What just happened? A fresh competitor is stirring the landscape by bringing Qualcomm’s robust Snapdragon chips to the mini desktop PC arena. Geekom, a company celebrated for its compact PCs, is preparing to introduce the “world’s first” consumer mini PC equipped with Qualcomm’s top-tier Snapdragon X Elite processor.
The leaked image from Weibo is not very revealing, showing merely a stylish aluminum chassis with USB-A ports, an audio jack, and a power button on the front. Nonetheless, Geekom stepping into Arm-based mini PCs is pivotal news for Qualcomm’s mobile platform.
In May, Qualcomm had previously unveiled its own Snapdragon X Elite developer kit, featuring dimensions of 8-inch x 7-inch x 1.3-inch. This product, however, was designed for developers focusing on app optimization and never received a consumer release, ultimately being canceled.
While Geekom’s device isn’t the first to use this chip, it represents the first Arm-based mini PC with Snapdragon X Elite technology that will be available for purchase.
Nonetheless, Geekom has not yet disclosed a launch date or confirmed the device’s existence. Consequently, specifics regarding the specifications—and especially pricing—remain uncertain. However, considering Geekom’s history of producing affordable, compact PCs, this new model might follow a similar path.
Even if Geekom’s Snapdragon X Elite mini PC carries a premium price, there is speculation about a potentially more affordable Snapdragon X Plus variant being in development. The leaked image mentions the “QS Series,” indicating a broader lineup that might compete directly with Apple’s Arm-powered Mac minis.
The larger question is whether consumers will opt for Arm-based PCs over the more traditional x86 architecture in this form factor. Though Windows on Arm has historically faced challenges with app compatibility, ongoing developer optimizations are progressively making Snapdragon laptops a more viable choice.
Initial reviews of Qualcomm’s “Copilot+” PCs have commended their efficiency and performance, underscoring Arm’s superiority over Intel and AMD in ultra-portable laptops.
Nevertheless, the Arm PC movement is yet to achieve substantial traction. Market data from Q3 2024 indicated Qualcomm securing less than one percent of total PC shipments, signifying that out of every 120 computers sold, just one operates on a Snapdragon chip.
