It’s Perfect. It’s Unusable. - Snapdragon for a Month Challenge Conclusion

Summary

In this video, the hosts discuss their month-long experience using laptops powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon processors. They share their perspectives on battery life, compatibility with various software, and overall performance. While acknowledging some limitations with certain applications, they highlight the laptops' suitability for browsing, light work, and as a secondary device. The conversation also touches on gaming experiences, with some popular titles not working well, and praises the laptops' build quality, keyboard, webcam, and microphone. The hosts conclude that these laptops are a good value, especially for those who don't rely on heavy applications or already own a primary computer.

Takeaways

• 🔋 The speakers experienced a significant improvement in laptop battery life without the constant need to charge, with one going an entire week without charging.
• 🎁 A sponsorship mention for Segways Ridge, promoting a sweepstakes with prizes like a gold-plated cyber truck or $100,000 in cash until September 13th.
• 💻 A shift in mindset about battery usage was observed, with less urgency to charge as battery levels dropped, even when critical.
• 🛠️ The laptop's performance was put to the test with various tasks, including video conferencing, script editing, and email management, all running smoothly on browser-based programs.
• 👾 Some software, like Bon Jour, had minor issues but did not significantly impact the user experience.
• 🖥️ The laptop's performance with heavy programs like SolidWorks was deemed usable, especially for small adjustments and not for handling large assemblies.
• 🎥 Video editing with Adobe Premiere was a challenge due to emulation issues and compatibility with only the 2023 version, leading to a subpar experience.
• 🎮 Gaming on the laptop was mixed, with popular titles not working, but the user adapted by choosing games that were compatible.
• 📚 For university students, the laptop might be suitable as a secondary device but not for gaming or certain video editing tasks.
• 🖱️ The physical aspects of the laptop, such as the keyboard, webcam, and microphone, received positive feedback for their quality.
• 🌐 Wi-Fi connectivity was an issue in some cases, with the laptop disconnecting unexpectedly, which could be due to antenna design or hardware issues.

Q & A

What was the main concern about the laptop's battery life at the beginning of the video?

The main concern was that the participants were worried they might not have enough battery life to last through their work without needing to charge frequently.

What was the promotional event mentioned in the script?

The promotional event was a massive sweepstakes by Ridge, which included prizes like a Hennessy Velociraptor, a gold-plated cyber truck, or $100,000 in cash, running from the time of the script until September 13th.

How did the participants' mindset change regarding their laptop's battery life after using it for a while?

The participants' mindset changed from being anxious about charging their laptops constantly to being more relaxed and not worrying about charging until they finished their tasks, even if the battery was critically low.

What was the experience with video conferencing and other browser-based tasks on the laptop?

The experience with video conferencing, Discord, OBS, and other browser-based tasks was positive, with everything working perfectly despite the laptop being used for an extended period without charging.

What issues were encountered with the software 'Bong Jour'?

There were some slightly weird occurrences with 'Bong Jour,' but they were not significant enough for the user to be bothered and go back to worrying about their battery life.

How did the user's experience with SolidWorks on the laptop compare to their old laptop?

The user found the performance of SolidWorks on the new laptop to be usable and very similar to their old laptop, which had a low-powered 2-in-1 CPU that was slow when released two years ago.

What challenges did the user face when trying to edit videos on the laptop?

The user faced challenges with video editing software compatibility and performance. Premiere was emulated and the experience was not good, with issues rendering videos and After Effects being missing. The user also had to convert their projects to the 2023 versions for compatibility.

What was the user's experience with gaming on the laptop?

The user found that while some games worked fine, popular titles like League of Legends, Valorant, and Fortnite did not work at all, and Minecraft was too laggy. The user adapted by finding games that were compatible with the device.

What was the user's opinion on the laptop's display?

The user was impressed with the laptop's display, describing it as a fantastic 3:2 Quad HD 120Hz screen that was bright enough to use outdoors and did not stand out as a significant power draw.

What was the final verdict on using the laptop as a primary device for work?

