Qualcomm has recently introduced ambitious performance claims regarding its Snapdragon X2 Elite CPUs, asserting they significantly outperform rival chips from Intel and AMD.
Qualcomm’s Bold Performance Claims for Snapdragon X2 Elite CPUs
Earlier today, Qualcomm launched its next-generation Snapdragon X2 CPU series, which includes both Elite and Elite Extreme Edition variants. These new processors provide substantial improvements over their predecessors, the first-generation Snapdragon X lineup, targeting the Windows PC and AI computing markets.
Overview of Qualcomm Snapdragon X2 CPU Specifications
The Snapdragon X2 CPUs utilize TSMC’s advanced 3nm manufacturing technology, featuring the newly designed 3rd Gen Oryon CPU cores, enhanced Adreno GPU cores, and an upgraded Hexagon NPU. This lineup is divided into two categories: the X2 Elite and the X2 Elite Extreme editions.
The flagship Snapdragon X2 Elite Extreme edition boasts a hybrid architecture featuring up to 18 cores. This configuration includes 12 Prime Cores with a maximum single/dual-core boost frequency of 5.0 GHz and an all-core frequency of 4.4 GHz. The remaining six cores are designated as “Performance”cores, achieving a maximum frequency of 3.6 GHz. Other impressive specs include 53 MB of cache, an Adreno GPU clocked at 1.85 GHz, and up to 80 TOPs of AI processing power. Additionally, these chips integrate a 12-channel (192-bit) LP5X memory system with a bandwidth of up to 228 GB/s.
The Snapdragon X2 Elite lineup includes models such as the X2E-88-100, which features 18 cores running at a peak frequency of 4.0 GHz for all cores and 4.7 GHz for single/dual-core workloads. Its GPU clock is 1.70 GHz, slightly lower than the Extreme Edition. Another variant, the X2E-80-100, offers a 12-core architecture, with 6 Prime Cores peaking at 4.7 GHz along with a 1.7 GHz X2-85 GPU and 80 AI TOPs.
Performance Comparison: Snapdragon X2 vs. Intel and AMD
During the official keynote, Qualcomm highlighted some intriguing performance metrics for its Snapdragon X2 CPUs. One of the key comparisons made was between the new X2 lineup and the previous X1 series:
Performance Enhancements:
- Up to 39% improvement in Single-Core performance
- Up to 50% boost in Multi-Core performance
- Up to 2.3x increase in Peak GPU performance
- Up to 78% enhancement in Peak NPU performance
Qualcomm then positioned the flagship Snapdragon X2 Elite against several rival processors, including Intel’s Core Ultra 9 285H “Arrow Lake-H”, AMD’s Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 “Strix”, and Intel’s Core Ultra 9 288V “Lunar Lake”.
In terms of single-core performance, Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X2 Elite Extreme reportedly outperforms the competition by up to 44%, according to Geekbench 6.5 benchmarks. At the same power consumption level, rival processors would need up to 144% more power to achieve similar results, with the X2 Elite Extreme peaking around 20W, while the Intel Core Ultra 9 285H maxes out at approximately 25W.
In multi-core tests using Geekbench 6.5, Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X2 Elite Extreme Edition is claimed to provide up to 75% faster CPU performance when compared to the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370, while needing up to 222% more power from competitors to match that performance. The X2 Elite Extreme is estimated to reach around 50-55W in multi-core workloads, whereas the Intel 9 285H approaches nearly 80W.
Additionally, Qualcomm presented real-world performance metrics, including:
- Up to 53% faster web browsing compared to AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 (SpeedoMeter)
- Up to 49% improvement in Microsoft 365 performance against Intel Core Ultra 9 288V (Procyon Office)
- Up to 2x faster compression tasks compared to Intel Core Ultra 9 288V (7-Zip)
In the graphics performance department, Qualcomm claims its Adreno GPU, running at 1.85 GHz, delivers up to 52% enhanced graphics performance compared to its competitors, with rivals needing up to 92% more power to match that level of performance. These benchmarks were derived from 3DMark Steel Nomad Light, a synthetic benchmark not necessarily indicative of actual gaming performance.
Although Qualcomm has established partnerships and upgrades in its Adreno graphics division, it’s worth noting that previous generations, particularly the X1 Elite series, experienced significant limitations in graphics performance, which may temper expectations for the new lineup.
The competition is formidable, as Intel’s Core Ultra 9 288V is equipped with a Battlemage iGPU featuring up to 8 Xe2 cores, while AMD’s Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 includes up to 12 RDNA 3.5 GPU cores. Both architectures are competitive with excellent driver support. If Qualcomm’s claims about gaming performance hold true, it would represent a significant breakthrough. However, skepticism remains given past experiences where expectations weren’t met.
Lastly, Qualcomm highlighted the AI capabilities of its latest Hexagon NPU, which achieves up to 80 TOPS of performance. The Snapdragon X2 series scored an impressive 4151 in the Procyon AI Computer Vision benchmark, outpacing competitors by up to 5.7 times, and outperforming other leading NPUs significantly.
As Qualcomm gears up for the launch of its Snapdragon X2 Elite and Elite Extreme CPUs in Spring 2026, it faces a competitive landscape as rival firms like Intel prepare to launch their Panther Lake CPUs and AMD readies its latest mobility solutions for the AI PC market during CES 2026.
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