Snapdragon X Elite processors explained

If you take a look at your desktop’s cabinet or beneath the keyboard deck of your laptop, you’ll likely notice a sticker from either Intel or AMD, indicating the processor brand powering your machine. However, in the coming days, you can expect to see an increasing number of laptops featuring a new, albeit familiar logo. We are, of course, referring to Qualcomm’s Snapdragon brand, which is best known for powering millions of smartphones. That said, the company is hoping to get a slice of the PC biz with its X Elite and X Plus range of SoCs. 

While this development bodes well for consumers, it can also confuse a lot of buyers. So, let’s take a closer look at Qualcomm’s latest offering and how it sets itself apart from the current crop of processors powering Windows PCs. 

What is Snapdragon X?

As prefaced previously, Snapdragon X is a new range of processors that will power Windows laptops. So, instead of, say, a Core Ultra 5 125H or an AMD Ryzen 7 7735HS processor, vendors can now outfit their machines with a Snapdragon X Elite X1E-84-100 SoC. We know, the name is a mouthful. Thankfully, Qualcomm has only announced four processors in the X series thus far, so you should be able to differentiate between them without too much hassle. Take a look at the table attached below for a glimpse into the entire lineup. 

ProcessorCoresDual Core BoostQualcomm Hexagon NPUMemory Type
Snapdragon X1E-84-100124.2GHz45 TOPSLPDDR5x
Snapdragon X1E-80-100124.0GHz45 TOPSLPDDR5x
Snapdragon X1E-78-10012N/A45 TOPSLPDDR5x
Snapdragon X1P-64-10010N/A45 TOPSLPDDR5x


Much like Intel and AMD, Qualcomm has also segregated the processors into different performance tiers. You can break down the name of each processor to understand where it slots in the lineup. Take the X1E-84-100, for instance, which is the fastest processor of the lot. Here, the ‘1′ denotes the first generation of Snapdragon X processors. 

The ‘E’ and ‘P’ act as crucial indicators for the end consumer, signifying if the SoC is from Qualcomm’s premium Elite line or more gettable Plus line. Up next is ‘84′, which is the SKU number. Per Qualcomm, the higher this number, the better. This will help users compare processors within the same tier. With the basics out of the way, let’s dive deeper. 

As prefaced previously, the X1E-84-100 sits at the top and offers 12 Oryon cores. Incidentally, two of the twelve cores in the X1E-84-100 and the X1E-80-100 support Dual-Core Boost technology and can turbo up to 4.2GHz and 4.0GHz respectively. In addition, the entire lineup comes with a dedicated NPU with 45TOPS of computing prowess. All SoCs also support speedy LPDDR5x RAM running at up to 8,448MT/s.

Why is Snapdragon X Relevant?

By now, you must be wondering why the industry is celebrating the launch of a handful of new processors. After all, Intel and AMD routinely develop processors, although the announcements mostly fly under the radar. Well, unlike the current crop of Intel and AMD processors, Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X range doesn’t use the x86 architecture. Instead, the X Elite and X Plus processors are ARM-based Systems on a Chip. 

In other words, Windows laptops are receiving similar treatment as MacBooks when Apple introduced its in-house M series of SoCs which also utilise ARM-based architecture. Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X range hopes to be the torchbearer for a new era of Windows laptops — laptops that, among other things, offer impeccable battery backup and unmatched performance.

Now, if you frequent tech forums, then you’ll immediately notice an issue with Qualcomm’s bold statements — compatibility. You see, ARM-based processors don’t gel well with apps designed for x86 systems and vice versa. As one can imagine, this limits the laptop’s utility and even affects its performance when running non-native apps.

Thankfully, Microsoft is rolling out a Windows update (24H2) which should sort out most of these performance niggles. The update introduces Prism, a translation layer similar to Rosetta on Mac which should improve the performance of non-native, emulated apps on your ARM PC. In theory, you should be able to run most apps on a Snapdragon X-based PC just as you would on an Intel/AMD-backed machine. 

What is Qualcomm Promising? 

To sum up, Qualcomm has introduced a new processor range that uses a completely different architecture and requires a translation layer to run the bulk of apps. From an end consumer’s point of view, this can seem like a step in the wrong direction, considering Intel / AMD processors gel well with all apps from the get-go. So, what gives? 

Well, tightly integrating all core components on a SoC has its benefits. Qualcomm claims its Snapdragon X range is faster and more efficient than competing processors from Intel, AMD, and Apple’s stables. You can refer to the graph above, wherein the company’s X Elite SoC outperformed Intel’s Core Ultra 9 185H and the AMD Ryzen 9 7940HS processors in the Geekbench 6 benchmark. At the same time, it could do so by drawing much less power. 

It also lasted much longer in a Video playback test. According to Qualcomm, a laptop with a Snapdragon X Elite processor offered 60 percent better battery life than an Intel Core Ultra 7 155H-powered device in local video playback using the VLC media player. Note that laptops powered by Intel’s Core Ultra 7 155H already offer good battery life. 

For instance, the Galaxy Book4 Pro 360 can last over 10 hours in PCMark’s Battery Video loop test. Needless to say, Qualcomm’s slated improvements would ensure we are no longer slaves to a Windows laptop’s feeble battery backup. These laptops also come with the fastest NPU with better-sustained performance and offer faster app launch times compared to Intel’s Core Ultra 7 155H processor. 

Initially, there might be a risk of some apps being unsupported or poorly optimised on these laptops. However, the situation isn’t all that bleak. In fact, Qualcomm claims the Snapdragon X range natively supports hundreds of the most used apps, including those in Microsoft’s Office suite and other notable tools like Photoshop, Lightroom, DaVinci Resolve, Slack, Teams, and more. You can also visit worksonwoa to get a comprehensive list of all games supported on ARM devices. As of the writing of this article, the list comprises 1,200+ games, including titles like Baldur’s Gate 3, F1 2022, and more. Moreover, as more developers get on board and offer more natively-supported apps, the situation should improve drastically, and quite quickly too. 

All things AI

AI has been the buzzword this year, and you’d be right to assume that the upcoming Snapdragon X-powered laptops are infused with AI smarts, too. On that note, most of the debutants, including ASUS’ Vivobook S 15 and the Dell XPS 13, fit the criteria for Microsoft’s Copilot Plus PCs, and their dedicated NPUs facilitate features like enabling Live Captions that can translate any live or prerecorded audio in real-time. 

They can also use the CoCreator or Image Creator in Paint to leverage generative AI and whip up artsy photos. Windows Studio effects also deserve mention, as they seamlessly integrate with many communication apps like Teams and allow users to add background blur or use features like auto-framing during video calls. Microsoft’s Recall feature, controversial for taking snapshots of the screen every few seconds, can also be enabled to quickly find stored photos or text excerpts on your PC.

In addition, the new Snapdragon laptops can also supercharge features within certain applications. For instance, these PCs can cut down the time it takes to apply visual effects like Magic Mask in DaVinci Resolve Studio. 

Dream Realised

Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X range of processors power a number of thin-and-light laptops. ASUS’ Vivobook S 15 is among the first in India to use the Snapdragon X Elite platform. However, other laptop makers will be announcing their contenders in the space soon.

While the jury is out on the new ARM-based processors, Qualcomm has undoubtedly spiced up the laptop segment. Adding to the intrigue, these new AI PCs have been priced the same as their Intel counterparts. Do let us know what you make of Qualcomm’s latest developments in the comments below.

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