The final verdict was that the laptop might not be suitable as a primary device for work due to software compatibility issues and the lack of a backup plan when an application does not work. However, it was recommended as a secondary or tertiary device for those who already have other computers for more demanding tasks.

Outlines

00:00

🔋 Impressive Battery Life and Sponsorship

The video script begins with a discussion on the impressive battery life of laptops, with some participants not needing to charge their devices for days or even a week without issues. The conversation then shifts to a sponsorship promotion for Segways Ridge, highlighting a sweepstakes with enticing prizes such as a gold-plated cyber truck or cash. The participants also touch on the change in mindset regarding battery anxiety and the seamless performance of their devices, even during critical battery levels. The script also introduces an Arc GPU challenge, inviting viewers to use Intel Arc for a month, and shares the initial impressions of the challenge, emphasizing the unexpected smooth experience despite the lack of software installations on the laptops.

05:00

🎮 Gaming and Video Editing Experiences

The second paragraph delves into the user experience of gaming and video editing on the new laptops. While some games like League of Legends, valorant, and Fortnite failed to run, others like Minecraft were too laggy, suggesting that these devices may not be suitable for gaming with friends. The video editing experience was mixed, with Premiere Pro initially not working but later becoming available, albeit with performance issues, especially when handling 4K multicam sequences. The participants also discuss the limitations of emulation and the lack of a backup plan when applications fail, leading to a reliance on traditional x86 computers for certain tasks. However, they also highlight the positive aspects, such as the good keyboard, webcam, and microphone quality, and the overall light and portable design of the laptops.

10:01

💻 Adjusting to New Laptops and AI Features

In the third paragraph, the discussion continues with the adjustment period to the new laptops, focusing on the flexibility and adaptability of users to find games that work with the device. The screen quality is praised for its brightness and outdoor usability, and the battery life is again highlighted as a significant advantage. The conversation also touches on the importance of the webcam and microphone for video calls, the quiet operation of the fan, and the overall positive physical appearance of the laptop. Additionally, the participants express their views on AI features, particularly the co-pilot button, and how they have not utilized it as much as expected, despite being fans of AI and its accessibility.

15:02

🛍️ Final Thoughts and Sponsor Mention

The final paragraph wraps up the video script with the participants sharing their overall impressions of the laptops. They express satisfaction with the devices, considering them excellent as secondary or tertiary computers, especially for those who already have other computers for heavy tasks. The script also mentions the competitive pricing of the laptops compared to other CPU options on the market. The video concludes with a sponsorship mention for Manscaped, promoting their dome shaver Pro and aftershave lotion, and encouraging viewers to take advantage of a discount and free international shipping offer.

Keywords

💡Battery life

Battery life refers to the amount of time a device can operate on a full charge without needing to be recharged. In the video, the theme revolves around the impressive battery life of the laptops being discussed, with the script mentioning not having to charge the laptops for days or even a week without any issues, showcasing a significant aspect of the user experience.

💡Emulation

Emulation is the process by which one system imitates the functions of another system. The script discusses the challenges of running certain software, like Adobe Premiere, on the laptops through emulation, which is a way to make applications compatible with different hardware architectures, but it can lead to performance issues as experienced by the video creators.

💡Snapdragon

Snapdragon is a series of mobile system-on-chips (SoCs) designed by Qualcomm for use in smartphones and other mobile devices. The script mentions the use of a Snapdragon challenge, indicating a test or trial involving devices powered by these chips, which is central to the video's exploration of laptop performance and efficiency.

💡Video editing

Video editing is the process of manipulating and combining video shots to create a final product. The script describes the difficulties encountered while trying to edit videos on the laptops, such as compatibility issues with Adobe Premiere, which is a key aspect of the video's examination of the laptops' capabilities for creative work.

💡Gaming

Gaming refers to the activity of playing video games. The video script discusses the gaming experience on the laptops, noting that while some popular games did not work, others were playable, offering insight into the laptops' performance for leisure activities and the balance between work and entertainment.

