I was present at a recent event at the Croma retail store in Juhu, Mumbai, where Senior Vice President and General Manager of Compute and Gaming, Kedar Kondap, announced Qualcomm’s first Snapdragon Experience Zone in India. After the event, I had the chance to talk to about the existing Snapdragon X lineup, which includes three options: Snapdragon X, X Plus, and X Elite.

The discussion covered how the Snapdragon X series caters to different user needs, with AI integration via the NPU ensuring minimal battery drain even with on-device LLMs. Kedar emphasized clear product naming, India’s rapid AI adoption, and future possibilities, including ARM-powered desktops and more affordable Snapdragon-powered PCs as adoption increases. The conversation also touched on GPU performance, with Qualcomm prioritizing AI and battery life over high-end gaming graphics.

To ensure you get meaningful insights from the interview, we have divided the conversation with Mr. Kedar into five clear sections.

Battery Life is a Key Priority For Laptops

Battery life remains an important factor for today’s professionals. According to Kedar, Snapdragon understands this need, further explaining that “market research consistently shows that battery life is a top priority for PC buyers.” This consumer insight has shaped the fundamental design approach of their X Series processors.

For example, I have reviewed the VivoBook S15 Co-pilot PC powered by Snapdragon X Elite, which delivers impressive stamina, “achieving 9 to 10 hours of usage” during typical workdays. This represents a significant advancement compared to many traditional x86 laptops that require more frequent charging during intensive tasks.

Snapdragon ensures that even users who are not yet interested in on-device AI can still benefit from superior power efficiency. Kedar highlights, “Even if they’re not immediately convinced about generative AI, they’ll still benefit from the superior battery performance.”

Snapdragon Chips Integrate AI Efficiently

One of the major concerns with on-device AI processing is its potential impact on power consumption. However, Snapdragon addresses this by integrating an NPU (Neural Processing Unit) across its entire lineup. For those who don’t know, NPU is dedicated to handling AI workloads efficiently, reducing the burden on the CPU and GPU. This enhances performance and power efficiency, enabling smoother AI-driven tasks.

Kedar explains how this design choice enhances efficiency: “Leveraging our mobile heritage, we’ve been able to offload many applications to the NPU, which actually improves efficiency and reduces the impact on battery life when using on-device LLMs.”

Elite Series comes in Performance Tiers with Clear Positioning

To ensure clarity for consumers, the Snapdragon X series has a straightforward product lineup:

• Snapdragon X Elite – The highest performance tier
• Snapdragon X+ – Mid-tier, offering a balance of power and efficiency
• Snapdragon X – The entry-level option

Kedar confirms, “We want consumers to easily understand the tiers. X Elite represents the best performance, followed by X+ and then X.”

Despite offering high-end AI capabilities, Snapdragon has ensured price accessibility. Kedar states, “With prices starting around $600 for the Snapdragon X, we ensure consumers can access high-performing laptops with excellent battery life and AI capabilities across the entire product stack.”

Snapdragon X Series’ GPU Performance is Good for Everyday Tasks

While Snapdragon GPUs are not designed for high-end gaming, they offer strong performance for everyday applications, including casual gaming and AI-driven tasks.

Kedar emphasizes, “Our GPUs are excellent for casual gaming, standard applications, and even AI generation.” However, he acknowledges that Snapdragon is not targeting professional gaming:“For high-end professional gaming, a dedicated gaming GPU would be more suitable.”

This makes Snapdragon-powered PCs ideal for professionals, students, and general users who prioritize battery life and AI capabilities over extreme graphics performance.“

Future Outlook and Market Expansion of X Series Chips

Snapdragon is making significant strides in expanding its X Series lineup, with growing adoption across manufacturers. Kedar highlights, “We’ve already announced over 70 or 80 devices, either launched or in development, featuring Snapdragon processors.”

As more manufacturers integrate Snapdragon X chips, prices are expected to become more competitive, making ARM-powered PCs a mainstream choice.

Snapdragon-powered laptops are gradually becoming more affordable, with Snapdragon X-powered models like the Acer Swift Go A14 and Asus VivoBook 16 priced at Rs 50,000 and Rs 65,900, respectively.

Additionally, Snapdragon is expanding beyond just laptops, with mini desktops and small form factor devices already announced at CES 2024. This signals potential entry into the desktop market in the near future.

Conclusion

Snapdragon’s X series processors strike a balance between performance, battery life, and AI capabilities. By leveraging efficient NPUs and a clear product positioning strategy, they cater to a wide range of users.

Kedar summarizes this approach: “Our current focus is on performance, battery life, and AI capabilities across the entire product stack.”

With continued price reductions and increased adoption, Snapdragon-powered PCs are set to become a viable alternative to traditional x86 laptops.

