Microsoft's hololens 2 glasses will use a snapdragon 850 soc

We know that Microsoft is working on a new HoloLens augmented reality glasses (or holographic glasses). A particular rumor came this year and was telling us that the device would use a Qualcomm Snapdragon XR1 chip, but it looks like it won't happen.

HoloLens 2 from Microsoft will be an 'Always Connected' device with the Snapdragon 850 SoC

Although Microsoft is still betting on a Qualcomm SoC, it will not be the Snapdragon XR1 chosen, but the Snapdragon 850, which already powers some 'Always Connected' devices, such as the Lenovo Yoga C630 and the Samsung Galaxy Book2.

Qualcomm just announced last week its next-generation PC chipset, the Snapdragon 8cx, but Microsoft would step down from it. HoloLens relies heavily on its Holographic Processing Unit (HPU). The latest generation of these augmented reality glasses actually used an Intel Atom. Now, the next HoloLens will be a so-called 'always connected PC'. Not only will it take advantage of ARM's 'instant-on' functionality, but Snapdragon 850 features a built-in Snapdragon X20 4G LTE modem, capable of downloading at 1.2Gbps speeds. Although the sources of Neowin comment that it is very difficult for augmented reality glasses to reach these speeds, due to limitations with the antennas.

HoloLens currently have significant business use, and 4G LTE is widely used in this area, because it is more secure than public Wi-Fi, and allows users to always be connected to the Internet, so that they can work more easily.

At the Build event this year, Microsoft announced the 'Kinect Project' for Azure, saying the sensor is the one to be used in the next HoloLens. With that, a Snapdragon 850, and a HPU with an AI coprocessor, it seems to be clear what the next-generation HoloLens 2 will be like.

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