Qualcomm Announces Snapdragon X2 Plus Laptop Chip

Qualcomm has utilized the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) to introduce the Snapdragon X2 Plus laptop processor. This release is positioned as a more accessible alternative to the flagship Snapdragon X2 Elite chip, which the company unveiled in September. The announcement highlights Qualcomm's continued push into the Windows PC market with its proprietary architecture.

The new Snapdragon X2 Plus is designed to bring premium features to a broader range of devices. While the flagship X2 Elite targets high-end performance with up to 18 cores, the X2 Plus offers configurations with six or ten cores. Both chips share the same third-generation Qualcomm Oryon CPU architecture, promising significant speed improvements over previous generations. The focus remains on delivering efficient performance for AI-driven tasks and general computing within the Windows 11 ecosystem.

The annual CES technology conference frequently serves as a launchpad for major chipmakers. Qualcomm utilized this year's event to expand its processor lineup with the introduction of the Snapdragon X2 Plus. This processor is specifically designed for laptop form factors, continuing the company's strategic shift toward PC hardware.

This new silicon is explicitly described as a 'more modest version' of the flagship Snapdragon X2 Elite. The Elite model was previously announced in September and remains the premier offering in Qualcomm's lineup. The X2 Plus serves to bridge the gap, likely offering a balance of price and performance for mainstream laptops. It is expected to appear in the coming generation of Windows 11 Copilot+ PCs, ensuring it carries the same certification for Microsoft's AI features as its higher-end sibling.

At the heart of the Snapdragon X2 Plus is the third-generation Qualcomm Oryon CPU. This architecture represents the company's custom silicon design, moving away from standard ARM designs used in the past. The X2 Plus is available in two distinct configurations to suit different device tiers.

The specific core counts for the X2 Plus are:

• Six-core model: Designed for efficiency and thinner devices.
• Ten-core model: Offers higher multi-threaded performance.

For comparison, the flagship Snapdragon X2 Elite offers more robust options, providing choices of either 12 cores or 18 cores. This segmentation allows manufacturers to select the exact performance profile needed for their target market, from ultra-portables to mobile workstations.

Qualcomm has provided specific performance metrics regarding the new Snapdragon X2 Plus. The company claims this iteration of the CPU boasts up to 35 percent faster single-core performance when compared with the previous generation of chips. This metric is crucial for responsiveness in everyday applications and general system snappiness.

Multi-core performance also sees notable improvements, though they vary by configuration:

• The six-core model delivers up to 10 percent faster multi-core performance over the prior model.
• The ten-core option provides up to 17 percent better multi-core performance over the previous generation.

These figures suggest that while the six-core model prioritizes efficiency, the ten-core version leverages the additional cores for more demanding parallel workloads.

Graphics performance is handled by the integrated Adreno GPU. Both the six-core and ten-core versions of the Snapdragon X2 Plus come equipped with this graphics processor. According to the specifications, the Adreno GPU features improved performance up to 29 percent over the past iteration.

While the Snapdragon X2 Elite is explicitly noted for its Hexagon NPU delivering 80 TOPS (trillions of operations per second) for powering artificial intelligence tasks, the X2 Plus is implied to carry similar NPU capabilities to support the Windows 11 Copilot+ requirements. The combination of the Oryon CPU, Adreno GPU, and NPU creates a unified architecture aimed at handling modern AI-accelerated workloads efficiently.

The introduction of the Snapdragon X2 Plus marks a strategic expansion of Qualcomm's laptop processor portfolio. By offering a 'plus' variant alongside the 'elite' flagship, the company provides device manufacturers with greater flexibility in designing systems that balance performance and cost. The promised generational leaps in single-core and multi-core performance, combined with GPU enhancements, position the chip as a competitive option in the evolving Windows on ARM landscape.

As the hardware ecosystem prepares for the next wave of Windows 11 Copilot+ PCs, the availability of the Snapdragon X2 Plus ensures that advanced AI capabilities and high efficiency will not be limited to only the most expensive devices. The chip represents a maturation of the Snapdragon X series, bringing proven architecture to a wider audience.