In related news, Snapdragon India hosted a dedicated launch event on February 24 to unveil the Snapdragon X platform. It highlighted AI innovations, including regional LLMs and advanced on-device AI capabilities. At the event, Asus introduced the Snapdragon X-powered Vivobook 16 and Zenbook A14. To ensure swift delivery, Flipkart confirmed that Snapdragon X laptops will be available through its Flipkart Minutes service, guaranteeing delivery within 10 minutes.

The post Interview with Qualcomm’s Senior VP: How Snapdragon X Series chips Balance Power with Battery Life in Next-Gen Laptops appeared first on Gizmochina.

Qualcomm has recently expanded its Snapdragon X lineup, introducing the Snapdragon X as an entry-level SoC alongside its already popular Snapdragon X Plus. With these two processors, Qualcomm is aiming to capture a wide spectrum of the laptop market from budget-friendly models to mid-range options, while also challenging traditional x86 players like Intel and AMD. But how do these two Snapdragon chips stack up against each other? Let’s dive into the details and explore their differences, strengths, and use cases.

Core Architecture and Performance

Both the Snapdragon X and Snapdragon X Plus are based on Qualcomm’s custom Oryon CPU cores, which are designed to deliver high efficiency and competitive performance using the ARM architecture. The Snapdragon X features eight CPU cores clocked at up to 3.0 GHz, whereas the Snapdragon X Plus comes in two configurations: a 10-core variant clocked at up to 3.4 GHz and an 8-core version clocked at up to 3.2 GHz.

The additional cores and higher clock speeds in the Snapdragon X Plus allow it to handle more demanding workloads, making it better suited for professional users and multitasking-heavy scenarios.

In terms of cache, the Snapdragon X offers 30 MB of total cache, while the Snapdragon X Plus configurations boast 42 MB. This difference contributes to the X Plus’s superior performance in applications that rely on high memory bandwidth, such as content creation and software development.

Graphics and GPU Capabilities

Both processors are equipped with an Adreno GPU, but their performance levels vary significantly. The Snapdragon X features a GPU capable of delivering up to 1.7 TFLOPS, which is sufficient for light gaming, older titles, and casual media editing.

On the other hand, the Snapdragon X Plus has a more powerful GPU with a performance capability of up to 3.8 TFLOPS in its 10-core version, making it ideal for more graphics-intensive tasks like 3D rendering and gaming at higher resolutions.

Both chips support DirectX 12 and hardware acceleration for modern video codecs such as AV1, HEVC, and H.264, ensuring smooth video streaming and multimedia playback.

AI and NPU Performance

The Snapdragon X series integrates Qualcomm’s Hexagon NPU, delivering 45 TOPS (trillion operations per second) of AI performance. This advanced NPU powers both the Snapdragon X and Snapdragon X Plus, enabling features such as real-time voice transcription, image enhancement, and AI-based productivity tools like Microsoft‘s Copilot+ features. With identical NPU performance, both processors offer exceptional AI-driven capabilities while maintaining affordability.

Memory, Connectivity, and Battery Life

Memory configurations are identical across both chips, with support for LPDDR5x RAM running at up to 8448 MT/s, delivering bandwidths of 135 GB/s. This ensures efficient multitasking and seamless AI processing, regardless of the chosen processor.

Connectivity features are also consistent, with both processors supporting Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4, and Snapdragon X65 5G modems for ultra-fast wireless communication.

However, due to its higher performance ceiling, the Snapdragon X Plus is slightly more power-hungry, operating between 15W and 35W, compared to the Snapdragon X’s range of 15W to 30W. This translates to a minor trade-off in battery life for the X Plus in exchange for its superior performance.

Use Cases and Target Markets

The Snapdragon X is tailored for entry-level laptops priced around $600. It is ideal for students, freelance workers, and budget-conscious consumers who prioritize battery life and basic computing tasks over raw power. Its 8-core design and efficient power consumption make it a compelling option for thin-and-light laptops with long battery life.

Conversely, the Snapdragon X Plus is aimed at mid-range laptops and ultraportable professional devices priced between $800 and $1,000. It’s better suited for users who need more performance for productivity applications, creative workflows, and occasional gaming. The 10-core variant, in particular, caters to professionals looking for a balance of performance and efficiency without stepping into the premium Snapdragon X Elite territory.

We recently reviewed the compact Zaopin Z2 Mini 4K Gaming Mouse, featuring a lightweight design, hot-swappable functionality, and affordability—check it out!

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IFA 2024 is here, and I am at the event checking out new and unique products from different brands like Honor, Lenovo, Qualcomm, and more.

Today’s Tech Highlights:

1. Honor’s World-Record Foldable: Lets get into the details of the Honor Magic V3, the world’s slimmest foldable phone, and get a first-hand account of its premium feel and features.
2. Red Magic’s Transparent Gaming Tablet: We check out the unique transparent design of the Red Magic Gaming Tablet Pro and its 3D Explorer Edition, setting new standards in gaming hardware aesthetics.
3. Qualcomm’s Budget AI Powerhouse: Let’s see how the new Snapdragon X Plus processor can democratize AI-powered laptops.
4. Lenovo’s Voice-Controlled Concept Laptop: We get a glimpse of the future with Lenovo’s Auto Twist AI PC, featuring a self-rotating and closing lid controlled by voice commands.

