer electronics retail chain. Located at Croma Store in Juhu, Mumbai, it is part of the company's wider plans of introducing more Snapdragon Experience Zones across the country. With this collaboration, visitors can experience showcased devices powered by Snapdragon SoCs and get a demonstration of their capabilities, including those powered by artificial intelligence (AI). As per the company, the Snapdragon Experience Zone showcases ecosystem products such as smartphones, PCs, wearables, and audio products powered by Qualcomm's processors. The store includes staff that have been trained to provide demonstrations of the chip's capabilities, including their on-device AI prowess. Customers can interact with these devices, get a hands-on experience and also seek expert advice from the staff. At launch, Savi Soin, President of Qualcomm India said, "This initiative allows customers to experience the transformative power of on-device AI, showcasing the cutting-edge capabilities of the Snapdragon ecosystem." The company has confirmed that it plans to launch more Experience Zones in India soon although plans about their proposed locations remain unknown. Notably, this announcement comes prior to the launch of the Snapdragon X CPUs in India today (February 24) in partnership with Asus at an event held in New Delhi. Similar to their global counterparts, the Snapdragon X CPUs are likely to offer support for AI features, leveraging a dedicated neural processing unit (NPU). The platform is expected to be scalable across a wide range of thermal designs and form factors. The company expects its new platform to power laptops priced under $600 (roughly Rs. 51,400) globally, and a similar strategy could also be adopted for the Indian markets. The event has been labelled "AI PCs for Everyone", which suggests that the new processors could be targeted towards offering AI performance at an affordable price tag.