Qualcomm Announces Snapdragon X Plus 8-core Processors

[Nomad76]

Ahead of IFA 2024, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. announced the expansion of its Snapdragon X Series portfolio with the introduction of Snapdragon X Plus 8-core, a breakthrough platform that unleashes multiday battery life, unprecedented performance and AI-powered Copilot+ experiences to even more people.

The 8-core Qualcomm Oryon CPU powering this Snapdragon X Plus platform enables lightning-fast responsiveness and efficiency, delivering 61% faster CPU performance while competitor peak performance requires 179% more power. An integrated GPU and support for up to three external monitors ensures exceptional graphics and immersive visual experiences. At the heart of the Snapdragon X Plus 8-core is a powerful 45 TOPS NPU of AI processing power and leading performance per watt which, paired with the platform's significant advancements in connectivity, will push productivity to new heights in ultra-portable designs with incredible battery life. Whether creating presentations on-the-go or videoconferencing, the versatile functionality of this platform will enable transformative experiences.





"The first and best Copilot+ PCs are powered by Snapdragon X Series platforms, launching a new generation in personal computing, made possible by our groundbreaking NPU," said Cristiano Amon, President and Chief Executive Officer, Qualcomm Incorporated. "With Snapdragon X Plus 8-core, we are now bringing to more users these transformative AI experiences, and the best-in-class performance and unprecedented battery life of our power efficient custom Qualcomm Oryon CPU. We're proud to be working with leading global OEMs and retail partners to expand our portfolio and enable enterprise customers and consumers."

"We're thrilled to see the Snapdragon X Plus 8-core platform bringing the transformative power of Copilot+ to even more users worldwide," said Rangoon Chang, Corporate Vice President, Consumer BU. "ASUS is committed to making cutting-edge technology, like the ProArt PZ13, accessible to everyone, everywhere and this partnership with Qualcomm is a significant step in that direction."



"Qualcomm's introduction of Snapdragon X Plus 8-core builds on the incredible energy and momentum for Copilot+ PCs that began in May. Their breakthrough platform unlocks all-day battery life, unprecedented performance and efficiency, and with the powerful NPU, brings AI-powered Windows experiences to even more people. Together, we will continue to collaborate across the Windows ecosystem with Qualcomm to push the boundaries of what is possible with Copilot+ PCs," said Pavan Davuluri, Corporate Vice President, Windows + Devices, Microsoft

Select PCs powered by the Snapdragon X Plus 8-core will be available starting today.

[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/live/JDEIDEW52ho]

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[ncrs]

Am I reading this right? Qualcomm is advertising beating a fanless 2022 M2 MacBook Air while requiring a fan themselves?
The mentioned ProArt PZ13 does have a fan despite having a TDP of 20W, footnote 10:

ProArt PZ13 thermal design allows for power consumption of up to 20 W CPU TDP without overheating.

Which is interesting of itself because the MT chart from Qualcomm in this article makes it go just shy of 30W. So is this performance even achievable on the ProArt PZ13? Does it even beat the M2 in MT after all?

 

[phanbuey]

Comparing yourself to the m2 when the m3 has been out, and the m4 is about to come out is lowkey admitting you're 2 years behind.

 

[john_]

Based on the above table what I can understand for the 8 core models is
Slower CPU performance
Dead slow iGPU performance
ALL the advertisement will go to having "The same AI performance as top models" and power efficiency.
They will probably be great options for those who don't intent to run any kind of 3D game other than smartphone type games and wouldn't run anything more than a browser and an office suite.
Considering that any laptop at $400 with an x86 CPU can offer this level of performance, if not even more, I wonder if 45 TOPS and more hours of battery life justify the double price.

 

[wNotyarD]

Comparing yourself to the m2 when the m3 has been out, and the m4 is about to come out is lowkey admitting you're 2 years behind.

I mean, doesn't Apple itself compare both M3 and M4 to M1?

 

[phints]

Was QC just waiting for Lunar Lake announcement? Ok Intel, now where is Arrow Lake?

