Qualcomm has officially introduced its next generation of PC processors, the Snapdragon X2 Elite and Snapdragon X2 Elite Extreme, which the company claims are the fastest and most efficient chips ever built for Windows laptops.
Following the success of last year’s Snapdragon X Elite, these new processors represent Qualcomm’s second big step into the Windows-on-Arm market — and a direct challenge to industry giants Intel and AMD.
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Performance Upgrades
Built on a 3nm process, the Snapdragon X2 lineup promises major gains in both speed and efficiency. According to Qualcomm, the new CPUs can deliver up to 31% faster performance than the previous generation at the same power level, or cut power consumption by 43% while maintaining speed.
The chips also feature a 3rd-generation Oryon CPU with up to 18 cores, including 12 cores clocked at 4.4GHz and two cores capable of reaching 5GHz — a first for Arm-based processors.
On the graphics side, the upgraded GPU provides 2.3x better performance per watt and is paired with a new 18MB “Adreno High Performance Memory” cache designed to boost gaming and creative workloads.
AI and Creative Tools
AI is another big focus. The chips include an 80 TOPS Hexagon NPU, which Qualcomm says is the fastest NPU available for laptops. It delivers 37% more AI performance while using 16% less power compared to the previous model.
For creators, Qualcomm claims Adobe apps see significant improvements:
- 28% faster editing in Photoshop
- 43% faster exports in Lightroom
- Noticeable boosts in Premiere video analysis
Market Position and Availability
Qualcomm says the Snapdragon X2 Elite Extreme offers up to 75% faster CPU performance compared to rival laptop chips, including Intel’s Core Ultra 9 and AMD’s Ryzen AI 9 series. The company also suggests users can expect “multi-day battery life,” though last year’s laptops typically delivered 14 to 18 hours.
Unlike 2024’s rollout, this year’s announcement comes with a longer wait. Qualcomm expects the first laptops powered by these processors to arrive in the first half of 2026.
While the company has yet to confirm details of its rumored collaboration with Google on Android-PC integration, industry watchers expect more updates in the coming year.
With these new chips, Qualcomm is making it clear: Windows on Arm isn’t just an experiment anymore — it’s here to compete head-to-head with the biggest players in the PC industry.