Plus, don’t miss our roundup of other exciting stories, including Xiaomi’s buttonless smartphone concept, Tecno’s upcoming foldables, Motorola’s plans for a more affordable Razr, and our long-term review of the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra!

World’s Slimmest Foldable Phone with Snapdragon Gen 3 Is Here!

Honor took the stage at IFA Berlin 2024 to unveil its latest breakthrough in consumer electronics. One of the highlights of this event was the Magic V3. It is the world’s slimmest foldable smartphone and it packs top notch specs and features. The brand also unveiled its thin and lightweight MagicBook Art 14, and MagicPad 2 globally.

Having personally used the foldable and the laptop, I can definitely say both of them are extremely lightweight and portable. The finish is premium too, much better than the competition in the market right now.

But we’ll get into more details in our review very soon. Meanwhile, read more about the features of the phone below.

Read More

Red Magic Gaming Tablet Pro With Transparent Design Announced, 3D Explorer Edition Tags Along

The key USP of the tablet is its transparent design on the back panel, which is also the first in the segment. This gives a sci-fi look. Read more about the tablet below.

Read More

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

Qualcomm‘s Snapdragon X Elite processors have been giving Apple a run for their money when it comes to laptop performance, AI smarts, and battery life.

Now, at IFA 2024, they’re doubling down on affordability with the new Snapdragon X Plus. This lower-cost option promises to bring AI-powered laptops within reach of even tighter budgets, with potential starting prices as low as $700. 

Read More

Lenovo’s Concept Laptop Rotates and Closes Its Lid with Just a Voice Command

Lenovo showcased a concept laptop (called Lenovo Auto Twist AI PC) at the IFA in Berlin yesterday that can rotate the lid all by itself to maintain proper visibility. The lid also closes automatically when the laptop is unattended. While the wow factor of this machine lies between the lid and the base, it also features AI-enabled functionalities designed to enhance the user experience.

I will try to check out the device if its showcased in their booth later today.

Read More

More Top Stories You Might Have Missed

• Xiaomi’s first button-less smartphone surfaced: “Wangshu”
• Tecno Phantom V Fold 2 and Phantom V Flip 2 leaks in real-life photos
• Motorola is working on a cheaper Razr foldable
• Journey with the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra after using it for 8 months

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Qualcomm‘s Snapdragon X Elite processors have been giving Apple a run for their money when it comes to laptop performance, AI smarts, and battery life.

Now, at IFA 2024, they’re doubling down on affordability with the new Snapdragon X Plus. This lower-cost option promises to bring AI-powered laptops within reach of even tighter budgets, with potential starting prices as low as $700. 

Intriguing, right? But before you break out the credit card, let’s unpack what this means for your next laptop purchase.

Meet the X1P Twins

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.

The Performance Picture

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.

Who’s Getting This Chip?

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.

Who Gets the X Plus

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 Verdict

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. 

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Qualcomm is reportedly to introduce its latest addition to the Snapdragon lineup, a tone-downed version of the existing Snapdragon X Plus, during a press conference on September 4 at the IFA 2024 exhibition in Berlin.

This event, led by Qualcomm CEO Cristiano Amon, is set to showcase the first 8-core processor built on the Oryon architecture, specifically targeting the CoPilot+ notebooks market under $800.

An affordable alternative to the original 10-core X Elite

The Snapdragon X Plus (model X1P-42-100) is expected to be a more affordable alternative to the Snapdragon X Elite and the existing 10-core X Plus. Featuring an 8-core Oryon CPU built on a 4nm process, this new chip is designed to balance performance and cost, making it ideal for mid-range laptops popular with budget-conscious consumers.

Reports indicate that the Snapdragon X Plus will offer clock speeds of up to 3.4GHz on a single core and 3.2GHz in multi-core operations. The GPU integrated within this chip is an Adreno variant, capable of delivering 1.7 TFLOPS of computing power. This is notably less than the 3.8 TFLOPS offered by the flagship models, but it should still be sufficient for standard graphics workloads.

In terms of memory, the Snapdragon X Plus supports LPDDR5X RAM with a total cache of 30MB, compared to the 42MB found in the more premium X Plus variants.

Additionally, the chip will retain several key features from its more expensive counterparts, including the Qualcomm Hexagon NPU, which provides 45 TOPS of AI performance, and the Always-Sensing ISP for improved camera processing.

Connectivity options remain robust, with support for Wi-Fi 7 and 5G, ensuring that devices powered by the Snapdragon X Plus will stay current with the latest wireless technologies. The chip also supports up to three external 4K displays at 60Hz, which should appeal to users looking to build a more extensive desktop setup.

