Surface Go 2 with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 7c seems even more likely

Surface Go LTE Source: Windows Fundamental

What you need to know

First Snapdragon 7c laptops are very affordable.
An ARM-based Surface Get 2 could happen in 2022.
A 5G Surface Go could also be possible.

In Dec 2022, Qualcomm announced ii new Snapdragon processors for Windows 10 PCs. The Snapdragon 7c and 8c are positioned for entry-level and mid-range PCs competing confronting Intel's lackluster Cantlet and Pentium processors (and fifty-fifty AMD).

At the time, I speculated that a Surface Go ii could potentially use i of the new chips every bit Qualcomm hinted at sub-$400 PCs running the Snapdragon 7c chipset (the slightly more than powerful 8c is for laptops in the $500-800 range).

Now, we have the kickoff evidence that these chips would let Microsoft hit the $400 price-point for Surface Go 2 if they so choose.

First Snapdragon 7c laptops are very affordable

JP.IK Turn T101 Source: MicrosoftThe $300 JP.IK Plow T101 is powered by the Snapdragon 7c.

These two new laptops — the JP.IK Turn T101 ($300), and the Positivo Wise N1212S with inking ($575) — were recently announced along with Microsoft's continued almanac button into growing education markets. What makes both laptops unique is they are the kickoff to utilise a Qualcomm Snapdragon 7c processor — which itself is newsworthy.

The news is too our start look at real-world pricing for 7c devices, and $300 is quite low. Schoolhouse laptops tend to accept thick bezels, use a lot of hard plastic, lack high-end specs like IPS displays and are more often than not not attractive. They're meant to take beatings from school kids for years and bought en masse for entire classrooms.

But the ability for Qualcomm to hit that low of a price is noteworthy (and a direct threat to Intel and AMD long term, despite lingering growing pains with ARM on Windows).

Surface Go 2 ♥ ARM?

Surface Go LTE Source: Windows Central

The original Microsoft Surface Get is loftier-end by comparing to the JP.IK Plow T101. The Become's 1800 x 1200 IPS display with inking is 1 of the about expensive parts of the tablet. The same applies to the front-facing speakers, magnesium chassis, hinged kickstand, MicroSD slot, and Windows Hello infrared camera. It'southward remarkable Microsoft can push button Surface Go down to the $400 range even without the extra $100 Surface Go Keyboard.

But with the Snapdragon 7c, the costs of that chip compared to an Intel Pentium Gold or fifty-fifty new AMD Athlon mobile processors seems comparable. That's of import if Microsoft is exploring going with ARM for a Surface Go 2.

Every bit we've seen with the Surface Pro X's design by going with ARM Microsoft could proceed the Surface Go 2 very thin while efficiently delivering 4G LTE. It remains to exist seen if Microsoft goes down this road if they brand 4G LTE optional — Qualcomm in the past has resisted this effort, but the Snapdragon 850-powered HoloLens 2 omits such connectivity setting some precedence.

By removing LTE, Microsoft could help keep that $400 entry-level price in check.

Qualcomm Snapdragon 7c Source: Qualcomm

Another benefit of using the Snapdragon 7c over Intel or AMD is it'southward an 8-cadre bit. Intel's Pentium Gilded 4415Y, the newer Pentium Golden 6405U, and AMD's comparable Athlon Aureate 3150U are merely dual-core. The benchmark results reveal themselves under multi-core testing.

Geekbench iv.0 (CPU) (Higher is better)

Device	CPU	Single core	Multi core
Surface Become	Pentium	2,078	iii,934
Surface 3	Cantlet x7	one,078	two,777
HP Envy x2 (ARM)	SD835	2,111	half-dozen,314
Samsung Milky way Book2 (ARM)	SD850	two,262	seven,405
Samsung Galaxy Book2 (x86)	SD850	1,345	4,164
Surface Pro 10 (ARM)	SQ1	3,505	11,727
Surface Pro X (x86)	SQ1	2,182	6,822

Intel and AMD are also both 14nm, whereas the Snapdragon 7c is but 8nm — Qualcomm can pack much more on the fleck, including Bluetooth five.1, Wi-Fi six, GPS, LPDDR4, and UFS 3.0 for storage. All these features add upwardly to a more efficient system. Intel's forthcoming Lakefield offer could hands rival the Snapdragon 7c, just most estimates are putting its price in the range of the higher-end Snapdragon 8cx, not the 7c.

Of course, Microsoft is likely testing various chipsets and scenarios, making Qualcomm hardly a shoo-in for a Surface Get 2. But Surface Go — like those new didactics laptops — is aimed at like markets. Microsoft originally spun the Surface Become as the perfect device for "schools, kids, and enterprise".

While the push for ARM-based PCs has mostly focused on business, information technology is now evident education markets are ripe for them as well. That's a lot of overlap with Surface Become, and with the right price, connectivity, and slimmer hardware profile, an ARM-based Surface Go 2 could exist a very intriguing device. What's more heady is Microsoft could even offer a higher-tier 5G Surface Become ii with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8c – similar to how Intel has Core i5, and i7 processors.

Hopefully, we'll find out by summertime 2022 if Microsoft chooses this path. I'm hoping they do.

An internet connection will soon be required when setting up Windows 11 Pro

UH OH

An internet connectedness will before long be required when setting up Windows eleven Pro

Microsoft has appear that later this yr, users volition be required to connect to the cyberspace and sign-in with a Microsoft Business relationship during the out of box setup experience on Windows eleven Pro. Microsoft has already been enforcing this requirement on Windows eleven Dwelling house since launch last October, and Windows xi Pro is now expected to follow suit before long.