Reduce IT Costs and Extend Device Lifespan With Snapdragon and Windows 11

Written by Brent Summers
Reviewed by Craig Tellalian

IT decision-makers are under constant pressure to optimize costs without compromising on service, performance or experience. A December 2022 study by Forrester concluded that an organization with 2,000 employees refreshing on a four-year cycle would see a 250% return on investment (ROI) from adopting Windows 11.¹ Compared to competitors, PCs powered by Snapdragon X Series processors offer additional value such as improved performance² and extended battery life³ while also enhancing the user experience with on-device AI features.

Unpacking the ROI of Windows 11

Measuring Total Economic Impact requires several assumptions. The benefits described here are backed up by primary research and four case studies included in the report from Forrester.

• Improved Security: Reduces the risk of successful security attacks by 20%¹ through TPM 2.0 chips, Secure Boot, BitLocker drive encryption and smoother integration with third-party security solutions. Features like virtualization-based security (VBS) and hypervisor-protected code integrity (HVCI) further enhance security and performance.
• IT Management Efficiency: Increases time efficiency for device deployment and provisioning by 25%, security team efficiency by 20%, and reduces help desk requests related to OS and device issues by 40% in Year 1, 70% in Year 2 and 90% in Year 3.¹ Migrating to Windows 11 also affords an opportunity to retire software with duplicative capabilities or features (like remote logins) that are baked into the new operating system.
• End-User Productivity: End-users are 15% more productive with Windows 11 devices,¹ benefiting from enhanced hardware like better cameras and microphones, and support for the latest Wi-Fi standards. The battery life benefits of Snapdragon processors can take this to a whole new level.

How Snapdragon technology enhances the Windows 11 experience

Every PC powered by Snapdragon X Series processors ships with Windows 11 — the latest operating system from Microsoft. These PCs are built with a focus on hardware, firmware and software security, integrating multiple layers of protection so that the system remains secure from the moment it boots up.

Snapdragon's power management and performance provide a seamless and reliable user experience, making it an excellent choice for most business users.

Energy efficiency reduces power draw

Energy efficiency is a critical factor for enterprises striving to reduce operational costs and environmental impact. Snapdragon chips are designed to consume less power, making them an ideal choice for cost-conscious IT teams.

Snapdragon X Elite matches competitor single-threaded CPU performance at 70% less power, while Snapdragon X Plus matches competitor multi-threaded CPU performance at 54% less power.²

Better battery life extends useful life of PCs

In mobile work environments where employees need to stay productive on the go, performance and battery life are the top two drivers of satisfaction.⁴ Snapdragon processors enhance battery life by efficiently managing power consumption. With highly optimized CPU, GPU and NPU engines working together, power is designated where and when needed. The result is an extension of battery life up to multiple days on a single charge:

• Over 2 times longer battery life on Teams calls⁵
• 58% longer battery life for web browsing⁵
• 40% longer battery life for Office 365 apps⁵
• Up to 22 hours of battery life³

Battery Cycle Count: Battery cycle count refers to the number of times a battery can be charged and discharged before it starts to degrade. Snapdragon’s advanced power management technology also enables your devices to remain reliable and efficient for a longer time. This leads to cost savings from less frequent device replacements.

Bonus Tip: To get the most out of your lithium-ion batteries, charge them to 80% instead of 100%. This practice can help extend the battery’s lifespan and maintain its performance over time.

Devices built with sufficient RAM and compute last longer

Modern software is incorporating more AI which requires more powerful components. That is why Microsoft requires that all Copilot+ PCs offer a minimum of 16GB of RAM, 40 NPU TOPS and 256GB of storage. Every PC powered by Snapdragon X Series meets or exceeds all these specs making it ideal for demanding enterprise applications.

Longevity Benefits: Quality components contribute to the extended lifespan of PCs powered by Snapdragon by reducing the strain on the device’s hardware and preventing premature wear and tear.

