Qualcomm Announces Snapdragon X Elite Chip to Compete with Intel and Apple in the Laptop Market
Leading chip manufacturer Qualcomm is set to challenge Intel and Apple in the race for laptop computing supremacy with its latest offering, the Snapdragon X Elite system on a chip (SoC) for Windows PCs. Unveiled during the Snapdragon Summit in Hawaii, the new SoC features Qualcomm’s powerful Oryon CPU, which the company claims outperforms both Apple’s M2 Max and Intel’s Core i9 in certain benchmarks. These claims are based on single-threaded performance tests using an unspecified benchmark. Furthermore, Qualcomm asserts that the Snapdragon X Elite consumes “70% less power” than comparable chips from its competitors.
In addition to its raw performance and energy efficiency, the Snapdragon X Elite promises to revolutionize AI capabilities in laptops. With its 75 Tera operations per second (TOPs), this chip is capable of running AI models with 13 billion parameters directly on the device. The Oryon CPU is complemented by a Hexagon Neural Processing Unit (NPU) and Qualcomm’s Adreno GPU, which can handle up to 4.6 teraflops of graphics processing power. These impressive specifications, combined with the chip’s energy-efficient 4nm process, allow for extended battery life, a feature highly sought after by consumers.
Set to be released in 2024, laptops featuring the Snapdragon X Elite will support cutting-edge technologies and specifications. On the camera front, the chip will enable cameras with up to 64MP sensors and 4K video capture. It is also designed to integrate seamlessly with Microsoft’s Windows Studio features, such as portrait blur and eye tracking. Furthermore, the systems will offer native support for 5G, Wi-Fi 7, and Bluetooth 5.4.
While specific laptop models utilizing the Snapdragon X Elite have yet to be revealed, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella hinted at a Microsoft Surface laptop featuring Qualcomm’s powerful silicon. During the Snapdragon X Elite launch, Nadella highlighted the native AI capabilities of the new processor on the Windows platform, particularly emphasizing the “Copilot” feature, which he compared to the Start button.
Qualcomm has ambitious plans for the Snapdragon X Elite, envisioning its application not only in laptops but also in cars and AR/VR devices. When asked about the possibility of the chip being used in tablets and Chromebooks, a Qualcomm representative clarified that the Snapdragon X Elite is specifically geared towards Windows laptops utilizing the Oryon CPU, although variations of the chip may be used in future products across different form factors.
Interestingly, Qualcomm’s announcement of the Snapdragon X Elite comes just hours after Apple teased an upcoming Mac event on October 30th, where it is expected to unveil its latest Apple Silicon, the M3. While it remains unclear whether Apple was aware of Qualcomm’s plans, the competition between the two tech giants certainly promises an exciting winter and early 2024 in the laptop computing component space.
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