Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X2 Elite Signals a Real Windows PC AI Push
Qualcomm has taken center stage again in the Windows-on-PC race by unveiling the Snapdragon X2 Elite family. Built on the third generation of the Oryon cores, the new lineup is pitched as the fastest, strongest, and most efficient option yet for Windows laptops with native AI features such as Copilot+ PC support, backed by close collaboration with Microsoft. After the first-gen generation arrived amid stiff competition from Intel and AMD, Qualcomm now argues it is better positioned to compete on both CPU and AI performance.
The flagship: Snapdragon X2 Elite Extreme
Leading the charge is the Snapdragon X2 Elite Extreme, offering an 18-core configuration with 12 premium performance cores clocked up to 5.0 GHz and 6 efficiency/alternate performance cores up to 3.6 GHz. A newly designed GPU, the X2-90, runs at a maximum of 1.85 GHz, and the chip supports up to 228 GB of RAM. The most notable hardware upgrade is the NPU, rated at up to 80 TOPS, a significant step up from the previous generation. Qualcomm paints a picture of a processor able to handle demanding Windows workloads, heavy AI tasks, and future-proof multi-tasking in a single chip.
Other members of the family
Two lower-power variants sit alongside the flagship. The X2E-88-100 uses the same core block as the top-end chip but with lower clock speeds (up to 4.7 GHz for the fastest cores) and a slightly slower GPU, while the X2E-96-100 scales the clocks to about 3.4 GHz. Both share the same GPU speed tier of 1.7 GHz and push memory support to up to 152 GB. The “slimmer” member, the X2E-80-100, preserves the 12-core layout but with a different, lower-end GPU (the X2-85) and the same RAM ceiling. It also features a smaller dedicated cache, about 34 MB versus 53 MB on other variants, which Qualcomm highlights as part of its tiered performance strategy.
What makes the X2 Elite different
Manufactured on a 3-nanometer process, the X2 Elite family promises notable gains in peak performance and efficiency. Qualcomm quotes up to a 31% improvement in peak performance versus the prior generation and a GPU performance-per-watt uplift of up to 2.3x. The updated NPU is claimed to deliver about a 37% uplift in AI throughput while consuming roughly 16% less power. In practice, Qualcomm frames this as paving the way for Windows laptops with stronger native AI features, longer battery life, and better sustained performance for edge AI workloads and Copilot+ PC tasks.
Where this fits in the Windows-on-PC landscape
The second generation of Snapdragon PCs is Qualcomm’s strongest pitch yet to a market still dominated by Intel and AMD in many segments. By emphasizing both CPU and AI accelerators—along with tighter integration with Microsoft’s Copilot+ PC—Qualcomm is betting that laptops powered by X2 Elite can offer better AI responsiveness and battery life for Windows users who rely on on-device AI features and real-time productivity tasks.
Outlook and caveats
As with any processor launch, real-world results will depend on device design, cooling, and how software vendors optimize Windows on ARM. The X2 Elite family sets clear expectations for a new wave of Windows laptops that blend traditional CPU performance with robust AI acceleration. If manufacturers can harness the architecture effectively, the X2 Elite could redefine the baseline for Windows PC AI workloads over the next 12–24 months.
