Anduril, Qualcomm launch BlueChip, a new kind of US-made laptop

Anduril founder Palmer Luckey is vowing to bring computer manufacturing back to the U.S. And by that, he doesn’t just mean assembly, but the production of every individual component, some of which are exclusively made in China today. Anduril is partnering with Qualcomm to achieve that mission with a new computer called BlueChip, the companies announced Tuesday.

BlueChip will be available for preorder in 2027. While technical details are scant — Anduril hasn’t even finished contracting with all its component suppliers yet, according to Luckey — this first product will be a hardened laptop. It will be designed to withstand the most grueling physical environments and meet the security-conscious needs of the military, government, first responders and law enforcement.

For the first generation, about 90% of its components will be made in the U.S. or in allied countries, Anduril says, most notably its CPU. BlueChip will run on a Snapdragon X Series built at TSCM’s massive new facility in Arizona. The CPU uses the same architecture that powers other laptops, including the Microsoft Surface, Qualcomm CEO Cristiano Amon said during the press conference.

I mean the the magnetics. All of it.” Right now, for instance, Luckey says he’s found an American supplier for the glass that covers the display, but the display itself is one of several components he says are only manufactured in China. While Luckey says consumers are welcome to order a BlueChip — the company may even create a waiting list for interested consumers — this first PC won’t be designed for them.

For one thing, as a hardened computer, it will be heavy and have battery-life constraints because of the engineering required to withstand rain, dust, and other rugged conditions. The bigger point is to offer U.S. government agencies a product that complies with regulations requiring them to buy U.S.-made computers. In this case, the selling point is a transparent supply chain that customers can track and audit.

You fully control it,” Luckey described in a recent interview. While Anduril hasn’t yet announced pricing, Luckey estimates it will cost about 20% more than typical high-end PCs. I’m just talking about your average person consumer, right, who doesn’t have any real need for this,” Luckey said.