ARM-based Chromebooks have been around for many years, but they’ve been limited to the slower offerings from MediaTek and Qualcomm. But according to a discovery by Chrome Unboxed, there are mentions of Qualcomm’s flagship Snapdragon 8cx Gen 2 chip in the Chromium Repository.
This hints that work is being done in the code in ChromeOS to support the new, much more powerful SoC (system on chip).
But going back to Chromebooks, the Chromium Repository is listing the Snapdragon 8cx Gen 2 as “SC8280xp,” which was the code-name for the SoC when it was used in Windows Laptops. This is also pretty similar to the original Snapdragon 8cx which was listed as “SC8180x.” For reference, the current generation Snapdragon 7c and 7c Gen 2 are “SC7180” and “SC7280”.
So, what’s the big deal with the Snapdragon 8cx Gen 2? While we already have reviewed Chromebooks with the Snapdragon 7c and have liked the system performance versus Chromebooks with Intel chips, there could be some massive performance gains with the 8cx Gen 2 platform. Chrome Unboxed reports a possible 50% boost in single-core speed, and a near 100% boost in multi-core speed. For gaming and other GPU tasks, the performance could be as much as 400% faster.
It is unknown when Chromebooks with the Snapdragon 8cx Gen 2 could launch, but the Snapdragon 8cx Gen 2 is technically no longer a flagship chip from Qualcomm in the Windows space. Windows devices are now using the Snapdragon 8cx Gen 3, like the ThinkPad X13s. This means that 2023 could be a better chance to see Chromebooks with the chip while work is done at Google and Qualcomm to optimize for the SoC.
Yet unlike with Windows devices where Qualcomm is Microsoft’s only partner making ARM-based chips, this 8cx Gen 3 could also give Google the chance to boost the sale of ARM-based Chromebooks.
However, it is important to note that as of now, this is all just a rumor. We’ll need to wait for official confirmation from Google or Qualcomm to know for sure.
More competition between MediaTek and Qualcomm means a battle for faster Chromebooks. We don’t really know how powerful a Snapdragon 8cx Gen 2 Chromebook might be, but there’s a lot of hope, especially with Google confirming that a new video editor for ChromeOS is on the way.
Mozilla is giving Firefox’s Smart Window two new tricks. If you haven’t tried it yet, Smart Window is an optional AI mode in Firefox with a built-in chat that helps you get things done while you browse. With this update, it can fill out online forms using details from your tabs and keep an eye on websites for you.
Tired of typing the same details into every form?
The absolutely absurd idea of putting a touchscreen display on a mouse isn't exactly new. Turtle Beach already did it with its Command Series MC7, which features a 2.25-inch control screen. But apparently, even that wasn't ridiculous enough for Arctic Fox Technologies. Its new Super Mouse looks like someone took the chunky old Atari ST mouse, slapped a touchscreen and scroll wheel on it, and called it an upgrade.
The result is a rather unusual-looking mouse that is now on Kickstarter, starting at $199. And as ridiculous as it looks, some of its features are genuinely intriguing.
Apple is less than a day away from launching its highly anticipated OLED MacBook Pro with a touch-sensitive screen. But it appears that the upgrade is going to cost a pretty penny. According to a report by Bloomberg, Apple is reportedly eyeing a starting price of $2,899 for the 14-inch MacBook Pro, while the 16-inch version could start at $3,399 in the US.
"At $2,899, the 14-inch model would mark the highest starting price for a new MacBook Pro model, surpassing the $2,799 Apple charged for a 17-inch version introduced in 2006," says the report. The report claims that Apple is targeting a minimum price hike of $400 for its upcoming redesigned 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models.