(Via 1,2)

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Qualcomm‘s foray into the Windows on Arm (WoA) laptop market with the Snapdragon X series has garnered significant attention since its launch on June 18th. 

Data from performance testing platform Geekbench reveals over 81,000 tests conducted globally in the past month, with 6.5% stemming from Snapdragon X devices. While this trails established players like Intel and AMD, it’s a respectable showing for a newcomer.

The Snapdragon X’s standout feature is its energy efficiency, heavily promoted by both Microsoft and major PC manufacturers. Benchmark tests consistently show laptops powered by the Snapdragon X achieving over 15 hours of battery life, which is impressive.

Additionally, Snapdragon X laptops are the first devices certified for Microsoft’s Copilot+ productivity suite, potentially offering improved workflow features.

However, the Snapdragon X launch hasn’t been without its hiccups. The highly anticipated Windows Recall feature was scrapped before release due to privacy and security concerns. 

Snapdragon X Elite notebooks also faced compatibility issues with apps due to their ARM architecture, and their integrated graphics performance lags behind Intel’s Arc offerings. Software developer support for the processor’s on-device AI processing also remains in its infancy, limiting the Snapdragon X’s AI capabilities.

Despite these challenges, the arrival of Snapdragon X presents a positive development for consumers. Similar to how Apple’s M-series chips disrupted the laptop market, the Snapdragon X pushes established players like Intel and AMD to innovate and deliver more powerful notebooks.

While the Snapdragon X currently doesn’t meet the needs of power users, we remain hopeful that Qualcomm will continue to make advancements. If the platform can address its existing issues, the future of the notebook processor market could see a compelling three-way battle for dominance.

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Microsoft has finally announced the 7th Edition Surface and 11th Edition Surface Pro laptops in the Indian market. These laptops feature Qualcomm’s new Snapdragon X Elite and Snapdragon X Plus processors and offer Copilot+ support as well. The latest Surface series was first announced back in May, and it’s now arriving in India.

Microsoft Surface Pro 11th Edition

The Surface Pro (2024) is the latest top end laptop from the American tech giant. It packs a 2-in-1 design since its Surface Pro Flex Keyboard is detachable. There is also a customizable haptic touchpad and integrated pen storage. The laptop is equipped with either the Snapdragon X Elite or Snapdragon X Plus with Qualcomm Hexagon NPU. The company claims that the 11th Edition Surface Pro is 90 percent faster than the Surface Pro 9.

These processors are paired with up to 32GB of LPDDR4X RAM and 1TB of removable Gen 4 SSD storage. Connectivity options include two USB 4 ports (supports up to three external 4K displays), WiFi 7, optional 5G support, and Bluetooth 5.4. The front sports a 13-inch display, which can be upgraded to an OLED panel with HDR support. It runs on the Windows 11 Home operating system out of the box.

Buyers also get a 10-megapixel camera on the back, while the front houses a quad HD front camera with AI effects. For audio, you get 2W stereo speakers with Dolby Atmos support. A 39W power supply powers this device, although the Surface Pro supports up to 65W charging. Microsoft has made the notebook using 72 percent recycled materials and replaceable components.

Microsoft Surface 7th Edition

Microsoft’s Surface 7th Edition laptop arrives with a 13.8-inch or 15-inch PixelSense touchscreen display that offers a 120Hz refresh rate, Dolby Vision IQ, and Adaptive Color technology. Under the hood, these devices are equipped with the Snapdragon X Elite or Snapdragon X Plus chips along with the Qualcomm Hexagon NPU. On a single full charge, the brand claims that the laptop can last for up to 22 hours on the 15-inch variant and up to 20 hours on the 13.8-inch option.

It also supports up to three external 4K displays like the Surface Pro. The processor is paired with up to 32GB of RAM and 1TB of removable Gen 4 SSD storage. The smaller 13.8-inch variant has a 39W adapter and the 15-inch option costs a 65W adapter. On the front, you get a Full HD Surface Studio Camera with AI effects. There is also an Omnisonic Speakers and Dolby Atmos.

Pricing and Availability

Both of these variants support the Copilot+ PC features with a dedicated key on their keyboards. Pre-orders for the new Surface laptops are already live through retailers like Amazon, Reliance Digital, Vijay Sales, and Croma. The two notebooks are available in multiple configurations, so here’s a short list:

Surface Pro 11th Edition

• Snapdragon X Plus (16GB RAM, 256GB SSD): 116,999 INR
• Snapdragon X Plus (16GB RAM, 512GB SSD): 134,999 INR
• Snapdragon X Elite (16GB RAM, 512GB SSD, OLED): 165,999 INR
• Snapdragon X Elite (16GB RAM, 1TB SSD, OLED): 185,999 INR
• Snapdragon X Elite (32GB RAM, 1TB SSD, OLED): 237,999 INR