💡Webcam

A webcam is a digital camera that captures and sends images to a computer, typically used for video conferencing. The script praises the quality of the webcam on the laptops, highlighting it as a standout feature that received compliments during video calls, which is important for remote work and communication.

💡Co-pilot

In the context of the script, 'co-pilot' likely refers to an AI assistant or feature that aids in tasks such as writing or research. The video creators mention using AI tools like co-pilots to enhance their workflow, reflecting the growing integration of AI in various professional and creative processes.

💡Wi-Fi 6E

Wi-Fi 6E is an extension of Wi-Fi 6 that operates in the 6 GHz frequency band, offering faster speeds and lower latency. The script mentions the inclusion of Wi-Fi 6E in the laptops, which is an important feature for connectivity, but also notes issues with Wi-Fi reliability, indicating a potential drawback in the user experience.

💡Display

The display refers to the screen of a device, which is a critical component for visual interaction. The script emphasizes the high quality of the laptop displays, mentioning specifications like 3:2 aspect ratio, Quad HD resolution, and 120 Hz refresh rate, which contribute to an enhanced viewing experience for both work and entertainment.

💡Secondary computer

A secondary computer is an additional device used alongside a primary one, often for specific tasks or for increased mobility. The video concludes with a recommendation of the laptops as suitable secondary computers, given their limitations for certain tasks, suggesting a use case for those who already have a primary device for more intensive work.

💡Manscaped

Manscaped is a brand mentioned in the script as a sponsor, known for grooming products. The script uses a humorous analogy relating to the brand's product, the Dome Shaver Pro, to the smoothness of a sphere in Las Vegas, indicating a promotional aspect of the video content.

Highlights

Laptop users can go for days without charging, indicating impressive battery life.

Sponsor Segways Ridge is offering a sweepstakes with high-value prizes until September 13th.

The mindset shift from worrying about battery percentages to focusing on finishing tasks before charging.

Using a laptop with minimal software installations can lead to unexpected battery efficiency.

Browser-based programs and video conferencing tools work seamlessly on the tested laptops.

Software like Bon Jour has minor issues but doesn't significantly impact user experience.

SolidWorks and other heavy programs show usable performance on the laptop, even for occasional use.

Car audio tuning software compatibility and performance on the laptop were surprisingly good.

Video editing on the laptop was challenging due to software emulation and compatibility issues.

The laptop's webcam received compliments for its high quality during video calls.

Gaming experience on the laptop was mixed, with popular titles not working, but others like Animal Crossing running well.

The laptop's display was a standout feature, with a high refresh rate and brightness suitable for outdoor use.

The laptop's fan was almost inaudible, making it suitable for quiet environments like lectures.

The laptop's physical appearance, keyboard, and microphone were all highly praised for their quality.

The laptop's Wi-Fi performance was inconsistent, with connectivity issues in certain areas.

The laptop is recommended as a secondary or tertiary device, not as a primary computer for all tasks.

Comparisons to AMD and Intel CPUs highlight the trade-offs between price, performance, and compatibility.

Manscaped's Dome Shaver Pro and Dome Soother lotion are promoted for a smooth and comfortable shave experience.

