Qualcomm Snapdragon X Plus 8-core: Why it’s a big deal for budget laptops?

The new chips come in two flavors: the snappily-named X1P-46-100 and the X1P-42-100. 

The X1P-46-100 can boost its CPU up to 4.0 GHz for single-core tasks, with a GPU delivering 2.1 TFLOPS of performance (compared to 3.8 TFLOPS for the 10-core X Plus, and 4.6 for the top Snapdragon X Elite variants).

The X1P-42-100, on the other hand, only boosts up to 3.4 GHz and has a 1.7 TFLOPS GPU. Despite the differences, all of Qualcomm’s NPUs offer 45 trillion operations per second (TOPS) – that’s the same for even Snapdragon X Elite — and PCs using these chips will feature the Copilot+ label.

According to Microsoft, laptops with these new Qualcomm chips will be able to run more generative AI and machine learning tasks locally rather than using cloud services. 

Even if you’re not excited about the AI trend, there’s a benefit to the Copilot+ PC label. Every laptop with it will come with at least 16GB of RAM and 256GB of solid-state storage, making them better suited for web browsing and general-purpose computing.

Here’s the not-so-surprising news: benchmarks suggest these chips won’t break any speed records. However, for everyday tasks like browsing, document editing, and streaming, they should be perfectly capable.

Let’s break it down with some numbers. In a test run by Tom’s Guide on the Asus Vivo S 15, provided by Qualcomm, here’s how the X Plus chips compare to the current Apple M3 MacBook Air in Geekbench 6:

As you can see, both single-core and multi-core performance are a step behind Apple’s offering. You’ll see a similar story with graphics, with the more powerful X1P-46-100 hitting around 26 FPS in the demanding WildLife Extreme Vulkan benchmark.

The good news? This toned-down performance could translate to longer battery life. We haven’t seen official figures yet, but with less processing power needed, these chips could potentially power your laptop for longer stretches. Time will tell if manufacturers can leverage this potential advantage.

With the announcement, a bunch of manufacturers jumped on board. Asus has a Vivobook S 15 sporting the 8-core X Plus for a cool $899 – a significant price drop compared to its 12-core X Elite sibling, which can set you back $1,300. Dell’s Inspiron 14 also joins the party at the $899 mark thanks to this new chip.

Expect similar announcements from the likes of Acer, HP, Lenovo, and Samsung. We’ve already heard rumors of the $999 Acer Swift Go 14 AI and a new 15-inch Samsung Galaxy Book4 Edge arriving in October.

There’s no doubt that these budget-friendly Snapdragon X Plus laptops will take a while to hit store shelves. But the price points give you a good idea of what to expect.

So, who should consider a laptop with this new Snapdragon X Plus chip? Here’s the lowdown:

• Budget-Conscious Buyers: This is a clear win for those looking for an AI-powered laptop experience without breaking the bank. Starting prices around $700 would be a significant step down from current offerings.
• Battery Life Priority: If a good battery life in a Windows machine is what you want, these chips could be worth investigating, especially if manufacturers optimize their designs for low power consumption.

The Snapdragon X Plus 8-core is a curious proposition. It offers enticing affordability and the promise of AI integration for everyday tasks. However, the performance dip compared to current top performers is undeniable.

The key will be to see how these chips perform in real-world applications, and how manufacturers integrate them into their laptops. If you prioritize affordability and battery life, and your needs don’t involve demanding tasks, the X Plus could be a solid option.

However, if raw performance is your top concern, you might be better off looking at higher-end offerings from Qualcomm or sticking with established players like Apple.