Surface Laptop 7th Edition – 13.8″

• Snapdragon X Plus (16GB RAM, 256GB SSD): 1,16,999 INR
• Snapdragon X Plus (16GB RAM, 512GB SSD): 1,34,999 INR
• Snapdragon X Elite (16GB RAM, 512GB SSD): 1,54,999 INR
• Snapdragon X Elite (16GB RAM, 1TB SSD): 1,75,999 INR
• Snapdragon X Elite (32GB RAM, 1TB SSD): 2,07,999 INR

Surface Laptop 7th Edition – 15″

• Snapdragon X Elite (16GB RAM, 256GB SSD): 1,42,999 INR
• Snapdragon X Elite (16GB RAM, 512GB SSD): 1,63,999 INR
• Snapdragon X Elite (16GB RAM, 1TB SSD): 1,83,999 INR

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Various PC makers have recently unveiled their latest notebook offerings that feature Qualcomm’s new Snapdragon X Elite and X Plus processors. These chips were touted to offer impressive battery life, and now, we can see the Snapdragon X series powered Surface Laptops pitted against newer MacBooks with some impressive results.

Is Snapdragon X Plus better than M3 in efficiency?

In a battery life and efficiency test from Alex Ziskind on YouTube, we get a fair idea of how the new Snapdragon chips perform in the real world. He approached the test with realism in mind to get a more accurate representation of what we can expect from these laptops. This test included coding, listening to music, and even certain intensive tasks. Alex took into account the different battery sizes of the laptops.

In the initial efficiency test measuring “Battery Drain vs Work Done”, the M2 MacBook Air was the most efficient, while the M3 MacBook Pro and M2 Max variants also saw impressive performance. On the other hand, the Surface Laptop 7th Edition outperformed other Snapdragon X Elite and X Plus powered laptops like the ASUS Vivobook S 15, Dell XPS 13, and Galaxy Book 4 16 Edge. It is worth noting that this efficiency test was more focused on intensive tasks that pushed the CPU cores.

In the automated workflow test to recreate a more realistic scenario, Ziskind reran the test playing YouTube videos occasionally, between writing and running the codes. This was a prolonged test with all laptops set to high performance. Surface Laptop 7 13 (X Plus) led the pack with the highest average efficiency, with the M3 MacBook Air 13 being the runner up.

The Snapdragon X Elite variant of the Surface Laptop 7 13 came in third, and performance much better than the Galaxy Book 4 Edge 16 and VivoBook S 15. Keep in mind that this is still just a test from a person who codes, so expect different results depending on casual use and other tasks. You can click here to check out our previous coverage of the Snapdragon X Plus, where it outperforms the M2 and M3 chips in Cinebench.

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The new Snapdragon X Plus-powered Surface Laptop 7th Edition was compared with the M2-powered Apple MacBook Air by YouTube creator Luke Miani. He used Cinebench to measure the CPU capability of the machines and the results are somewhat shocking. However, in some areas, the M2 MacBook Air still performed better than the Surface Laptop. So let’s take a look.

Battery life and performance

Luke Miani ran Cinebench twice, 10 minutes each time, for a total of 20 minutes. The test shows that the power efficiency of Apple Silicon is still superior to Qualcomm’s new offering. When the M2 MacBook Air lost 10% of its battery during testing, the Snapdragon X Plus-powered Surface Laptop 7th Edition was already down to 65%.

Speaking of the battery capacity, there is not much of a difference between the two machines. The M2 MacBook Air is equipped with a 52Wh battery, while the Surface Laptop 7th Edition is equipped with a 54Wh battery. So the result we saw was due to the significantly higher power consumption of the Snapdragon X Plus during the testing. On the other side, the keyboard area of the Surface Laptop reached 45°C while the MacBook Air was at 36°C. You should also keep in mind that the Surface Laptop has an active cooling mechanism.

However, in Cinebench, the Surface Laptop also achieved a significantly higher score as compared to the M2 MacBook Air. It even outperformed the M3 MacBook Air in the test. Nonetheless, the Snapdragon SoC is still new and needs some work in different aspects. You can see the results below (lower is better).

While the Cinebench test highlighted the power efficiency difference between the two chips, the Surface Laptop performed relatively better in normal video streaming when it comes to battery life. With a total of 7.5 hours of video playback the MacBook Air reached 36% while the Surface Laptop was at 12%.

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A new leak suggests that Qualcomm might be expanding its Snapdragon X Plus family of chipsets. The new silicon, codenamed “Purwa,” has the model number X1P-39-100.

So far, Qualcomm has officially announced only one Snapdragon X Plus model, the X1P-64-100. In comparison, the Snapdragon X Elite line includes three new chipsets with the same core architecture but varying CPU clock speeds and theoretical GPU performance.

Additionally, there have been leaks about another X Plus chip, the X1P-42-100, which is a less powerful version of the X1P-64-100. Now, reliable leaker Roland Quandt has revealed an even more basic variant, the X1P-39-100. So the leak suggests that the X Plus line will also have three chips, similar to the Snapdragon X Elite.

