Qualcomm challenges Intel and Apple with new Snapdragon X Plus processors for Windows PCs

In an effort to strengthen its position in the growing artificial intelligence computing market, Qualcomm introduced a new high-performance Snapdragon X Plus chip based on Arm architecture. This chip is designed for use in laptops running the Windows operating system. The move comes shortly after the announcement of an even more powerful Snapdragon X Elite processor, which was introduced in October last year.

The new chips, which will go on sale in mid-2024, are designed to compete with Intel’s latest Core Ultra line and Apple’s M3 chips.

The Snapdragon X Elite is powered by a 12-core Oryon CPU, Adreno GPU, and Hexagon Neural Network Processing Unit. The Snapdragon X Plus contains a 10-core processor, integrated GPU, and a similar Hexagon neural unit as the X Elite. The chips can support up to 64 GB of RAM.

Qualcomm is positioning both series of chips as solutions for powerful AI applications, claiming that they have the fastest neural network processors for laptops, which can improve overall performance when running local generative AI applications.

Typically, generative AI applications run on large servers in data centers that users connect to via the Internet. However, the advantage of local AI applications is that they can function without the Internet, and the user’s data remains on the device.

Despite not having a wide range of compelling AI applications on board, the industry is betting on the concept to drive sales through 2024. Intel, AMD and Nvidia are also promoting some of their high-end laptops as AI PCs.

Beyond AI capabilities, Qualcomm says Arm X Elite and X Plus-based chips deliver better performance per watt compared to Intel Core Ultra 7 155H and AMD Ryzen 9 7940HS chips. Additionally, the X Elite and X Plus consume less power compared to competing chips.

Qualcomm also compares the new chips to Apple’s Arm M3 chips, claiming the processors are 28% and 10% faster, respectively. However, it should be noted that such data is based on benchmarks and actual performance may vary.

The introduction of the new Snapdragon X Plus chip was Qualcomm’s next step in its attack on the Windows PC market. Although the company already offers Arm-based processors for Windows systems, it has so far failed to achieve a significant advantage. One of the key challenges is the need to adapt most applications created for traditional x86 processors to run on Arm-compatible platforms.

However, the situation is gradually changing – more and more developers are optimizing their software solutions for Arm chips. This makes laptops based on Qualcomm processors more attractive to both end users and the enterprise sector. The release of the powerful Snapdragon X Plus is intended to accelerate this transition and strengthen Qualcomm’s position in the segment of arm-compatible Windows computers.