Qualcomm Windows On Snapdragon Ads Try To Prove Reviewers Wrong
The first reviews of the first Windows 10 on Qualcomm Snapdragon devices are out and they are anything but flattering. Microsoft and Qualcomm nearly promised the moon and more, which made not a few rather dubious if they could pull it off. And it seems those doubts were well-founded. Perhaps trying to do some damage control, Qualcomm has released three new ads that showcase the advantages of software and hardware combination, without actually addressing reviewers' biggest complaints.
The primary selling points that Microsoft and Qualcomm made with Windows 10 on Snapdragon was always-on LTE connectivity, instant on speeds, and nearly a day of battery life. To be fair, the reviews of the ASUS Nova Go and HP Envy x2 did almost deliver on those. Almost.
Qualcomm, as well as its latest ad, boasts of a 22-hour battery life, which is like the holy grail of many portable computers. Without weighing like a ton of bricks, of course. Not so surprisingly, actual real-world tests seemed to dance around the 12-15 hour mark rather than nearly a day. Not that bad, but not as good as advertised.
That these devices would have "Instant On" or "Always Connected" features is almost a no-brainer. ARM chips like Snapdragons are designed to be that way. The time savings, however, are not to be underestimated, especially in a world filled with always on smartphones and tablets.
The Qualcomm ads to make a play for one benefit not often mentioned. ARM chips often a lot cooler than their x86 (that is, Intel and AMD) counterparts. More than just a comfort, this means that Snapdragon processors rarely have to throttle performance because of high temperatures.
Only one of these three ads barely touch on what dragged the early reviews down: performance. The first Windows 10 on Snapdragon devices might be fast and last long, but because the performance of apps, even some UWP ones, is so bad, you're unlikelhy to get any real work done during that time. While those could be fixed in a future update, it remains a non-starter for many hoping for an iPad-like Windows 10 experience.