In addition to previous performance numbers, Qualcomm has revealed additional data for its upcoming Snapdragon X Elite PC CPUs, demonstrating a Geekbench 6 benchmark test score that is over 50% higher than Intel’s fastest Core Ultra processors.
Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X Elite CPUs Outperforming Intel’s Core Ultra Chips, Official Claims Reveal
The most recent statistics were released by Qualcomm to PCWorld, featuring the upcoming Snapdragon X Elite processors with the Oryon core architecture. These numbers were compared against Intel’s latest Core Ultra “Meteor Lake”CPUs. While Qualcomm had previously shared official figures comparing the X Elite chips to Intel’s Raptor Lake, AMD’s Phoenix, and Apple’s M2 chips, the latest data now includes a comparison to the most recent offerings from its competitors.
The benchmark tests compare the performance of the top 12-Core Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite chip with the ASUS Zenbook 14 OLED, equipped with the Intel Core Ultra 7 155H CPU, and the ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 laptop, equipped with the Intel Core Ultra 9 185H CPU. These tests were conducted using the widely used Geekbench 6.2 test suite, and the results were impressive. Previously, Qualcomm had demonstrated its strong AI performance against the Intel Core Ultra chips, but now they are focusing on the single and multi-threaded gains compared to those processors.
The initial comparison is for single-core performance, wherein the Snapdragon X Elite CPU provides a 51% faster performance at maximum power (~15W vs 30W) and a 65% reduction in power usage with equivalent performance compared to the Core Ultra 9 185H. The lead increases to 54% at full power (~12W vs 20W) and maintains a 65% decrease in power usage while matching the performance of the Core Ultra 7 155H.
The multi-threaded benchmarks demonstrate a significant advantage of 41% over the Core Ultra 9 185H (40W vs 80W) and 52% over the Core Ultra 7 155H (40W vs 60W) in terms of performance at ISO power. In addition, when compared to its competitors, it consumes 58-60% less power while still achieving the same level of performance. The GPU performance also follows a similar trend, with the iGPU delivering 36% higher performance at ISO (30W vs 45W) and using 50% less power compared to its competitor.
- Snapdragon X Elite vs Core Ultra 9 185H (ST): +51% (~15W vs 30W) / 65% Lower Power (Same Perf)
- Snapdragon X Elite vs Core Ultra 7 155H (ST): +54% (~12W vs 20W) / 65% Lower Power (Same Perf)
- Snapdragon X Elite vs Core Ultra 9 185H (MT): +41% (~40W vs 80W) / 58% Lower Power (Same Perf)
- Snapdragon X Elite vs Core Ultra 7 155H (MT): +52% (~40W vs 60W) / 60% Lower Power (Same Perf)
After testing the GPU side on Windows 11 with the 3DMark Wildlife Extreme benchmark, the results showed the AMD Ryzen 9 7940HS trailing behind the Intel Core Ultra 7 155H. However, our own tests have proven otherwise as the RDNA 3 iGPU architecture is highly optimized for gaming and is on par with Intel’s fastest Core Ultra iGPU, which features 8 Xe-Cores. While the Snapdragon X Elite CPU may excel in synthetic tests, it is not necessarily the case for gaming performance.
Qualcomm has announced that their Snapdragon X Elite CPUs will provide a gaming experience similar to any other Windows device. They are actively working towards ensuring a seamless gaming experience. In a recent demonstration, the X Elite CPUs were able to run Baldur’s Gate 3 at 30 frames per second (1080p), which is comparable to the performance of the Ryzen 9 7940HS. However, the specifics of the game’s tested settings are still unknown.
The initial chips have already made an appearance in OEM systems, including a Lenovo-based system that was recently benchmarked. We also provided coverage of the first benchmarks for these chips in Geekbench 6, which showed competitive results but did not quite reach the 50%+ gains that Qualcomm claims. Our recommendation at this point is to wait for third-party and independent reviews of the first Snapdragon X Elite PCs, which are scheduled to launch in the second half of this year, before making any final judgments based solely on official figures.
2024 Artificial Intelligence PC Platforms
| Brand Name | Apple | Qualcomm | AMD | Intel |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CPU Name | M3 | Snapdragon X Elite | Ryzen 8040 “Hawk Point” | Meteor Lake “Core Ultra” |
| CPU Architecture | ARM | ARM | x86 | x86 |
| CPU Process | 3nm | 4nm | 4nm | 7nm (Intel 4) |
| Max CPU Cores | 16 Cores (MAX) | 12 Cores | 8 Cores | 16 Cores |
| NPU Architecture | In-House | Hexagon NPU | XDNA 1 NPU | Movidius NPU |
| Total AI TOPS | 18 TOPS | 75 TOPS (Peak) | 38 TOPS (16 TOPS NPU) | 34 TOPS (11 TOPS NPU) |
| GPU Architecture | In-House | Adreno GPU | RDNA 3 | Alchemist Arc Xe-LPG |
| Max GPU Cores | 40 Cores | TBD | 12 Compute Units | 8 Xe-Cores |
| GPU TFLOPs | TBD | 4.6 TFLOPS | 8.9 TFLOPS | ~4.5 TFLOPS |
| Memory Support (Max) | LPDDR5-6400 | LPDDR5X-8533 | LPDDR5X-7500 | LPDDR5X-7467 |
| Availability | Q4 2024 | Mid-2024 | Q1 2024 | Q4 2023 |
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