Qualcomm, the company known for putting an end to slow-loading web pages with its smartphone chips, has just unveiled something completely different. It’s a new line of processors called the Dragonwing IQ-X series, and you won’t find these in your pocket.
Instead, these new chips are designed to be the new “brains” for heavy-duty industrial gear. Think of the complex machinery on a factory floor, the smart touch-screen panels that control assembly lines, or the small, tough computers that manage robotics.
Qualcomm says these chips are built to be incredibly durable, easily surviving the harsh conditions of a factory. The main goal is to bring powerful AI and sharp graphics to industrial equipment, all while being very power-efficient.
Smart, Fast, and Tough
At the heart of these new chips is a custom-designed Oryon CPU. It’s built on a modern, super-efficient 4nm process, which packs in eight to twelve high-performance cores.
But the real magic is in its dedicated AI “brain,” or NPU (Neural Processing Unit). This part of the chip is built to handle complex AI tasks all by itself, without needing to send data to the cloud. This could allow a factory’s quality-control camera to spot a tiny defect in real-time or help a machine predict when it’s going to need repairs before it breaks.
Built for Extreme Conditions
These chips aren’t delicate. Qualcomm built the IQ-X series to be a true workhorse. It’s rated to operate in extreme temperatures, from a freezing -40 degrees Celsius all the way up to a scorching 105 degrees Celsius.
This makes it perfect for all sorts of tough environments, whether it’s in a hot, un-air-conditioned manufacturing plant, a robotics system, or an energy control grid. It also supports plenty of ultra-fast memory and storage to keep up with demanding jobs.
Easy for Companies to Adopt
Qualcomm knows that manufacturers don’t want to redesign all their equipment from scratch. To make things easier, these processors are being offered as a “Computer-on-Module,” or CoM.
Think of it like a pre-built engine that companies can just “plug in” to their existing designs. This clever, modular approach helps companies build new, smarter products faster and at a lower cost. It also plays nice with the software and systems they already use, like Windows 11 for IoT and other common industrial frameworks.
Ready for All the Connections
A modern “brain” needs good “eyes and ears.” This new platform can handle input from up to six cameras at once. It’s also loaded with a ton of modern connection options, including support for high-resolution displays, the latest Wi-Fi 7, and 5G.
Several major industrial tech companies are already signed up to start designing products around this new chip, signaling a big step forward for a smarter, more connected industrial world.
