Qualcomm’s highly publicized launch of Snapdragon X-powered laptops earlier this year has yielded disappointing results. New data reveals that only 720,000 units were sold worldwide during the third quarter of 2024, a mere 0.8% share of the burgeoning AI PC market. This translates to less than one in every 125 PCs sold globally featuring Qualcomm’s innovative technology. The underwhelming performance underscores the significant challenges Qualcomm faces in penetrating the established x86-dominated laptop market.
Despite the low overall market penetration, Canalys reports a sequential growth of approximately 180% compared to Q2 2024. This indicates some momentum, but the numbers remain significantly below expectations. While this growth signifies progress, it’s crucial to remember that the overall market share remains incredibly small, less than 1.5% of the entire Windows laptop ecosystem. This stark reality points towards a considerable uphill battle for Qualcomm in challenging the dominance of traditional chipmakers.
Leading the charge in Snapdragon X adoption is Microsoft, leveraging the platform for a significant portion of its Surface lineup. Close behind, Dell has shown notable commitment, integrating the Snapdragon X series into a substantial number of its product SKUs. HP, Lenovo, Acer, and ASUS also participated, although their adoption levels remain comparatively lower.
Ishan Dutt, Principal Analyst at Canalys, provides further context: “Progress on AI-capable PC roadmaps continued at a strong pace in Q3 2024. Copilot+ PCs featuring Snapdragon X series chips saw their first full quarter of sales. AMD countered with their Ryzen AI 300 series, and Intel launched its Lunar Lake series. However, both x86 vendors are still awaiting Microsoft’s Copilot+ PC support for their respective offerings, anticipated to launch later this month.” This highlights the intense competition and the importance of software support in the success of these new AI-focused platforms.
The sluggish adoption of Snapdragon X laptops emphasizes the entrenched nature of the x86 architecture in the PC market. Qualcomm’s future success in this sector hinges on several factors, including significantly increased marketing efforts, stronger partnerships with OEMs to promote wider adoption, and the continuing development of superior AI-focused features to differentiate its offerings. The relatively small market share signifies that Qualcomm faces an ongoing uphill battle in the fiercely competitive landscape of the AI-powered personal computer market.
