14 DAY TRIAL // Windows 10 on ARM devices, also referred to as Always Connected PCs, run the full version of Windows 10 on ARM chips, promising surprising battery life figures that go all the way up to several days per charge.
While this is impressive to say the least, there were concerns that this is only possible because of the limited performance of an ARM chip mixed with Windows 10, which would involve running mostly UWP apps that are published in the Microsoft Store.
In other words, it was believed that such impressive battery life is only possible with Microsoft Store apps and not by using a Windows 10 on ARM PC like a typical Windows computer with Win32 software that’s more demanding, features few optimizations for the battery, and usually requires more power.
Same impact as on Intel hardware
But as far as Qualcomm is concerned, that’s not true, as Windows 10 on ARM PCs will offer the same battery life regardless of the used apps. Qualcomm makes the Snapdragon 835 chips that power the first Always Connected PCs, as well as the Snapdragon 845 that will power the next-generation Windows 10 on ARM launching later this year.
Qualcomm representative Pj Jacobowitz has been quoted as saying that Win32 software won’t have a bigger impact on battery life and device performance than it currently has on an Intel processor.
While this is clearly quite an achievement if it’s true, it’ll be interesting to see how Windows 10 on ARM devices deal with more demanding software like Adobe Photoshop, which requires more processing power and hence drains the battery faster.
The first Windows 10 on ARM devices will launch in the spring and battery life tests will certainly be the most interesting, especially with all these claims of impressive performance. On the other hand, Always Connected PCs powered by Snapdragon 845 won’t be here before the fall, despite the same chip making its debut in the spring on smartphones like the Samsung Galaxy S9.