Snapdragon X Elite is about to take on Intel and Apple processors. Announced during the Snapdragon Summit 2023, the new mobile platform features the custom integrated Qualcomm Oryon CPU, which promises to deliver CPU performance up to 2x faster than the competition at one-third the power.
Using Qualcomm AI Engine, Snapdragon X Elite can run generative AI models with over 13 billion parameters on the device. The company claims that the mobile platform has 4.5 times faster AI processing than its competitors. In addition to facilitating productivity and creativity, the platform also promises to offer “several days of battery life,” according to Qualcomm.
We won’t see what the Snapdragon If that happens, the best Windows laptops of the future could match the best MacBooks.
Here you will find everything you need to know about Snapdragon X Elite.
Snapdragon X Elite: Availability
The first devices with Snapdragon X Elite chips won’t arrive until mid-2024 at the earliest, according to Qualcomm. We have yet to hear which manufacturers will produce devices with the new CPU, but I suspect partners like Lenovo (which launched the Snapdragon-powered Lenovo ThinkPad X13s) will be on board.
You can’t buy it separately since Snapdragon X Elite is a mobile CPU. Prices for laptops with X Elite processor will vary depending on the manufacturer and specifications of the device.
Snapdragon X Elite: specifications and performance
According to Qualcomm, Snapdragon X Elite is the “most powerful, intelligent and efficient processor in its class for Windows.”
The chip is based on the same 4nm process as the announced Snapdragon 8 Gen 3. Snapdragon Its CPU memory architecture has up to 136 GB/s of bandwidth and 42 MB of total cache.
According to Qualcomm, the X Elite chip has up to two times faster CPU performance than its competitors with the same power. As you can see in the chart above, those competitors are the 13th Gen Intel Core i7-1355U (10 cores) and i7-1360P (12 cores). The chart also claims that the Qualcomm processor matches the competition’s peak PC performance with 68% less power than the aforementioned Intel CPUs. We see similar results when Qualcomm compares its upcoming chip to the Core i7-13800H (14 cores).
The integrated Adreno GPU supposedly “delivers stunning graphics for immersive entertainment.” It offers support for 4K displays at 120Hz and HDR10. It also supports triple UHD (4K) and double 5K external displays. This should be good news for those with multi-monitor setups.
Based on the graph above, the Adreno GPU has up to 2x faster integrated GPU performance than the Core i7-13800H CPU with its Intel Xe graphics. The chart also claims that Qualcomm’s processor matches its competitor’s peak PC performance with 74% less power. Compared to the AMD Ryzen 9 7940HS, the graph shows up to 80% faster CPU performance and 80% lower power consumption.
Qualcomm’s claims are impressive. However, we’ll need to install a laptop with a Snapdragon X Elite chip in our test lab to see how the best PC games run on those devices.
Snapdragon X Elite: our own tests
We put the Snapdragon X Elite to the test ourselves against some benchmarks when we attended a recent event. What’s interesting is that the Snapdragon
The table above shows how well the X Elite performs on multi-threaded tasks. It appears that Qualcomm’s chip will be more capable than not only Apple’s mid- and low-end chips, but also Intel’s higher-performance Core Ultra chipset in the 9 185H.
Snapdragon X Elite: Qualcomm AI engine
Given the recent interest in AI, it’s no surprise that Qualcomm is emphasizing the AI and machine learning features of the Snapdragon X Elite. We heard similar discussions when the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip was announced, but this time the company seems to be pushing AI even more, which is normal these days in the tech industry.
Getting back to the details, the Qualcomm AI Engine is powered by an upgraded Hexagon NPU capable of 75 TOPS (trillion operations per second). It is capable of running generative AI LLM (large language models) on more than 13 billion parameters on the device at speeds 4.5 times faster than the competition, according to Qualcomm.
The updated Micro NPU within the Qualcomm Sensing Hub features improved security and privacy and the ability to wake the device when it is in sleep mode. Qualcomm AI Engine also supports Windows Studio Effects and other AI-accelerated applications. Support for INT4 precision should also increase performance per watt by 68%.
In simple terms, this should provide faster text responses and image generation when using AI. Qualcomm says its updated AI engine is faster than the competition, but we’ll have to put that claim to the test ourselves.
Snapdragon X Elite: outlook
The Snapdragon X Elite platform looks like a promising alternative to Intel and Apple processors, at least based on what Qualcomm provided. The raw computing power is great, but I personally want to see how devices with an X Elite chip improve the overall experience. Specifically, I’m interested in seeing how the updated Qualcomm AI Engine accelerates AI workloads on the device.
We’ll have to wait until the middle of next year to see what this new mobile CPU can actually do. Stay tuned for more updates as we hear them.
- Samsung Galaxy S24 includes an improved Snapdragon 8 Gen 3
- I’m excited about the supposed Apple M2 rival, the Snapdragon 8cx Gen 4
- Meta Quest Pro: Qualcomm just signed for a ‘long haul’
