Qualcomm Reveals New “Oryon” CPU to Be Used in Windows on ARM PCs

Qualcomm introduced a new Oryon CPU for Windows on ARM PCs and other devices at its Snapdragon Summit yesterday. The company described the new chip as a “next-generation CPU,” though details about Oryon are still scarce at this point.

“Building on our leadership across on-device AI, 5G connectivity, performance, and efficiency which deliver best-in-class user experiences, we’ve designed a new, custom CPU core to unleash a new level of performance. This groundbreaking technology will usher in a new class of incredibly powerful and efficient devices, transforming the industries for our customers,” the company said in a press release yesterday.

According to Qualcomm, this new Oryon CPU will ship in upcoming Windows PCs and smartphones. Additionally, it will also be integrated into digital cockpits, driver assistance systems, as well as infrastructure networking solutions. The chip maker plans to share more details about its new Oryon chip in 2023.

Qualcomm’s latest chip for Windows on ARM PCs, the Snapdragon 8cx Gen 3, is currently available on various devices such as the Lenovo ThinkPad X13s, the Surface Pro 9 with 5G, as well as Microsoft’s new Windows Dev Kit 2023 (Project 2023). If Microsoft and Qualcomm have now managed to raise Windows on ARM performance to an acceptable level, it’s likely going to be hard to recommend Windows on ARM PCs until the ARM64 app ecosystem really improves.