In my opinion Windows OS and apps are nowhere near good enough on ARM to make it compelling yet. If x86-64 can get most of the way there for efficiency and maintains all the awesome compatiblity, custom builds, dedicated GPUs, etc. it's still the best option.

 

[Darmok N Jalad]

I mean, doesn't Apple itself compare both M3 and M4 to M1?

They do, but that’s because they are looking to entice their own customers to upgrade. I guess you could say Qualcomm is doing the same thing, as maybe M1/M2 customers are looking to upgrade.

 

[kondamin]

Was QC just waiting for Lunar Lake announcement? Ok Intel, now where is Arrow Lake?

In my opinion Windows OS and apps are nowhere near good enough on ARM to make it compelling yet. If x86-64 can get most of the way there for efficiency and maintains all the awesome compatiblity, custom builds, dedicated GPUs, etc. it's still the best option.

European back to school season is starting and the people that were in the market for a +1K laptop probably bought their device.
no point in having people who could spend +1k buy 6~900 laptops

 

[tvshacker]

How good (or bad) is the iGPU of these things? Can it compete with the Steam Deck APU?
How hard is it to port SteamOS (or Bazzite) to ARM? Would games that run in SteamOS automatically run on the ARM version or would they need optimizations/tweaks?

 

[CosmicWanderer]

Comparing yourself to the m2 when the m3 has been out, and the m4 is about to come out is lowkey admitting you're 2 years behind.

It's not about generations, its about the price points. What they're saying is that for a cheaper price, the Snapdragon offers more.

New devices with these Snapdragon chips will start at $799. A MacBook Air M2 starts a $999.

Considering that any laptop at $400 with an x86 CPU can offer this level of performance, if not even more, I wonder if 45 TOPS and more hours of battery life justify the double price.

Hypothetically, for the same performance, and double if not triple the battery life and standby time, absolutely its worth it.

Out of curiosity, which $400 x86 laptop do you have in mind that has the same performance (single and multi-thread) as this Snapdragon chip?

 

[phanbuey]

It's not about generations, its about the price points. What they're saying is that for a cheaper price, the Snapdragon offers more.

New devices with these Snapdragon chips will start at $799. A MacBook Air M2 starts a $999.

They dont say that though - nowhere in their marketing materials does it actually advertise "better value" - they're marketing to "superior features" vs an EOL product.

Not to mention current M2s are on sale everywhere at the same price ($799 at amazon and BB) - and those come with retina screens and great build quality.

They do have the 3 monitor feature that is awesome - and that can be a huge selling point. But if they're gunning for the apple crowd this isn't really going to do it.

Hypothetically, for the same performance, and double if not triple the battery life and standby time, absolutely its worth it.

Out of curiosity, which $400 x86 laptop do you have in mind that has the same performance (single and multi-thread) as this Snapdragon chip?

Samsung Galaxy Book4 15.6" FHD Laptop Intel Core 7- 16GB Memory 512GB SSD Silver NP750XGK-KS2US - Best Buy
Lenovo Ideapad 1 15.6" Full HD Touchscreen Laptop Ryzen 7 5700U with 16GB Memory AMD Radeon Graphics 512GB SSD Cloud Gray 82R400DTUS - Best Buy

A bit of hyperbole there, but they are absolutely getting squeezed at the low end by x86.

 

[john_]

Out of curiosity, which $400 x86 laptop do you have in mind that has the same performance (single and multi-thread) as this Snapdragon chip?

I am thinking that any Ryzen 5 or Intel i5 will probably offer more or less the same performance. Qualcomm will be winning on native apps, losing or winning probably elsewhere, I am expecting that iGPU in those 8 cores Qualcomm SOCs to be much worst than an AMD iGPU. Am I wrong? I could be wrong.

 

[CosmicWanderer]

They dont say that though - nowhere in their marketing materials does it actually advertise "better value" - they're marketing to "superior features" vs an EOL product.

