Microsoft SQ1 is a custom chipset made for the Surface Pro X
Microsoft's new Surface Pro X has a custom chipset called the Microsoft SQL.
What you need to know
- Microsoft's new Surface Pro X has a custom chipset.
- The Microsoft SQ1 chipset combines Snapdragon mobile hardware with AI.
- The chip has 7 watts of power.
Microsoft announced the Surface Pro X at the October Surface event. The device marks the next step in the Surface line and runs on an ARM processor rather than the Intel chips that we've seen so far on the Surface Pro line. The Surface Pro X runs on a custom chipset called the Microsoft SQ1 that combines Snapdragon hardware with AI. The end result is a chipset that has 7 watts of power that is three times more powerful than the Surface Pro 6's chipset.
So the ARM chip is a custom one built in partnership with Microsoft + Qualcomm. It's called the SQ1. It has 7-watts of power, and also features a redesigned GPU.
"This product has three times more performance per watt than the Surface Pro 6."So the ARM chip is a custom one built in partnership with Microsoft + Qualcomm. It's called the SQ1. It has 7-watts of power, and also features a redesigned GPU.
"This product has three times more performance per watt than the Surface Pro 6."— Zac Bowden (@zacbowden) October 2, 2019October 2, 2019
For everyday users, the important thing about this chipset is that the Surface Pro X is thin, light, and powerful while also getting excellent battery life. The Surface Pro X is the first device made by Microsoft to run Windows 10 on ARM, and the Surface team has combined custom hardware to try to deliver the best experience possible.
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Sean Endicott is a News Writer at Windows Central, where he covers Windows 11, Surface hardware, Microsoft 365, AI, apps, and the broader PC ecosystem. Since joining the site in 2017, he has written well over a thousand articles across the Microsoft landscape, covering breaking news, analysis, and feature reporting.
He writes Windows Wrap, a weekly column covering the biggest stories in Windows and the PC industry, and what they mean for the platform going forward.
Before joining Windows Central full-time, Sean worked in journalism and media production after earning a First Class degree in Broadcast Journalism from Nottingham Trent University. Outside of tech, he is an award-winning American football coach based in Nottingham, England, and was named BAFCA Youth Coach of the Year in 2024.