Details about the X1P-39-100 are still limited, but Quandt tips that it will likely feature eight CPU cores, similar to the rumored configuration of the X1P-42-100. It is yet to be confirmed if it will use the same Oryon performance cores as the X1P-42-100.

Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X Plus series is designed for Windows on ARM devices, offering a specialized architecture for this platform. The possible addition of the X1P-39-100 suggests that Qualcomm may be expanding its offerings to cater to a wider range of performance needs and price points within this niche market.

Related:

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Qualcomm recently introduced its new Snapdragon X series of processors for Windows on Arm laptops. The company revealed four chipsets in the line, where three of them belong to the Snapdragon X Elite tier while the remaining is the Snapdragon X Plus which will power more affordable Windows laptops.

However, according to industry insider Kamila Wojciechowska (via Android Authority), Qualcomm might have further plans for the Snapdragon X Plus lineup. The tipster says Qualcomm is working on a second and more powerful variant of the X Plus chipset, called X1P-42-100. 

It will feature eight Oryon CPU cores, up from six on the X1P-64-100. Notably, the X1P-42-100 is rumored to lack the four efficiency cores present in its counterpart. 

While this could translate to better performance for the X1P-42-100, it comes with fewer PCIe lanes compared to the X1P-64-100.

Here’s the table showing the specs of all the SoCs in the Snapdragon X line:

The X1P-42-100 is also said to have limitations in video encoding and decoding capabilities, supposedly capped at 4K/30 FPS encoding and 4K/60 FPS decoding. 

In contrast, the X1P-64-100 is rumored to offer 4K/60 FPS encoding and 4K/120 FPS decoding. Many other details about the X1P-42-100, such as CPU clock speeds and GPU specifications, remain under wraps for the time being.

Wojciechowska’s leaks extend beyond the X series, suggesting Qualcomm is also working on a server-grade chipset codenamed “SD1”. The processor is purported to feature 80 Oryon cores on a 9470-pin LGA socket and will use TSMC’s 5nm (N5P) production process.

The leak also suggests that SD1 will support 16 channels of DDR5-5600 RAM, boast 70 PCIe 5.0 lanes, and have the capability to run two chipsets simultaneously. 

Furthermore, Wojciechowska mentions that the SD1 integrates Compute Express Link (CXL) 1.1. However, other details about the silicon are unclear at this stage.

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The post Leak reveals Qualcomm is working on a more powerful Snapdragon X Plus processor for affordable Windows laptop appeared first on Gizmochina.

Qualcomm unveiled its next-gen Windows on ARM platform, the Snapdragon X series CPU with bold claims on performance and efficiency. Essentially, Qualcomm aims to replicate the success of Apple’s M-series chip by providing a strong alternative for Windows on ARM laptops.

The Snapdragon X family includes two tiers: the high-performance Snapdragon X Elite and the more affordable Snapdragon X Plus. In this article, we’ll break down the details of these SoCs to make it easier for you to grasp.

Snapdragon X Elite

The X Elite is a multi-faceted chip, consisting of a central processing unit (CPU), an integrated graphics processing unit (GPU), and a Neural Processing Unit (NPU) all working in concert. The integrated design offers several advantages, including streamlined performance and improved power management.

The platform comes in three variants: the X1E-84-100, X1E-80-100, and X1E-78-100. The flagship X1E-84-100 is the top-of-the-line model with a 12-core Qualcomm Oryon CPU built on a 4nm process, capable of reaching speeds of up to 3.8GHz, with a single and dual-core boost mode pushing it further to 4.2GHz.

The Qualcomm Adreno GPU handles graphics processing. It delivers up to 4.6 TFLOPS of performance and supports DirectX12, making it well-suited for running modern Windows games. This GPU performance rivals the Xbox Series S (4 TFLOPS) but falls short of the current-gen Series X (over 12 TFLOPS).

The standout feature for AI enthusiasts is the Qualcomm Hexagon NPU which has an impressive impressive 45 TOPS for on-device AI acceleration. It dwarfs the current offerings from Intel and AMD, placing the X Elite at the forefront of AI processing for laptops. When combined with other components, the total theoretical AI performance reaches a staggering 75 TOPS.

Here’s a table summarizing the key specifications of the flagship X Elite (X1E-84-100):

The X1E-80-100 and X1E-78-100 variants retain the 12 cores, 42MB cache, and 45 TOPS NPU, but with slightly lower clock speeds (3.4GHz) and reduced GPU capabilities (3.8 TFLOPS). However, they still offer exceptional performance and cater to users who may not require the absolute top-end power of the X1E-84-100.

