Qualcomm has announced its latest leap into industrial computing with the Dragonwing IQ-X series, a family of powerful and rugged chipsets tailored for smart industry applications. With integrated AI performance, robust connectivity, and durable design, these processors are poised to become the backbone of next-generation factory automation, robotics, and industrial edge devices.
The Heart of IQ-X: Oryon CPU + High AI Throughput
At the core of the IQ-X series lies Qualcomm’s custom Oryon CPU, fabricated on a cutting-edge 4 nm process. These CPUs come in configurations of 8 to 12 high-performance cores, with clock speeds reaching up to 3.4 GHz, delivering strong single-thread and multi-thread performance.
Equally important is the integrated Neural Processing Unit (NPU), which enables the IQ-X chips to deliver up to 45 TOPS (tera-operations per second) of AI performance. This on-chip AI engine allows for real-time edge intelligence — enabling complex AI workloads like defect detection, predictive maintenance, and anomaly detection directly on industrial hardware.
Hardened for Industrial Environments
Qualcomm has specifically engineered the IQ-X series to thrive in harsh industrial conditions. The processors are rated to operate in a wide temperature range — from –40 °C up to 105 °C. This makes them ideal for deployment in programmable logic controllers (PLCs), edge controllers, panel PCs, advanced human-machine interfaces (HMIs), and more.
To ease integration into existing industrial designs, the IQ-X series uses standard Computer-on-Module (CoM) form-factors, allowing for drop-in replacement on existing carrier boards. Qualcomm also claims this helps reduce the bill of materials (BOM) for OEMs by consolidating AI, multimedia, and compute capabilities inside a single chip.
Rich Connectivity & Peripheral Support
The IQ-X series is designed with a rich I/O and connectivity profile:
- Up to 64 GB of LPDDR5x memory for demanding workloads.
- High-speed storage via UFS 4.0 and SD 3.0.
- Display interfaces that support up to 5120 × 2880p (5K) at 60 Hz, thanks to eDP and USB-C/DisplayPort options.
- Camera support: up to six sensors on the higher-end variant, via a Spectra ISP.
- Connectivity: PCIe Gen4, Ethernet, Wi-Fi 7, 5G, multiple USB ports, and a staggering 221 GPIOs for industrial peripherals.
Software & Ecosystem Support
On the software side, Qualcomm is making sure the IQ-X series fits into the industrial world seamlessly:
- Supports Windows 11 IoT Enterprise (LTSC), a long-term servicing version of Windows tailored for embedded devices.
- Compatible with widely used industrial middleware and frameworks — such as Qt, CODESYS, and EtherCAT.
- For AI model deployment, Qualcomm offers its AI Software Stack, and the series supports runtimes for popular frameworks, including ONNX and PyTorch
Real-World Use & Early Adoption
Qualcomm expects the IQ-X series to show up soon in industrial equipment designed by early partners. Companies like Advantech, congatec, NEXCOM, Portwell, SECO, and Tria are already building modules and systems around these processors.
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