Qualcomm's New Snapdragon X Elite Raises Concerns for Intel and AMD
Over 20 new laptops use the Snapdragon X Elite CPU. Promises improved performance and longer battery life. It has a 12-core Qualcomm Oryon CPU, an Adrena GPU, and a Hexagon neural processing unit.
Qualcomm is partnering with prominent companies such as Acer, Asus, Dell, HP, Lenovo, Microsoft, and Samsung to challenge Intel and AMD's supremacy in the laptop industry.
The Snapdragon X Elite CPU stands out for its promise of improved performance and longer battery life. Premium models, such as Dell's XPS 13, will be powered by this new Qualcomm CPU, providing customers with a consistent experience across several apps, including gaming and content creation. In fact, some laptops with the Snapdragon X Elite CPU provide more than 24 hours of battery life on a single charge.
The Snapdragon X Elite CPU is powered by a Qualcomm Oryon 12-core CPU, Adrena GPU, and Hexagon NPU with 45 TOPS. While some laptops may feature somewhat lower core counts, the neural processing unit (NPU) takes the attention. The NPU is a notable feature of the Snapdragon X Elite CPU, as it is designed exclusively for generative AI workloads and uses a combination of heterogeneous CPUs.
Qualcomm's presentations at Computex featured remarkable results, with performance gains of up to 51% over AMD's Ryzen 9 7940HS and Intel's Core Ultra 9 185H. Furthermore, the Snapdragon X Elite CPU consumes up to 65 percent less power, supporting the promises of outstanding battery life.
Gaming enthusiasts will be glad to see that the Snapdragon X Elite CPU performs admirably in gaming and content creation. Qualcomm displayed popular games operating at 1080p resolution with frame rates much exceeding 30fps. The Snapdragon X Elite's GPU also supports frame rate boosting (FSR), which improves the gaming experience even further. However, Qualcomm's current concentration is on casual gamers rather than serious gamers who require high-end graphics.
Qualcomm's new Snapdragon X Elite CPU is ready to disrupt the laptop industry, challenging Intel and AMD's dominance. The Snapdragon X Elite is a force to be reckoned with thanks to its greater performance, extended battery life, and support from leading laptop makers.
Over 20 launch laptops featuring the Snapdragon X Elite CPU
Promises enhanced performance and extended battery life
Features a Qualcomm Oryon 12-core CPU, Adrena GPU, and Hexagon NPU
Source: FORBES