Beyond raw processing power, the X Elite platform boasts several other strengths:

• Extensive Connectivity: The Snapdragon X65 5G modem delivers blazing-fast internet speeds with peak downloads of 10Gbps, perfect for seamless cloud gaming and content downloads. Additionally, Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth LE 5.4 connectivity ensure smooth wireless interactions.
• Multi-Display Support: Users can connect up to three displays simultaneously at 4K resolution with a 60Hz refresh rate, ideal for multitasking and creating expansive workspaces.
• Advanced Security: Qualcomm emphasizes “enterprise-grade” security within the X Elite platform, crucial for protecting sensitive data.
• Next-Gen Multimedia: AV1 encoding and decoding enable stunning 4K HDR video experiences. Additionally, Snapdragon Sound Tech Suite ensures lossless audio quality for an immersive entertainment experience.
• On-Device Generative AI: The X Elite boasts 30 tokens per second for on-device generative AI, which could revolutionize creative workflows in the future.

These features, combined with the raw processing power, position the Snapdragon X Elite as a formidable contender in the laptop SoC market.

The Snapdragon X Plus

The Snapdragon X Plus (X1P-64-100) caters to a more budget-conscious market. While sharing many similarities with the X Elite, it features a 10-core Oryon CPU with a maximum clock speed of 3.4GHz.

It retains the powerful Adreno GPU with 3.8 TFLOPS and the impressive 45 TOPS NPU. The key difference lies in the number of CPU cores, with the X Plus offering two fewer cores compared to the X Elite’s base variant.

The reduction in cores translates to a slight decrease in multi-threaded performance. However, Qualcomm claims the X Plus still delivers 10% faster multi-threaded performance than the Apple M3 and 37% faster performance than the Intel Core Ultra 7 155H, all while consuming significantly less power.

The X Plus offers similar features as the X Elite, including LPDDR5x RAM support, NVMe storage over PCIe Gen 4, UFS 4.0 storage, 5G and Wi-Fi 7 connectivity, USB4 connectivity, and AV1 encoding and decoding for 4K HDR video. It also supports dual cameras of up to 36 megapixels, a single camera of up to 64 megapixels, and 4K HDR video capture.

Here’s a closer look at the Snapdragon X Plus (X1P-64-100) specifications:

The Future of Windows on Arm

The debut of the Snapdragon X platform is a significant development for Windows on Arm laptops. With offerings such as the X Elite and the budget-friendly X Plus, Qualcomm is offering compelling options for manufacturers and consumers alike.

Whether it can emulate Apple’s triumph with the M-series chips remains uncertain. Nonetheless, the X Series has the features and performance to make it a strong contender to the likes of Apple, Intel and AMD.

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The post Qualcomm Snapdragon X Series chip: Here’s everything you need to know appeared first on Gizmochina.

Back in October, Qualcomm introduced the Snapdragon X Elite chip that aims to compete with Apple Silicon. Today the company has introduced another offering from the Snapdragon X lineup, the Snapdragon X Plus. Just as the naming suggests, it’s a more affordable and slightly less capable version of the Snapdragon X Elite. Both the chips are expected to become available to power Windows-on-Arm laptops in mid-2024.

Qualcomm emphasized on the AI capabilities of the new Snapdragon X series chips

The Snapdragon X Plus chip equips a total of 10 custom Oryon CPU cores made by Qualcomm. According to the company, the CPU delivers 37% performance improvement with 54% less power as compared to its “competitors”. However, the company didn’t describe its “competition” any further.

Another aspect Qualcomm emphasized is the chip’s capable NPU and possible performance in on-device AI-related tasks. The Snapdragon X series chips reportedly equip “the world’s fastest NPU for laptops.” The capability of the dedicated Qualcomm Hexagon NPU is measured at 45 TOPS (trillions of operations per second), which, according to the company, will offer unprecedented performance, efficiency, and on-device AI capabilities to Windows PCs.

All these on-device AI capabilities are expected to enable developers to add a variety of new and exciting features to apps that will in turn make life a lot easier. Nonetheless, it takes more than just the capable chips and we will have to wait for the implementation of features.

Qualcomm demonstrated the AI capabilities of this chip with code generation in “Visual Studio Code” from Codegen. It is a program designed to assist developers by generating new lines of code in real-time with on-device generative AI. The company also demonstrated Music generation from text prompts in Audacity and automatic language translation into live captions in OBS Studio.

The Snapdragon X Plus chip has recently appeared on the GeekBench ML listing running on a mysterious device with 16GB memory. The codename of the device suggests that it could be a Surface laptop, the Surface Pro 10.

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(Source)

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Qualcomm has shown off some impressive numbers showcasing the capabilities of its upcoming Snapdragon X Elite chip. The benchmark results Qualcomm revealed to the press hint that the upcoming Windows-on-Arm laptops powered by the Snapdragon X Elite chip will outcompete both Intel processors and Apple’s M series chips.