On-device AI Experiences: Popular software applications are being rewritten to take advantage of new hardware features like the NPU. Adobe, Zoom, Teams, Blender, Cephable and Visual Studio Code, are just a few of the ISVs that have shipped features that run on-device, offering the user an enhanced experience. These experiences won’t be available to equipment with insufficient memory.

Additional Cost Savings

Improved Productivity: According to Microsoft, 70% of Microsoft 365 Copilot users said they were more productive. A controlled experiment further reinforces this — developers with access to GitHub Copilot’s pair programmer an assignment 55.8% faster than the control group.

Reduced Downtime: Using a PC with significantly longer battery life means employees can stay productive throughout the full workday without stopping to charge. Fewer interruptions let workers find their flow.

Performance Unplugged: If your laptops are powered by traditional processors, then your workforce’s productivity is also being impacted by reduced performance. Laptops powered by Snapdragon are up to 90% faster than other processors when unplugged from the wall.⁶

Environmental Impact: By extending the useful life of your devices, you can prolong the rate of replacement and help reduce e-waste from your internal operations in particular, if the replaced devices are being properly disposed of and recycled. This may not only contribute towards your company’s environmental goals, but it may also enhance your organization’s reputation as a responsible and forward-thinking company.

Wrapping up

Forrester helped make the case that Windows 11 has a 250% ROI¹ because of enhanced security, improved IT management features, and increased end-user productivity. Snapdragon technologies can further improve ROI by reducing energy consumption, extending battery life and device and enhancing the user experience.

You can save your organization money by equipping your employees Snapdragon technology. Are you ready to explore your organization's use cases?

Get in touch

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^References: 

^{1: Forrester. (December 2022). The Total Economic Impact™ Of Windows 11 Pro Devices. Retrieved on April 4, 2025 from https://tools.totaleconomicimpact.com/go/microsoft/Windows11Devices/index.html?lang=en-us.}

^{2. CPU Performance is based on Geekbench v6.2 Multi-Thread on Windows 11 OS run in March 2024. Snapdragon X Elite was tested using a Qualcomm reference design on Windows 11 OS. The Intel Core Ultra 7 155H (16 core) was tested using an Asus Zenbook 14 OLED (UX3405) laptop, on Windows 11. Maximum performance reflected by Intel Core Ultra 7 155H represents maximum achievable results in given platforms under unconstrained PL1/PL2 settings and no thermal limitations. Power and performance comparison reflects results based on measurements and hardware instrumentation of given devices.}

^{3. Battery life varies significantly with device, settings, usage, and other factors.}

^{4. Snapdragon X Elite was tested using a Qualcomm reference design on Windows 11 OS. The Intel Core Ultra 7 155H (16 core) was tested using an Asus Zenbook 14 OLED (UX3405) laptop on Windows 11. Power and performance comparison reflects results based on measurements and hardware instrumentation of given devices.}

^{5. Qualcomm Consumer Compute Research, 2Q2023.}

^{6. CPU Performance is based on Geekbench v6.2 Single-Core on Windows 11 OS run in October 2024. Snapdragon X Elite (XIE-80-100) was tested using a Dell XPS 13 (9345) on “Balanced” Power Mode in Windows and “Optimized” in Dell Power Manager. Intel Core Ultra 7 256V was tested using a Dell XPS 13 (9350) on “Balanced” Power Mode in Windows and “Standard mode” in Windows and “Optimized” in Dell Power Manager. The AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 was tested using an ASUS VivoBook S14 (M5406WA) on “Balanced” Power Mode in Windows and “Standard mode” in MyASUS. Power and performance comparison reflects results based on measurements and hardware instrumentation of given devices. Battery life varies significantly with device, settings, usage, and other factors.}

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^{Forrester and Total Economic Impact are trademarks of Forrester Research, Inc.z
Snapdragon and Qualcomm branded products are products of Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. and/or its subsidiaries.}