New VPN Options and Enhanced Hardware
During a presentation at Qualcomm’s IFA event, CEO Cristiano Amon unveiled that both NordVPN and ExpressVPN are now available on Snapdragon laptops. This is a welcome addition, as these VPN applications had been notably absent from the latest Copilot Plus PCs due to the need for updates compatible with Windows on Arm. Previously, Google had restricted Drive access on Qualcomm-powered devices, but it appears that the collaboration between Qualcomm and Microsoft has successfully persuaded the tech giant to develop a full Arm64 version of the application.
Notably, Google had already taken steps to support the platform by creating an Arm64 version of Chrome in time for the Copilot Plus launch in June. This indicates a growing commitment from major developers to optimize their applications for the evolving landscape of Windows on Arm.
In addition to software advancements, Qualcomm has introduced a new eight-core Snapdragon X Plus chip aimed at reducing costs for Windows on Arm laptops. As a result, models such as the Asus Vivobook S 15 and Dell Inspiron 14 are now starting at a competitive price of $599. Looking ahead, Qualcomm anticipates that prices for its laptops could drop to as low as $300 by 2025.
Amon also hinted at future possibilities for Snapdragon chips in desktop PCs. While Qualcomm has previously teased its Snapdragon X Elite chips for desktop applications, the only current offering that resembles a desktop is an eight-inch development kit. With a Snapdragon summit scheduled for October, industry watchers are eager to see if more concrete plans for desktop integration will be revealed.