Transcripts

ah good month eh right I haven't charged

my laptop in days couldn't care less I

didn't charge mine for an entire week

have not had a single problem me neither

but there has been one thing stressing

me

out I just want to get my work

done I was worried we might not have

enough content to talk about but now

that's solved too sponsor Segways

Ridge they're doing a massive sweep

Stakes now until September 13th with

prizes like a Hennessy Velociraptor not

the dinosaur a goldplated cyber truck or

$100,000 in cash enter for free and get

one entry per dollar spent using the

link in the

description the first sign that this ch

all was going to be a little different

than the previous ones was the number of

people who wanted to participate Arc GPU

challenge anyone want to use Intel Arc

for a

month come on Snapdragon challenge

anyone want to use one of these for a

month oh my

God and it's easy to see why people want

it in my entire mindset has changed to

the point where I used to see a sliver

of battery and I would drop everything

that I was doing and dash to the outlet

whereas

now I think hm interesting I guess I'll

finish up a few things and then maybe

I'll plug in at some point right on one

of my first days okay I got a

notification that I was at 10% battery

and it was in critical mode I then

proceeded to finish up a team's voice

call including screen sharing on that

call I made some edits to a script I

then wrote a couple of emails did some

notes checked my battery life and hm

casual ual 6% no problem however it's

worth noting that in the last month I've

used my laptop the way that I use my

laptop which is to say I've installed

basically nothing on it we don't even

use word in the writing Department

anymore so almost everything I do is in

a browser or a browser based program

I've used it for video conferencing

Discord OBS screen cap okay that's not

in a browser but all of those things

worked perfectly now

I have had some slightly weird stuff

happen with bong Jour always um but it

hasn't really bothered me enough to go

back to worrying about my battery life

yeah for me the experience has been even

better than I expected in a month I have

charge my laptop a total of five times

and if you look at the dates there is an

entire week where I did not plug it in

once obviously during that week I was

not using it a ton typically two 3 hours

a day day something like that but with

every other laptop that I've ever used

Windows Apple you just cannot do that

that's actually really good point

because lots of Windows laptops are

rated for eight plus hours of battery

life yeah that's not the issue the issue

is when I go to use it the next day on

any other laptop 20% battery end of the

day you have to plug it in on this it's

like okay 20% I'll use it for 4 hours

tomorrow great the heaviest program I

use regularly is solid works and for

occasional use like what I do on the Go

performance is

usable for me it is fine because any

large assemblies I need to tackle I just

do on my desktop and I only run solid

works on my laptop to make small

adjustments to Parts in the shop but it

is emulated and the raw performance is

very similar to my old laptop which has

a low powerered 2p cor CPU that was slow

when it was released 2 years ago right

what I was afraid would be a deal

breaker for me was car audio but it's

actually just totally fine our

calibrated measurement microphones just

worked allowing me to get these

measurements right here for MX5 review

watch it on short circuit and then came

the much bigger challenge doing a new

tune on my car no way this involved

Niche DSP drivers a bunch of random

Windows run times and direct lives

licensing server all to cooperate which

is not even a guarantee on regular x86

Windows machine maches but it just did

it and now I have a 2C tune of my car it

sounds absolutely fantastic so

unfortunately uh my work can't be really

done on the pen and paper what are you

saying about what I do is also work well

my work is you know more video editing

and uh I can't really Video Edit on like

you know a pen and

paper and as a recent graduate uh I

decided to take a perspective of a

university student because I feel like

University students are the people who

really buy these laptops so I just like

oh it'd be a cool way to determine if

this is actually good for you know

people school yeah exactly yeah cuz

you're not going to have another

computer exactly yeah the first and

simplest thing I try to do was watch

YouTube videos but instead I got audio

render issues saying I need to reset my

computer fortunately I had this great

LTT laptop bag LTT store.com man this

thing is freaking awesome it's got all

the room opens up so big

oh yeah baby stores everything sorry

sorry sorry what were you saying well

fortunately the computer was one step

ahead of me there because for the first

couple of days I had a load of crashes

that restarted the computer for me next

I want to edit some flow plan exclusives

which I thought be fine because qualcom

did say that they're going to support

Adobe crater Suites which turns out it

was only Photoshop and graphic design

stuff no Premiere great no I thought

Premiere works when I first got it the

my first thing was to try installing it

and it was wasn't there I was like