No details were shared about how they performed the tests, and the comparison charts were unverified

However, the company never provided much details about which setup tested the Snapdragon X Elite chip. “Qualcomm has been far from forthcoming with its curated benchmark results that have been presented to the press,” claims a recent report from SemiAccurate. “Qualcomm benchmarks are impossible to recreate even by class-leading OEM developers.” The charts comparing the performance with its competitors’ offerings were also unverified.

Later on, when device manufacturers got their hands on the new X series chip, they could not even get close to the numbers that Qualcomm showed off to the press. According to SemiAccurate, OEMs first saw numbers not even reaching 50% of the claims. In response to the disparity, Qualcomm engineers blamed poor optimization of Windows-on-Arm and poor cooling of the devices. OEMs couldn’t improve the results much even after working on the cooling solution. A source (anonymous) even compared the Snapdragon X Elite to Intel Celeron chips. For those unfamiliar, these are Intel’s entry-level chips with low power requirements.

Nonetheless, if the X Elite chips are going to be mounted on devices made by the same OEMs that are testing the chips and are going to run Windows, it shouldn’t matter how Qualcomm tested the new Snapdragon X Elite.

The company also avoided answering more technical questions about its upcoming Snapdragon X series. They promised deep technical briefings before the launch, which is scheduled to be somewhere around “mid-2024”.

Qualcomm has also revealed the Snapdragon X Plus, a cut-down and more affordable version of the previously announced Snapdragon X Elite chip. The announcement also reportedly lacked the deep technical elements originally promised, with more time spent on potential camera specs enabled by the SoC than any real technical stats or deep analysis.

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The post Qualcomm’s performance claims about Snapdragon X Elite turned out to be misleading appeared first on Gizmochina.

A new Qualcomm SoC build for Windows-on-Arm computers called the Snapdragon X Elite has been on the news for a while now. Qualcomm has also showcased the new chip beating its competitors from both Intel and Apple (Apple Silicon) by a significant margin. We thought the latest Meteor Lake series Core Ultra chips were efficient until Qualcomm showed off what it has under development.

The Snapdragon X Plus could be an affordable version of the “X Elite” chipset

Although Qualcomm has not talked about a chip called the Snapdragon X Plus, the latest GeekBench ML Score listing spotted by Windows Latest reveals that there is more than just the Snapdragon X Elite. Both the naming and the configuration (revealed so far) hint that this new chip could be a slightly cut-down version of the new premium Snapdragon X Elite chip. Although the company has not talked about the pricing of the new chips, its expected to be quite expensive, especially considering the performance.

The Snapdragon X Plus scored 2410 in the GeekBench ML test when tested on a device codenamed “OEMMN OEMMN”. Windows Latest claims this to be a “mid-range” version of the Surface Pro 10. The full list of current and upcoming Surface laptops also supports this claim. Previous reports claim that Microsoft is working on two new laptops that will be powered by the Snapdragon X series processors – the Surface Pro 10 with an OLED display, and the Surface Pro 6.

Speaking of the new “X Plus” chip, it is powered by 10 Oryon CPU cores, 6 of which are performance cores and the rest of the 4 cores focus on power efficiency. The GeekBench listing shows that the base frequency is 3.42GHz. In comparison, the “X Elite” chipset equips a total of 12 uniform Oryon CPU cores. However, while 10 of them run at a clock speed of 3.8 GHz (which is higher than that of the “X Plus” chip), two cores reach up to 4.3 GHz.

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(Source / via)

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As we eagerly await the arrival of the first wave of laptops powered by Snapdragon X Elite in mid-2024, Qualcomm is also exploring the possibility of introducing a more budget-friendly option to its ARM-based Windows chip lineup: the Snapdragon X Plus.

A new leak suggests Qualcomm is working on not one, but two versions of the Snapdragon X Plus System-on-Chip (SoC), both of which could offer a significant advantage over Apple’s current MacBook lineup.

These chips are reportedly assigned model numbers X1P44100 and X1P46100. Notably, the “X Plus” Snapdragon ARM processors are identified by the ‘X1P’ prefix, distinguishing them from the Snapdragon X Elite chips, which use ‘X1E’ in their model numbers.

While specific details are still scarce, the naming convention implies that the Snapdragon X Plus will be a scaled-down version of its more powerful counterpart. This could mean fewer cores as one of the differentiating factors, similar to how Apple differs its M-series chip.

Although the X Plus may not match the raw performance of the X Elite, it could be a perfect fit for affordable ARM-based Windows notebooks.

Importantly, Qualcomm seems to be testing one key feature that could make Snapdragon X Plus laptops truly compelling — an integrated Snapdragon X65 5G modem.

If Qualcomm manages to deliver this with the X Plus, it could transform the market with an influx of 5G-ready Windows laptops, outpacing Apple – which is absent from the 5G laptop space.

While there is no official release date yet, considering that Snapdragon X Elite devices are expected later in 2024, we can expect the arrival of the X Plus either towards the end of the year or in 2025. But that’s just a guess on our side.

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