Qualcomm (QCOM) recently announced that it would stop production of its Windows version of the Snapdragon X Elite developer kit and refund all customers who have purchased it because the product failed to meet the company's expected standards. This developer kit was released in mid-June this year and was discontinued only four months later.

This move has attracted widespread attention in the market. Industry analysts believe that this incident has weakened Qualcomm's position in the Windows on ARM (WoA) ecosystem, and at the same time has a positive impact on the market ecosystem centered on the x86 architecture.

Performance and heat dissipation issues have become key bottlenecks

Analysis pointed out that the main reason for Qualcomm's decision to stop production of the Snapdragon X Elite developer kit is insufficient performance and heat dissipation issues. Compared with the x86 architecture, Qualcomm's ARM architecture has long been at a disadvantage in the desktop computer field, making it difficult for its products to compete with the x86 platform in terms of performance.

In addition, ARM-based Windows devices have always had problems with software compatibility and insufficient application support, resulting in consumers' lack of confidence in the platform. These problems have not been effectively solved for a long time, making Qualcomm's expansion in the PC market face greater challenges.

Wintel Alliance regains market trust

At the same time, the x86 camp showed strong momentum in 2024.

The Lunar Lake and Arrow Lake series products launched by Intel (INTC) are designed for AI laptops and AI PCs. Their core chip modules use TSMC process technology and are widely recognized in the market. Coupled with Microsoft's long-term support for the x86 architecture, the Wintel Alliance shows signs of strong recovery.

In this context, the market believes that Qualcomm's decision to stop production is a strategic victory for the x86 ecosystem, which may further consolidate its dominant position in the PC market.

Technology integration in the x86 camp is accelerating

Last week, Intel and AMD announced the establishment of the x86 Ecosystem Advisory Group to strengthen the fight against the rise of the ARM architecture. The group has absorbed a number of industry partners and plans to accelerate the unification of technical standards, covering the integration of specifications in areas such as PCIe and USB.

This cooperation not only accelerates technological development, but may also further enhance the market competitiveness of the x86 platform, giving it a greater advantage in the competition with the ARM architecture.