Microsoft’s latest Surface convertible PC makes certain compromises to favor a lower profile and affordability. But the Surface Go was originally envisioned to be the company’s first Windows 10 computer with a Qualcomm Snapdragon processor inside — and no, Windows 10 Mobile doesn’t count.

Longtime Microsoft reporter Paul Thurrott has written insights on a premium article on his site talking about how Intel had received intelligence of Microsoft’s plans and decided to confront one of its most vital clients with its own tender. The Pentium Gold 4415Y — a dual-core Kaby Lake CPU which was the only product available with passive cooling — was offered at a significant discount. No issues had come up against Qualcomm’s solution, it was just that Intel decided to rush in and offer a fairly competent and a very cheap alternative.

Fair enough. Intel failed to notch an Apple 5G modem job for 2020 and it will probably be displaced in at least one MacBook Pro model around that time. The company needs grip wherever it can hold it.