what's up with that it just

works fortunately after a week of daily

driving it it was there but there was a

catch After Effects still missing so I

couldn't do any of the fun Graphics

Premiere was emulated andoss it just

sucked honestly using premiere on this

thing was not a good experience there is

one more thing to say it's in the script

he's doing his best but only the 2023

version is supported like 2024 is three

qus over and they're only supporting

2023 I had to convert most of my

projects to the 2023 versions just so I

can start editing I tried editing three

videos the first one was fine until I

started adding screen caps to it which

then it pooped itself the second one was

a YouTube sh at 1080p which was mostly

fine but I ended up switching to a real

computer for animations at the end and

the third one was a 4K multicam sequence

and oh

yeah it died I think it loaded it in and

then it just didn't work there's not a

chance

honestly I think the most telling part

of all of that is the way that you

referred to a normal x86 computer as a

real computer so in a month you didn't

manage to completely edit a single video

on it even though Premiere is supported

yeah like the worst part is parsik

didn't work that great either so I

didn't really get to remote into my

desktop and edit it so I was like this I

determined that the speed I was going to

go at parcing in versus editing on my

computer wasn't going to justify it so I

ended up just moving back to my computer

yeah I didn't try to use Parc and that's

the thing right is when an application

doesn't work you're basically stuck if

this is your only computer there's

there's no backup plan the emulation all

runs automatically so it's not like you

can install an emulator and maybe it'll

work now it just doesn't work I actually

had my first near showstopper just

yesterday talk about a buzzer beater I

was using channelizer for the how much

Wi-Fi is too much video and I started

getting random crashes at first I

thought okay it's probably a license

issue since I haven't checked in with

metageek for 2 years and then I realized

oh hold on a second it's always crashing

after a little while when I go inside

the chamber maybe it needs an always on

connection but obviously I wouldn't have

any Wi-Fi in an RF isolation chamber

then it turned out that the emulation

was bad oh wow yeah so nothing to do

with the license and I had another

bizarre issue yesterday too I got a

notification that I was running out of

battery which was fine I hadn't charged

it in like 6 days or something like that

but when the speaker went off I didn't

think about this until you mentioned

your audio rendering issues but it

started

like like buzzing at me really weird

which makes me wonder if maybe it's

something to do with the platform you

guys haven't actually seen this yet but

I'm going to show you this is super

weird

oh what what the it's like a spaceship

it just didn't

stop overall I've been happy with the

machine though especially the keyboard

and like I said to you I never use my

laptop outside so the screen total

non-issue but I noticed right at the end

that HP cheaped out on the Wi-Fi I only

got Wi-Fi 6E instead of Wi-Fi 7 well my

Surface laptop 7 does have Wi-Fi 7 but I

would much rather have your 6E chip in

there if that meant my experience was

good in areas where my Wi-Fi strength

wasn't great like you just know that

spot in your house it just wouldn't work

sometimes I would load in YouTube video

and then halfway through it would just

disconnect from Wi-Fi and it was super

annoying both of you guys had good Wi-Fi

right yeah yeah mine was mine was

perfect actually it was really good yeah

I used that thing for a week making the

review I also didn't have an issue so

that was great I think it's Microsoft

and their antenna design wait I wonder

if HP knows something I don't know and

use the 60 for a reason wh which one's

yours Wi-Fi 7 must just be the antenna

design then yeah could also just be a

bunk unit

but another area that's been pretty good

for me is gaming now in our live stream

half of the games we tested didn't work

but real world use is a little little

bit different than just having you guys

send games to us and US running whatever

you ask like for me from the time that I

spent with the steam deck my mentality

shifted a little bit from I want to game

I want to play this game and nothing

else is acceptable to I'm in the mood to

game I'm willing to find something that

works with the device that's in front of

me so obviously it's not the best but I

actually kind of found that I was okay

with it yeah if you treat like a second

computer I think it's okay but I tried

playing a lot the games that are popular

with the youth like

me okay 27 uh like League of Legends

valerant fortnite and Minecraft the

first three didn't work like it just it

would not boot I could download it

but uh and Minecraft was just too laggy

so getting one of these laptops for

school means you probably aren't playing

games with your friends don't do that

parents I'm kind of split on this one

the three games that I play the most

just straight up do not work on this

laptop but also they straight up do not

work on the last laptop that I used

either so right you used to thin and

light with old onboard Graphics anyway

