Snapdragon 8 Elite arrives with Linux support, potentially unlocking PC gaming on phones and tablets

The large picture: Apple has spent years trying to steer PC package developers from x86 to Arm, and Qualcomm precocious joined nan effort. Meanwhile, caller Linux package developments person made translating Windows package easier than ever. The trends mightiness converge successful a caller procreation of Snapdragon-powered mobile devices that support Linux retired of nan box.

Qualcomm engineering head Trilok Soni precocious confirmed that nan company's Linux squad published Linux kernel updates for nan Snapdragon 8 Elite processor. Qualcomm unveiled nan SoC earlier this month, targeting a caller procreation of flagship phones and tablets supporting Android and Linux.

Vendors specified arsenic Asus, Honor, OnePlus, Samsung, and Xiaomi are expected to motorboat products powered by nan Snapdragon 8 Elite complete nan coming weeks. Linux compatibility will alteration powerfulness users to tally full-fledged PC applications connected nan devices, but doing truthful will apt require overmuch tinkering. The possibilities will besides dangle connected modders' willingness to create devices to span mobile devices, Linux, and perchance Windows.

@cozy_OSS @4k_isn it seems nan 8 elite already has a afloat linux support connected time 1 (which intends nan microcomputer emulator won't person issues connected it) while for nan GPU side, it look turnip is moving connected immoderate patches pic.twitter.com/3v2A2VpzIj

Arm Linux programs should tally retired of nan box, but they mightiness require a personification interface that supports touch gestures and consciousness comfortable successful mobile shape factors. Furthermore, Arm Linux package is comparatively sparse, truthful users will apt want to emulate x86 and Windows applications. Qualcomm's Linux kernel updates for nan Snapdragon 8 Elite should make emulation easier than pinch anterior chips for illustration nan 8 Gen 3.

Based connected a 3nm process node, nan Snapdragon 8 Elite features second-generation Oryon CPU premier cores moving astatine 4.32GHz and capacity cores that execute 3.53GHz. The L2 cache has been accrued to 24MB and nan Hexagon NPU is 12 times arsenic accelerated arsenic its predecessor.

Furthermore, nan caller Adreno GPU triples its predecessor's performance. 3DMark benchmarks show that nan Adreno 830 tin astatine slightest waste and acquisition blows pinch AMD's 780M – nan GPU that powers nan Asus ROG Ally and different Windows-based handheld gaming PCs. Although PC emulation would degrade capacity somewhat, mobile devices that tally connected nan Snapdragon 8 Elite could theoretically tally games and different applications pinch capacity successful nan aforesaid ballpark arsenic caller portable PCs and bladed notebooks.

As Qualcomm's caller flagship mobile processor reaches consumers and much real-world benchmarks emerge, a clearer image of nan possibilities should materialize. Additionally, nan reliance connected emulation depends connected whether developers are convinced to support Android aliases Arm Linux, whether by Qualcomm, Samsung, aliases anyone other invested successful those operating systems.