Key Takeaways:
- Qualcomm announced the Snapdragon X Elite chip for high-end Windows on Arm PCs, offering 2x better CPU and GPU performance than existing x86 processors.
- Qualcomm claims single-core CPU performance exceeds Apple’s M2 Max at 30% less power consumption
- The Snapdragon X Elite features a 4nm System-on-a-Chip architecture, 12 high-performance cores, LPDDR5x RAM support, and Adreno GPU with 4.6 TFLOPs.
Qualcomm has just kicked off its Snapdragon 2023 Summit in Hawaii, and the company announced the new Snapdragon X Elite chip designed from the ground up for high-end Windows on Arm PCs.
Snapdragon X Elite multi-threaded performance
The Snapdragon X Elite features the custom integrated Oryon CPU and Qualcomm claims that it offers 2x better CPU (and GPU) multi-threaded performance than Intel’s post popular 10 (i7-1335U) and 12-core (i7-1360P) CPUs with 68% less power consumption. Qualcomm also claimed that Oryon beats Intel’s i7-13800H high-performance 14-core CPU with 60% faster performance and 65% less power usage.
Qualcomm claims that the Snapdragon X Elite will offer 50 percent better multithreaded performance than Apple’s M2 chip – but didn’t specify at what cost to power consumption.
Snapdragon X Elite single-threaded performance
At the keynote, CEO Cristiano Amon said Oryon’s single-core CPU performance exceeds Apple’s M2 Max and if you want to match that performance, it can do it with 30% less power consumption. Oryon single-threaded performance also beats the leading x86 CPU, which was shown as the Intel i9-13980HX during the presentation.
Qualcomm Oryon CPU 4nm manufacturing process
The Snapdragon X Elite chip uses a 4nm manufacturing process. It bundles 12 high-performance cores running at up to 3.8GHz and a dual-core boost frequency of up to 4.3GHz. The new chip has LPDDR5x RAM support, with up to 136GB/s memory bandwidth. The Snapdragon X Elite also features a Qualcomm Adreno GPU with support for 4.6 TFLOPs and DX12 API.
Additionally, the Snapdragon X Elite has an integrated Hexagon NPU (Neural Processing Unit), allowing AI models and LLMs to run on a device at over 13 billion parameters. It’s a significant performance improvement compared to its predecessor, the Snapdragon 8cx Gen3 SoC. The new Snapdragon X Elite chip also supports 5G, WiFi 7, and Bluetooth 5.4.
Qualcomm emphasized that the Snapdragon X Elite is designed to enhance power efficiency, offering up to multiple days of battery life on a single charge. It leverages generative AI models that tap into more than 13 billion on-device parameters to boost productivity and creativity on Windows on Arm devices.
“Snapdragon X Elite represents a dramatic leap in innovation for computing as we deliver our new, custom Qualcomm Oryon CPU for super-charged performance that will delight consumers with incredible power efficiency and take their creativity and productivity to the next level,” said Kedar Kondap, Senior Vice President & General Manager of Compute & Gaming at Qualcomm “Powerful on-device AI experiences will enable seamless multitasking and new intuitive user experiences, empowering consumers and businesses alike to create and accomplish more.”
Qualcomm says that new ARM-based Windows PCs, powered by the Snapdragon X Elite, will be available in mid-2024. Here are other major features that the Snapdragon X Elite will support:
- Enterprise-grade security for enhanced protection
- AV1 encode and decode support for up to 4K HDR video streaming
- Support for up to three external UHD monitors running at 60 Hz
- Advanced MIPI camera support that offers intelligent features (background blur, facial authentication, and auto-framing)
Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X Elite Chip competes with Apple, Intel, and AMD CPUs
Qualcomm, a leading smartphone chip manufacturer, faces serious competition from market leaders Intel and AMD in the PC market. However, Qualcomm chips offer better performance per watt, and they also include a neural processing unit (NPU) for AI workloads, something that Intel and AMD are just starting to integrate. NPUs are currently required for system-level features such as Windows Studio Effects on Windows 11, currently only available on Windows on Arm PCs. These advancements are reshaping the PC landscape and positioning Qualcomm as a key player in the future of computing.
It’s important to note that Nvidia and AMD are actively working on ARM-based chips for PCs. It highlights the growing importance of ARM architecture in the personal computing landscape. Notably, Qualcomm’s previous attempts at ARM-based chips have left room for improvement, leaving a void in the market that Nvidia and AMD are poised to fill.
What do you think about Qualcomm’s performance claims? Could the Snapdragon Elite X ignite Windows on Arm laptops in the marketplace?