Qualcomm Unveils Snapdragon X2 Plus Chips to Power Copilot+ PCs
Faster, more efficient Snapdragon chips power the next generation of Copilot+ PCs.
Key Takeaways:
- Snapdragon X2 Plus boosts CPU, GPU, and on-device AI performance.
- Qualcomm positions the chips as efficient rivals to Intel laptops.
- First devices are appearing ahead of a wider 2026 rollout.
Qualcomm has announced its next-gen Snapdragon X2 Plus processors, which promise a major boost in performance and efficiency. These new chips are expected to appear in a new wave of Copilot+ PCs starting in the first half of this year.
Last Fall, Qualcomm first launched its Snapdragon X2 Elite and Snapdragon X2 Elite Extreme processors for ARM-based PCs. These chips, which are designed for “ultra-premium” devices, come in three SKUs with 12 to 18 cores, boost frequencies up to 5 GHz, GPUs up to 1.85 GHz, and a large cache for high-performance computing.
The new Snapdragon X2 Plus chips are available in two SKUs: the X2P-64-100, a 10-core variant, and the X2P-42-100, which features six cores. These new processors feature a maximum 4 GHz clock speed, support for high-speed LPDDR5x memory, and an NPU that offers up to 80 TOPS (trillion operations per second) for local AI workloads.
Performance and efficiency gains over previous Snapdragon X chips
Compared to the previous-generation Snapdragon X processors, Qualcomm claims that the new third-generation Oryon CPU cores offer up to 35 percent faster performance in single-core tasks and 17 percent faster performance in multi-core tasks. The Adreno GPU delivers a 39% boost in graphics performance, while the upgraded Hexagon NPU offers a 78% increase in AI processing power over the original Snapdragon X Plus series.
“Modern professionals and creators want to do more, create more, and push the limits of generative AI and all-day performance. Snapdragon X2 Plus platform delivers the power, efficiency and intelligence to surpass their ambitions, making each experience more responsive and personal,” said Kedar Kondap, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Computing and Gaming, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc.
Qualcomm’s internal Geekbench 6.5 multi-core tests suggest that the 10-core Snapdragon X2 Plus outperforms Intel’s current-generation chips by around 52% when both operate at about 25 watts of platform power. However, it remains unclear how this advantage will hold up against Intel’s upcoming Panther Lake processors.
Connectivity, display, and platform features
According to Qualcomm, the new Snapdragon X2 Plus chips provide built-in support for Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4, along with an optional 5G modem for seamless mobile connectivity. These processors support up to three 4K displays simultaneously through up to USB 4.0 Type-C ports, which makes them ideal for high-performance, multi-monitor setups.
Qualcomm expects the Snapdragon X2 Plus chips to appear in select devices from major manufacturers starting in the first half of 2026. Some models have already debuted at CES, including HP’s OmniBook 5 14, which features the X2P-64-100 processor paired with up to 32GB of memory.
Rabia has a master's degree in Software Engineering and she has years of experience writing professionally about Microsoft products and other technologies. Rabia has also written for OnMSFT.com as well as Windows Report. She is always up to date on t...