Not to mention current M2s are on sale everywhere at the same price ($799 at amazon and BB) - and those come with retina screens and great build quality.

They do have the 3 monitor feature that is awesome - and that can be a huge selling point. But if they're gunning for the apple crowd this isn't really going to do it.


Samsung Galaxy Book4 15.6" FHD Laptop Intel Core 7- 16GB Memory 512GB SSD Silver NP750XGK-KS2US - Best Buy
Lenovo Ideapad 1 15.6" Full HD Touchscreen Laptop Ryzen 7 5700U with 16GB Memory AMD Radeon Graphics 512GB SSD Cloud Gray 82R400DTUS - Best Buy

View attachment 362048
A bit of hyperbole there, but they are absolutely getting squeezed at the low end by x86.

That's because Snapdragon devices are still relatively new. Over time the price will trickle down, and I'm sure there will be more SDX lower-end SKUs announced.

The marketing around these Snapdragon processors is still that they are premium chips for premium devices.

The superior battery life alone is a massive selling point. The multiple external display support is nice, the AI stuff has potential, but it's the battery life that is crucial, especially for mobile devices like tablets and laptops. That's why people are buying Copilot devices. Its the main reason I bought one.

And it seems Qualcomm knows this.

Qualcomm spends millions on marketing as it is found better battery life, not AI features, is driving Copilot+ PC sales

On-device AI features aren't that useful for consumers yet, but long battery life is.

www.tomshardware.com

I am thinking that any Ryzen 5 or Intel i5 will probably offer more or less the same performance. Qualcomm will be winning on native apps, losing or winning probably elsewhere, I am expecting that iGPU in those 8 cores Qualcomm SOCs to be much worst than an AMD iGPU. Am I wrong? I could be wrong.

If the device is going to be your main PC, then sure, you might care a lot about iGPU performance. If it's not, or you simply dont need powerful graphics, then battery life is the main advantage, and it seems people are willing to pay for that.

Also, a $400 laptop with a Ryzen 5 or Intel i5 will not match the single or multi-thread CPU performance of these Snapdragon chips. Unless it's a top of the line Zen 4/5 or Lunar Lake chip. You're not gonna find those for $400.

 

[john_]

If the device is going to be your main PC, then sure, you might care a lot about iGPU performance. If it's not, or you simply dont need powerful graphics, then battery life is the main advantage, and it seems people are willing to pay for that.

Already saying this in my first post.

Also, a $400 laptop with a Ryzen 5 or Intel i5 will not match the single or multi-thread CPU performance of these Snapdragon chips. Unless it's a top of the line Zen 4/5 or Lunar Lake chip. You're not gonna find those for $400.

Don't know. With Qualcomm having to run most apps under emulation, the difference might not be that much noticeable between a Ryzen 7 5845 or even a Ryzen 7 5700U for example and the 8 core Snapdragon chip.

 

[Carillon]

Am I getting this right? In the graph they compare peak performance and IDLE power?

 

[CosmicWanderer]

Already saying this in my first post.

Don't know. With Qualcomm having to run most apps under emulation, the difference might not be that much noticeable between a Ryzen 7 5845 or even a Ryzen 7 5700U for example and the 8 core Snapdragon chip.

Define "most apps"? And for who?

In my case, "most apps" that I use on my laptop are ARM-native. Which are the Office apps (Outlook, OneNote, Word, PowerPoint, and Excel), Spotify, Chrome, Zoom, WhatsApp, and of course the built-in Windows apps (Calculator, Photos, Notepad etc). Oh and Clipchamp and Davinci Resolve depending on the task.

The only app that I can think of that I use regularly and isn't ARM-native is Adobe Acrobat.

 

[john_]

Define "most apps"? And for who?

I don't think there is a need to define something here. Most apps in Windows will probably never be translated to run natively on ARM. We can of course ignore a few thousands of apps and focus on 10-50-100 apps that are mostly used, but that's not what I mean. There are billions of users out there and any of them might be using a different set of apps. We can't take all of them and just throw them into the same basket. Of course, most people will mostly use a browser and an office suite, something I already mentioned. But they wouldn't use only those, because in that case, who needs something more than a Chromebook?

