Qualcomm recently unveiled its Snapdragon X Elite, a 12-core laptop processor designed to compete with Apple's M2. The Snapdragon X Elite is no ordinary laptop processor, as it represents a potential shift in the world of laptop CPUs. This custom chip features the Orion CPU, a departure from the conventional ARM-based processors that usually fall into one of two categories: those designed by ARM itself, like the Cortex series, and those designed by ARM's architectural licensees, such as Apple's M1 and M2 chips. Qualcomm is firmly in the latter category, with the Orion CPU representing their in-house design.
The Snapdragon X Elite's journey begins with the acquisition of Nuvia, a company founded by former Apple engineers who set out to create a server chip. Qualcomm later purchased Nuvia and incorporated their chip design into their product roadmap. However, adapting a server chip for laptops raises some questions, especially regarding power efficiency. While most CPUs have a mix of performance and efficiency cores, Qualcomm's Snapdragon X Elite boasts 12 high-performance cores, lacking efficiency cores. This is an unusual configuration compared to chips like Apple's M1 and M2, which feature both types of cores. The absence of efficiency cores in Qualcomm's design is possibly due to the chip's origins as a server processor, which didn't require such cores. Whether this absence will affect real-world laptop performance remains to be seen.
The Snapdragon X Elite is built on a 4-nanometer process by TSMC, and it features 12 high-performance cores, each running at 3.8 GHz. Interestingly, there are no simultaneous multi-threading (SMT) or hyperthreading features, meaning each core operates independently. While Qualcomm's design deviates from the likes of Apple and Intel, the performance claims are impressive. Qualcomm states that the Snapdragon X Elite offers double the CPU performance compared to the competition or matches the competition's peak performance with only one-third of the power consumption. However, these are Qualcomm's own figures, and real-world benchmarks will provide a more accurate picture.
The chip supports LPDDR5X RAM with a memory bandwidth of 136 Gbps and includes 42 MB of total cache, which should help keep the CPU cores well-fed. Qualcomm expects laptops powered by the Snapdragon X Elite to arrive in mid-2024, covering various form factors and thermal designs. These designs range from slim, fanless devices to those with active cooling solutions, reflecting the chip's scalability.
In terms of performance, Qualcomm shared multi-threaded performance data, but the comparison chips are not specified. The Snapdragon X Elite claims to be up to twice as fast as its competition while consuming significantly less power. The chart suggests that the Snapdragon X Elite provides more performance at roughly half the power consumption of competitor chips, which are likely Intel processors. It also claims to outperform a competitor running at over 90 watts while consuming around 35 watts.
Qualcomm's 14-core chip is expected to offer up to 60% faster performance than the competition while using one-third of the power. Interestingly, Qualcomm claims it provides 50% better peak multi-threaded performance than a comparable ARM-based competitor, potentially hinting at an advantage over Apple's M2.
Qualcomm also highlights its AI capabilities, with the Hexagon NPU (Neural Processing Unit) at the heart of its AI engine. The chip can run large language models with impressive efficiency, suggesting a shift towards more AI-intensive tasks on laptops.
In terms of graphics, the chip includes the Adreno GPU, offering 4.6 Teraflops of performance, support for internal displays up to 4K at 120 Hz, and upgradable drivers. This GPU should be sufficient for demanding graphics tasks. Qualcomm emphasizes that the Snapdragon X Elite supports DirectX 12, marking a significant advancement in graphics capabilities for laptops.
The chip offers robust video encoding and decoding capabilities, supporting 4K 60fps 10-bit HDR in H.264, H.265, and AV1 codecs. On the decoding side, it handles 4K at 120fps, making it well-suited for multimedia tasks.
The Snapdragon X Elite provides an array of connectivity options, including USB 4 and USB 3.2 Gen 2, which is ideal for connecting to various peripherals and external displays.
In conclusion, the Snapdragon X Elite is Qualcomm's ambitious foray into the laptop processor market. With 12 high-performance cores, it seeks to challenge Apple's M2 and Intel's processors. Its standout features include AI capabilities, robust GPU performance, and impressive video encoding/decoding support. However, the absence of efficiency cores and Qualcomm's own performance claims will need to be validated through real-world testing. It's a chip to watch as it may usher in a new era for laptop CPUs.
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