ARMs Race | New benchmark points to a second-generation Microsoft Surface Pro X in development

The race is on, Microsoft has been developing ARM-based computing technology since the original Surface RT tablet and plans to build the next-generation of computers with potent custom ARM silicon.

ARMs Race is a regular Platform De.Central editorial series that many of our enthusiast readers love. Apple recently made headlines with their announced commitment to move all of their Macs to Apple-made Silicon, which unifies their entire hardware eco-system under a series of future Apple-made ARM-based SOC’s.

Microsoft is taking a different approach; the company will develop Windows 10 for both x86 and ARM chips concurrently, which could maintain its dominance in enterprise but could deprive the momentum Windows 10 on ARM needs to win over developers and prosumers alike. Perhaps our recent reporting on Windows 10 on ARM gaining 64-bit legacy app emulation will help a bit.

Qualcomm has been spotted testing an 8cx+ chip which Microsoft’s SQ1+ could be based on it could be based on another secret higher performing Qualcomm chip that has not been spotted on any benchmarks.

A new Geekbench benchmark popped up on June 29th that looks to be a Microsoft device powered by an ARM chip similar to Microsoft’s SQ1 but with better performance. Could this be the rumored 8cx+ or evidence of a Microsoft SQ1+ or SQ2 chip?

We hope that Microsoft has a better performing Surface Pro X successor coming, Apple’s A12Z is still the one to beat and Microsoft needs more than a modest improvement like this to catch up.

Surface Pro X

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