Qualcomm Struggles Against Apple Silicon: Snapdragon X2 Plus Lags Behind Older M4 in 4 of 5 CPU & GPU Benchmarks

Recently, Qualcomm introduced the Snapdragon X2 Elite Extreme and Snapdragon X2 Elite, which have been succeeded by the Snapdragon X2 Plus. This latest iteration is designed to power more budget-friendly Windows laptops, positioning them as competitors to Apple’s Silicon lineup. While the technical specifications are compelling, the real test lies in performance across various benchmark evaluations.

Unfortunately for Qualcomm, the Snapdragon X2 Elite Extreme has already fallen short against Apple’s M4 Max based on results from Cinebench 2024, both in single-core and multi-core assessments. Further analysis shows that the Snapdragon X2 Plus faces a similar fate; it struggled against the M4 as well as other processors in a comprehensive set of tests. Alarmingly, Apple’s previous-generation M4 model outperformed the Snapdragon X2 Plus in four out of five benchmarks, raising questions about Qualcomm’s competitiveness in the market.

Performance Notes on the Snapdragon X2 Plus vs. Apple’s M4

It’s critical to clarify that the Snapdragon X2 Plus evaluated against the M4 was a reference design; the commercial version is anticipated to exhibit slightly lower performance levels. According to benchmarks conducted by PCMag, the advantage of the Snapdragon X2 Plus over the Snapdragon X Plus is notable, yet it still pales in comparison to the M4, foreshadowing a potentially tougher competition with the forthcoming M5.

Throughout a range of synthetic CPU and GPU tests—including Cinebench 2024, Geekbench 6, 3DMark Steel Nomad Light, and 3DMark Solar Bay—the M4 has proven as much as 30% quicker than the Snapdragon X2 Plus. While various processors participated in these tests, our focus remains predominantly on Apple’s Silicon for this analysis. Below are the detailed results:

Cinebench 2024 – Single-Core Performance

Snapdragon X2 Plus: 133
M4: 173 (30.08% faster)

Cinebench 2024 – Multi-Core Performance

Snapdragon X2 Plus: 1, 011 (1.81% faster)
M4: 993

Geekbench 6 – Single-Core Performance

Snapdragon X2 Plus: 3, 311
M4: 3, 859 (16.55% faster)

Geekbench 6 – Multi-Core Performance

Snapdragon X2 Plus: 14, 940
M4: 15, 093 (1.02% faster)

3DMark Steel Nomad Light

Snapdragon X2 Plus: 3, 067
M4: 3, 949 (28.76% faster)

3DMark Solar Bay

Snapdragon X2 Plus: 12, 525
M4: 15, 580 (24.39% faster)

Performance Comparison: Snapdragon X2 Plus vs. Apple M4

While it is disappointing to observe that Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X2 Plus fails to surpass an Apple Silicon model that debuted in 2024, it is essential to remember that performance evaluations extend beyond mere CPU and GPU benchmarks. Therefore, it is premature to draw definitive conclusions about its overall capability at this stage.

For further insights, visit: PCMag

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