Along with a slew of education news Microsoft announced this week, the company also debuted the first two PCs to be powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 7c platform. Both PCs are targeted at the education market, and the focus is on delivering durable PCs equipped with LTE connectivity at an affordable price.
The first PC is the JP.IK Turn T101, which as a 2-in-1 with a 360-degree rotating screen that starts at $299. The Positivo Wise N1212S focuses on inking with an included stylus, and it starts at $575. These two devices launched as part of a larger group of 14 PCs Microsoft announced for the education market.
“These new devices, which will ship this summer, are our most affordable Connected PCs yet, with all the capabilities of Windows and Office and can be used anywhere there is cellular service,” Microsoft said in a post announcing its education initiatives. “These devices will save schools thousands of dollars in server infrastructure and startup time and help the more than 1.15 billion students in rural and emerging markets around the world connect to the internet for the first time or dramatically improve their current connection.”
The Snapdragon 7c platform was announced in December as Qualcomm’s bid for entry-level PCs, bringing a built-in X15 modem for LTE connectivity. At the time, Qualcomm promised the 7c would bring a “20 percent boost in system performance and up to twice the battery life” when compared to competing Intel chips. Qualcomm also launched the Snapdragon 8c, which is targeted at mid-range PCs, sitting under the Snapdragon 8cx, Qualcomm’s flagship ARM chip for PCs.
While these Snapdragon 7c PCs will be limited to the education market, their pricing gives hope for more affordable PCs with LTE connectivity in the future. One interesting possibility is a Surface Go successor that could leverage a Snapdragon 7c or 8c to keep pricing low while added always-on connectivity.
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