Qualcomm wants to make AI PCs more affordable with its new 'Snapdragon C' platform

Qualcomm has announced its new Snapdragon C Platform ahead of Computex 2026, and it looks like the company is coming after the budget laptop segment in a big way. Sitting below the Snapdragon X and X2 series, the new chip is designed for affordable Windows laptops priced starting for as low as $300 or roughly the ₹35,000 price mark in India. That puts it in direct competition with Chromebooks and entry-level Windows machines that often struggle with performance.

The interesting bit is that Qualcomm is bringing AI hardware to this price segment. The Snapdragon C platform comes with a dedicated Neural Processing Unit (NPU) for local AI tasks, something that has mostly been limited to more expensive laptops so far. However, Qualcomm has confirmed that these chips will not qualify for Microsoft's Copilot+ PC programme, given CoPilot+’s stringent requirements. How does that translate into the spec sheet, will be interesting to see.

Snapdragon C is built for everyday users

Despite the name, Qualcomm says the "C" in Snapdragon C stands for "Compute," not "Cheap." The platform is aimed at students, families, and small businesses that need an affordable laptop for everyday tasks without sacrificing battery life.

Unlike the Snapdragon X and X2 chips, which use Qualcomm's custom Oryon architecture, Snapdragon C goes in a different direction. It uses a customised version of Qualcomm's Kryo architecture, a design that has powered many smartphones and tablets over the years.

The chip uses a mix of performance and efficiency cores, a setup commonly found in mobile devices. Qualcomm says this should help deliver long battery life while keeping power consumption and heat levels under control. It could also allow manufacturers to build thinner and even fanless laptops.

AI is finally coming to budget laptops

One of the biggest talking points here is AI. Over the past year, AI-powered PCs have become a major focus for the industry, but most of them have been positioned in the premium segment.

With Snapdragon C, Qualcomm wants to bring some of those AI capabilities to more affordable machines. The chip includes a dedicated NPU for on-device AI processing, although Qualcomm has not revealed its performance rating yet.

It won't be powerful enough for Copilot+ branding, but it should still be able to handle several AI-powered Windows 11 features. In fact, the first Snapdragon C laptop spotted so far, an upcoming Acer device, already includes a dedicated Copilot key on the keyboard.

Qualcomm is taking a page from Apple and Google

The move comes at a time when more companies are looking at smartphone-style chips for laptops. Apple recently grabbed attention with the MacBook Neo, a more affordable Mac powered by the same A18 Pro chip found in recent iPhones. Qualcomm's decision to adapt its mobile-focused Kryo architecture for laptops feels like a similar play.

The platform could also play a role in Google's upcoming Googlebooks initiative, which is expected to bring Android and AI-focused experiences together in a new category of budget-friendly devices.

For now, Acer, HP, and Lenovo have confirmed plans to launch Snapdragon C-powered laptops. Exact specifications, pricing, and release dates are still under wraps, with Qualcomm expected to share more details during its Computex 2026 keynote.