so I'm pretty flexible like I'm going on

a long flight tomorrow I installed

animal well on this it works great I do

not care if I don't get to do 3D games

on this and at the same time 120 HZ

display this thing is awesome to game on

I just I just want to highlight how good

this screen is Sami screen as well

fantastic 3x2 Quad HD 12 HZ bright

enough to use outdoors and the most

incredible thing is that this display

did not even stand out in our last video

typically the two biggest power draws on

a laptop are the CPU and the display and

previously I was willing to live with a

mediocre display because the OLED scream

option was just not worth it for battery

life but when the CPU is this efficient

you can just give up 4 hours of battery

life and it will be totally fine it

really is the closest thing that we have

to the MacBook experience and while game

compatibility sucks compared to normal

windows it's still a lot better than

mac dang sick burn one final thing about

the surface is that the webcam is

fantastic in the very first video call

that I had on it I got compliments of

just how great it looks yeah I also got

compliments on it mic was good and

webcam was good now here's something I'd

like to compliment you guys you've

lasted a long time here at lius Media

Group being on Microsoft and Samsung's

payroll respectively you guys what okay

no you know what they are right they're

right the webcam is actually a standout

feature however I want to change the

topic a little bit this is 2024 we got

to talk about

AI we love AI does it make me a boomer

that I completely forgot about the

co-pilot button except for the one time

I pressed it by accident wa really I'm

actually a big fan of co-pilot and just

like chat ch BT like llms in general and

I like how accessible it was to you know

just one click button I can just look it

up it's way more convenient than open my

browser typing in chat GPT you kids know

about bookmarks right do you know about

doing up more than half of the buttons

on your shirt it's it's it's a style

it's

a uh he knows style I know

style and my Footwear is cringe my

Footwear

is Yo okay well you guys vote vote in

the comments leave a like for mine and

leave a comment for Samy's subscribe to

Flo plane if you just want

Runners and I do use chat GPD sometimes

just to help with polishing my wordings

and and just general research because

ghou sucks we have a whole video about

that I used co-pilot a couple times when

I accidentally tried to lock my laptop

went like

that I just want to mentioned before

people think I completely hate this

laptop I think the like the physical

appearance of the laptop was great great

like you said the keyboard's great you

know the webcam is great the mic's great

it's extremely light i l the Samsung

laptop with my personal heavy laptop and

it was so light and thin I didn't notice

a weight difference in my backpack nor

did I feel like I had any space issues

the fan also I don't know if you guys

have any comments about it but mine was

so quiet I totally forgot to comment

about it because I didn't notice it once

it's just that like quiet and I feel

like you know if you're in like a

lecture I feel like you always you

always hear one two people that have

like the whole time right like their

their alien wear and that's especially

true if they're trying to actually like

record anything like especially with

video like man I don't know what it is

every Windows laptop I've ever owned all

I got to do is get on a teams

call it sounds like it's trying to take

off from the desk I mean I don't blame

it those calls are boring anyway what

are we feeling overall guys I've had a

great time with mine only running into a

major issue at day 29 out of 30 that's

pretty darn good I love it I don't think

I'm going back to x86 I'm not sure that

I will for now I don't feel like this

can be your primary computer maybe not

even your own laptop but personally I

would highly recommend this as a

secondary computer or tertiary by that

point since you've got a desktop and a

laptop already and this is just your

Mobility focused computer but that's

fair enough depending on what you're

doing now one thing to remember is that

AMD just released a lineup of CPU that

is much more competitive battery

LifeWise but they aren't competitive

pricewise these come in at a lower cost

than AMD and presumably Intel's upcoming

latest gen mobile CPUs meaning that you

can't really compare them directly like

maybe by going Qualcomm you give up some

program compatibility but you get more

RAM or you get a better screen which

could make things even more compelling

if you can actually work on it though

well yeah that that is a major issue and

I think we're in agreement then Qualcomm

Snapdragon X laptops excellent if

everything you do is in a browser or if

you already have another computer for

the work that you need to do on another

computer hopefully someday it'll be for

everyone like this segue to our

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lt20 I hope you guys enjoyed this video

maybe you'll enjoy the last time we did

one of these challenges the Radeon GPU

challenge everyone says oh yeah amds a

great value but so few people actually

buy them are they so bad I'm still daily

driving mine I haven't oh spoiler holy

moly