 

[CosmicWanderer]

I don't think there is a need to define something here. Most apps in Windows will probably never be translated to run natively on ARM. We can of course ignore a few thousands of apps and focus on 10-50-100 apps that are mostly used, but that's not what I mean. There are billions of users out there and any of them might be using a different set of apps. We can't take all of them and just throw them into the same basket. Of course, most people will mostly use a browser and an office suite, something I already mentioned. But they wouldn't use only those, because in that case, who needs something more than a Chromebook?

And that's fine. It's not ignoring the other non-native apps, its simply the reality that the most popular apps are ARM native, and more are coming, even from Adobe.

In any case, my point is, that in the 80% of apps that people use regularly (Qualcomm and Microsoft say its 90%), these Snapdragon PCs will perform exceptionally well while also delivering really good battery life vs an x86 laptop.

If people need specific professional apps, there are plenty of x86 options, but for most people, Snapdragon will serve them very well on Windows.

 

[bug]

Sadly for them, the competition isn't 125U or 155U anymore.
Still, newer, better CPU/SoC? Welcome, the more, the merrier.

 

[Minus Infinity]

That's because Snapdragon devices are still relatively new. Over time the price will trickle down, and I'm sure there will be more SDX lower-end SKUs announced.

The marketing around these Snapdragon processors is still that they are premium chips for premium devices.

The superior battery life alone is a massive selling point. The multiple external display support is nice, the AI stuff has potential, but it's the battery life that is crucial, especially for mobile devices like tablets and laptops. That's why people are buying Copilot devices. Its the main reason I bought one.

And it seems Qualcomm knows this.

Qualcomm spends millions on marketing as it is found better battery life, not AI features, is driving Copilot+ PC sales

On-device AI features aren't that useful for consumers yet, but long battery life is.

www.tomshardware.com

If the device is going to be your main PC, then sure, you might care a lot about iGPU performance. If it's not, or you simply dont need powerful graphics, then battery life is the main advantage, and it seems people are willing to pay for that.

Also, a $400 laptop with a Ryzen 5 or Intel i5 will not match the single or multi-thread CPU performance of these Snapdragon chips. Unless it's a top of the line Zen 4/5 or Lunar Lake chip. You're not gonna find those for $400.

Let's see what happens next year when the Nvidia-Mediatek alliance releases their own ARM SoC. Will probably have a much better iGPU. The Qualcomm systems make little sense currently. Plenty of work to do on software and battery life is not so much better to warrant higher prices for a lot of laptops that aren't anything special at all.

 

[CosmicWanderer]

Let's see what happens next year when the Nvidia-Mediatek alliance releases their own ARM SoC. Will probably have a much better iGPU. The Qualcomm systems make little sense currently. Plenty of work to do on software and battery life is not so much better to warrant higher prices for a lot of laptops that aren't anything special at all.

It will certainly be a very interesting time. AMD also said that they have no objection releasing an ARM-based processor should the market demand it.

But what I'm really looking forward to in the near future is Snapdragon PCs with dedicated AMD or Nvidia GPUs. Qualcomm and Microsoft said it's technically possible. I guess the wait is on these companies to figure out the graphics drivers for Windows on ARM.

 

[bug]

It will certainly be a very interesting time. AMD also said that they have no objection releasing an ARM-based processor should the market demand it.

But what I'm really looking forward to in the near future is Snapdragon PCs with dedicated AMD or Nvidia GPUs. Qualcomm and Microsoft said it's technically possible. I guess the wait is on these companies to figure out the graphics drivers for Windows on ARM.

Well, they have drivers for Windows. And they have drivers for ARM (on Linux). In Nvidia's case, it's even the same driver with a different thin wrapper. So it wouldn't be huge undertaking, if the market demands it.