Qualcomm has unveiled its latest processors, the Snapdragon X Elite and Snapdragon X Plus, for Windows computers. The American technology company, best known for powering smartphones, says these new chips are the fastest and most power-efficient yet for Windows PCs. With this move, Qualcomm is stepping directly into a competitive space dominated by Intel and AMD, while also taking aim at Apple’s widely praised M-series chips used in MacBooks.
Key Takeaways
- New Processors: Qualcomm launched the Snapdragon X Elite and X Plus chips for Windows PCs.
- Performance Claim: The company says these chips deliver better CPU performance than Apple’s M3 and Intel’s Core Ultra 7, all while using far less power.
- Core Technology: The processors are built around a custom Oryon CPU that is designed for both speed and long battery life.
- AI Focus: A powerful Neural Processing Unit (NPU) is included to handle artificial intelligence tasks directly on the laptop.
At the center of these new Snapdragon processors is the Oryon CPU, designed in-house after Qualcomm’s acquisition of Nuvia, a startup founded by former Apple chip engineers. The Snapdragon X Elite, the more advanced of the two, comes with 12 Oryon cores. According to Qualcomm’s own testing, its multi-core performance is up to 28 percent faster than Apple’s M3 chip. When compared to an Intel Core Ultra 7 155H, the company says its chip can reach the same peak performance while using 60 percent less power. That kind of efficiency could translate into significantly longer battery life for laptops.
Artificial intelligence plays a central role in Qualcomm’s announcement. The Snapdragon X Elite comes equipped with an NPU capable of 45 trillion operations per second (TOPS). Unlike a general CPU or GPU, an NPU is tailored for running AI tasks efficiently. This means features such as Microsoft’s Copilot, real-time language translation, and advanced photo editing can run locally on the laptop without relying on the cloud or draining too much battery.
For years, Windows laptops have been dominated by Intel and AMD processors. Qualcomm is now positioning the Snapdragon X Elite and X Plus as an alternative that blends high-end performance with the battery life users expect from their smartphones. It is a strategy that echoes Apple’s transition from Intel chips to its own M-series processors.
Several major PC makers are preparing to release laptops powered by these new Snapdragon chips. Microsoft is expected to showcase them in its upcoming Surface devices, while brands such as Dell, HP, Lenovo, and Samsung are also lining up to bring Snapdragon-powered models to market. These next-generation “AI PCs” are expected to roll out worldwide, including in India, beginning in mid-2024.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. What is the Snapdragon X Elite?
A. The Snapdragon X Elite is a new processor made by Qualcomm for Windows laptops. It is designed to provide very high performance and long battery life, with a special focus on running AI applications.
Q. Is the Snapdragon X Elite better than an Apple M3 chip?
A.According to Qualcomm’s performance data, the Snapdragon X Elite’s 12-core CPU has a faster multi-core performance than the Apple M3 chip. However, real-world performance will depend on the final laptop design and the specific software being used.
Q. Which laptops will use the Snapdragon X Elite chip?
A. Major brands including Microsoft (for its Surface line), Dell, HP, Lenovo, Acer, and Samsung have announced plans to release laptops with the Snapdragon X Elite and X Plus chips.
Q. What is an NPU in a laptop?
A. An NPU, or Neural Processing Unit, is a specialized processor inside the main chip that is designed to handle AI and machine learning tasks very quickly and efficiently, using less battery power than the main CPU or graphics card (GPU).
