Romance of three Kingdom

My laptop was not functioning properly recently. Upon first start up everyday, it tended to hang followed by a system reset. This happens only once everyday and it just functioning normally thereafter.

I figure that it is time to get a new one. 

While researching on different brands of laptop, I came to notice that the CPU models has not changed much, with Intel having its i5, i7 and i9, while AMD on Ryzen 5, 7 and 9. 

As I am about to go for a trip in Taiwan, I was thinking maybe I should get my laptop while on tour, after all, Taiwanese companies such as Acer and Asus are major players in laptop arena, and I am certainly a fan of Asus.

It is to my surprise that there are a lot more models of laptop in Taiwan with AMD CPU, compared to a more Intel coverage in Singapore.Moreover, there is a newcomer to the world of Laptop, Qualcom SnapDragon.

 Qualcom original focus was on mobile products such as smartphones and tablet, their strength was an efficient processing resulting in applications of smaller storage size and quick processing. However, it normally works together with Android OS, an alternative to the Window OS.

So it is to my surprise to see laptop with Snapdragon CPU operating on MS Window 11 OS.

With the CPU technology on stagnation and new competition, how is it affecting the giants in the market?

Let's start with Qualcom.

Fig 1 Qualcom weekly chart

Qualcom has been on the rise since year 2000, that was during the time of Covid lockdown. It corrected between 2022 to 2024 then on continuation till 17th June 2024.

It did not reach its 100^% projection objective.

Between June 2024 till now, it has been on decline. This is interesting, because between June 2024 till July 2025, it was on a 5-wave down. While it attempted to recover thereafter, It actually moved in a 3-wave pattern peaking by 27th October 2025. It has since been on continuation downward till now. 

So am I seeing a bear continuation or maybe there is some hope?

First off, I have not seen signal from the moving average, not just yet. the alignment is still with indication of support for uptrend. Furthermore, it is now resting right on top of the 55-week moving average. I believe it may head back up in the short run.

At the same time, I am seeing sluggish behavior on MACD, indicating a weak momentum for up climb, Only exception is that there is not yet a divergence indication. 

I think it may continue to congest.

At present, its support levels are 95.85 to 137.94 should it continue its down trend. Resistance on the other hand will be at 185.56.

Fig 2 AMD weekly chart

AMD was on a down trend since 4th March 2024, which ended on 7th April 2025, and for some reason it reversed and reached a much higher peaking on 27th October 2025. It has started its decline since then.

There was a huge gap in its climb, while there was a short attempt to cover the gap, it continued upward. But the momentum was weak as compared to its retreat since 27th October 2025. 

The plunge broke right though the 8-week moving average. While it looks like it is making attempt to cover its gap this time, it is not. Its reversal happened right after it hit the 100% projection objective of 259.06.

At present, its closest support is its 38.2% retracement support at 194.81. But I feel that its decline may head further to its 55-week moving average of 161.66. At least this is the level that I am seeing.

Fig 3 Intel chart

Actually, of the three, Intel is the worst performing of all. Why?

While both AMD and Qualcom raised from the bottom during the year 2020, Intel was at the top, with a double top formation. Since then, it was on a decline until 7th April 2025, which is the minimum objective of its formation.

Unlike AMD, it failed to reach new high, furthermore, the moving average formation still maintains a downtrend indication. The only good news is that MACD continue to show divergence.

I suspect that Intel is on a bottom formation and it is yet to complete. 

For the time being, the closest support level is between 24.24 to 28.92. 

Looking at the three charts, I can't help but to wonder if this is an indication of Intel losing ground while both AMD and Qualcom is eating into its market share. In fact, Intel's technological advancement seems to be stagnant for some time, while breakthrough is seen on AMD and Qualcom. 

Nevertheless, CPU market is not Intel's only business. A lesser-known fact is that its second largest business group is its network product. But again, its performance seems to be very weak when compared to another brand in the market, Broadcom. 

While I am reluctant to analyze Broadcom chart at the moment, it's level is even higher than that of AMD ( 188.50 ) and Qualcom ( 163.30 ) at 324.85. Intel share is at 34.50. 

 The market certainly does not view Intel favorably. Intel has been cannibalizing on its former reputation as a leader in the CPU and network solution market. It may already be at the end of this market perception. Already many already been claiming of AMD Ryzen supersedes that of the Intel core due to its 6nm solution while Intel at 0.775. 

Intel really need to review its market strategy or it will slowly become irrelevant.