Tag: Qualcomm

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It’s time for Qualcomm to clear the air on X Elite…

I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t fantastically anxious about the launch of Qualcomm’s new PC chip. While there’s always been a fun (if ruthless) rivalry between Intel and AMD, the computer scene gets a lot more interesting when an outside player can come in and disrupt.

I’ve been preaching the benefits of ARM based PCs for a while now, and I genuinely believe a lot of folks out there would have preferred having better battery life away from a charger over the more traditionally powerful laptops and convertibles offered over the last several years, even for some issues with software compatibility.

I felt validated in this when Apple switched all of their laptops and desktops over to ARM System on Chips (SOCs).

Qualcomm has offered solutions in this market in the past, but their new chip could springboard Windows users into a much more competitive tier opposite MacBooks and Mac desktops.

While we wait for manufacturers like Dell, HP, Samsung, Lenovo, and Microsoft to ship new Windows on ARM devices, I feel it’s time Qualcomm helped us understand the X Elite a little better.

Specifically, how much power does X Elite consume? Continue reading “It’s time for Qualcomm to clear the air on X Elite…”

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Snapdragon X Elite Hands On: Gaming, Benchmarks, and Windows on ARM

We’re getting a little sneak peak at Qualcomm’s new PC chip!

The Snapdragon X Elite looks ready to usher in a new era for portable Windows computing. Before all the laptop manufacturers start releasing new systems based on this chip,

Qualcomm hosted a small reviewer meet up to get some hands on time and see some tests in action!

Qualcomm paid for my travel and accommodations in producing this video. No editorial influence was offered or requested from Qualcomm or any associated PR, and I’m happy to share my earnest thoughts about the product and the event.

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WHOA! The Qualcomm DESTROYS the Apple M3 in a BLOODY Fight of BRUTALITY! SMASHED! WRECKED! BOOM!!! 🔥🔥🔥

I hate synthetic benchmarks and hype-beast clickbait.

You really get a sense that the tech hobbyist scene is dying generation-ally. The commentary on products is niche-ing down to cater to a smaller and smaller group of “tech dudes”.

More people than ever are USING tech, but fewer really seem entertained BY the tech. I digress.

I’ve read through three different hot takes now about Qualcomm’s new X Elite chip, comparing a couple of Geekbench scores against other chips from AMD, Intel, and Apple. They look at a couple number scores, and then draw a conclusion before any of these components have actually shipped in products to consumers. It’s kinda the worst flavor of arm chair tech reviewing.

(Get it? ARM chair? It’s a silicon pun.) Continue reading “WHOA! The Qualcomm DESTROYS the Apple M3 in a BLOODY Fight of BRUTALITY! SMASHED! WRECKED! BOOM!!! 🔥🔥🔥”

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Razer Edge vs Steam Deck: Can Android Topple PC Gaming?

Razer Edge vs Steam Deck! Let’s GO!

A mobile gaming showdown is ALWAYS fun. Steam Deck is winning the hearts of PC gamers. Can the Razer Edge convince YOU to switch platforms? It’s time for a showdown! Continue reading “Razer Edge vs Steam Deck: Can Android Topple PC Gaming?”

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NuraTrue Pro True Wireless Earbuds: I said “Wow” out loud…

Following another RAGING ear infection, I’m finally back and healthy. Time to shove MORE EARBUDS IN MY EARS!

And I finally get to revisit a surprising premium True Wireless bud. My friend Jeff at ElJefeReviews sent the NuraTrue Pro my way, and this elicited a really surprising reaction from me on first listen.

You can LITERALLY see that reaction in my podcast, where I set them up live.

Then my ear infection flared, and I spent two months keeping IEMs and tips out of my ears.

Finally getting that inflammation to calm down, I was really excited to take the NuraTrue for a spin again. They do not disappoint. Continue reading “NuraTrue Pro True Wireless Earbuds: I said “Wow” out loud…”

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Vivo iQOO 11 SHOWDOWN! Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 App and Gaming Performance! It’s the real deal!

Vivo iQOO 11 performance review!

The new Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 is here! iQOO has one of the first phones out with this new SOC, and it’s a CRAZY performer! Let’s see how the iQOO 11 compares to the iQOO 9T and iQOO 9 Pro! It’s the 8 Gen 2 vs the 8 Gen 1! Spoiler alert, the 8 Gen 2 wins!

2023 is going to be a great year for enthusiast phones! Continue reading “Vivo iQOO 11 SHOWDOWN! Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 App and Gaming Performance! It’s the real deal!”

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Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 vs Dimensity 9200 vs Tensor 2! What we know so far…

SOC SHOWDOWN!

Let’s get nerdy with some silicon announcements! Qualcomm vs MediaTek vs Google! We have a better idea of what chips will be in our phones for the first half of 2023. What makes them different? How will we grade them for performance? Will it matter to consumers what chip is in their phones?

Let’s dig into the specs and take a look! Continue reading “Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 vs Dimensity 9200 vs Tensor 2! What we know so far…”

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Summer 2022 Snapdragon 8 Gen1 Performance Round Up!

We’re more than halfway through 2022, and it’s time to take a look at premium phone performance!

The Snapdragon 8 Gen1 has been a controversial chip for expensive Android phones. Qualcomm used ARM reference designs to build a powerful System on Chip. Samsung was responsible for producing the chip on Qualcomm’s designs. Then, manufacturers build phones around those power and thermal specifications.

That thermal conversation has been a challenge to track this year. The Snapdragon 8 Gen1 is a powerful chip, but it’s a finnicky performer if thermals and battery life aren’t handled appropriately.

This SOC arrived at the same time as some significant changes to Android. The way Android 12 handles storage reduces performance for numerous apps and services. Years of my benchmarking results on older phones are no longer directly comparable to current phones with Android 12 and newer.

Phones released in the first half of 2022 are a unique group of devices.

More powerful (but hotter) CPU and GPU, balanced against performance sapping software.

The refreshed Snapdragon 8+ Gen1 is starting to ship in new phones for the second half of the year. ARM is improving the power efficiency, Qualcomm is refining the design, and TSMC is replacing Samsung for the chip fabrication.

It’s a good time to chart how these devices currently compare against each other.

We’ll see where these companies are improving later in the year. We’ll get to see if the 8+ Gen1 runs cooler. We’ll get to see if app developers are taking better advantage of this SOC performance.

Let’s look at some benchmark scores! Continue reading “Summer 2022 Snapdragon 8 Gen1 Performance Round Up!”

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