Qualcomm Snapdragon X2 Elite Extreme: Up to 100W Power Consumption and 40W in Thinner Notebook Designs

In late September, Qualcomm made waves in the tech industry by unveiling the successor to the Snapdragon X Elite: the Snapdragon X2 Elite Extreme. This next-generation system-on-chip (SoC) is designed with power efficiencies in mind, allowing it to reach power outputs exceeding 100W. However, the actual power limits will be determined by the individual manufacturers of laptops featuring this new chip.

Power Specifications for Snapdragon X2 Elite Extreme Notebooks

While Qualcomm has yet to finalize the thermal design power (TDP) for the Snapdragon X2 Elite Extreme, it’s important to note that this figure will ultimately depend on original equipment manufacturers (OEMs).Each OEM must take a variety of considerations into account, which include:

Physical Dimensions
Overall Weight
Cost Constraints
Surface Design
Exhaust Air Temperatures
Noise Levels

Qualcomm Snapdragon X2 Elite Extreme power limits

These elements play a crucial role in defining the ‘Platform Sustained SoC Power Dissipation Capability.’ If the Snapdragon X2 Elite and X2 Elite Extreme are optimized for higher clock speeds, robust cooling solutions will be essential. However, larger cooling systems may add weight, generate more noise, and increase production costs, requiring OEMs to make strategic choices.

For compact and lightweight laptops, especially those featuring a 14-inch display, Qualcomm anticipates a sustained power limit of 22W for the Snapdragon X2 Elite. This target can vary between 20W and 40W, contingent on design and performance parameters. To illustrate the performance capability of the Snapdragon X2 Elite Extreme in practical terms, Qualcomm provided the following benchmarks under unconstrained operation:

Memory Test: 107.94W
Handbrake: 84.78W
Cinebench 2024 Multi-Core: 70.31W
Integer Spinloop: 30.19W
Geekbench 6 Multi-Core: 8.41W

Qualcomm Snapdragon X2 Elite Extreme performance metrics

Furthermore, notebook manufacturers have the flexibility to integrate dedicated GPUs, allowing for power consumption between 60W and 100W. However, the final specifications—including speed and performance—will ultimately be at the discretion of Qualcomm’s partners. Early comparisons show that the Snapdragon X2 Elite Extreme lags behind Apple’s M4 Max in both single-core and multi-core results in Cinebench 2024. As such, it seems likely that the Snapdragon X2 Elite Extreme could find itself at a disadvantage against the upcoming M5 Max, set to be released in Q1 2026.

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