Qualcomm has revealed its latest innovation in computing technology with the announcement of the Snapdragon X Elite platform. Representing a significant leap in performance, these chips are built on a cutting-edge 4nm process and boast a remarkable 136GB/s of memory bandwidth. Anticipated to hit the market in mid-2024, these chips signal a major advancement for the PC computing world.
Qualcomm’s Bold Claim
One of Qualcomm’s bold claims is that the Snapdragon X Elite will outperform multiple Intel Core i7 processors on the Geekbench 6 benchmark, which measures multi-threaded performance. However, the accompanying chart provided by Qualcomm lacks certain key details, leaving room for interpretation. The company’s statement does not specify whether the chart’s y-axis uses a linear or logarithmic scale or where it commences. Moreover, the claim solely focuses on multi-threaded performance, omitting mention of single-thread performance, an area where Intel processors have traditionally excelled.
Another chart provided by Qualcomm asserts that the X Elite chip surpasses AMD’s Ryzen 9 7940HS in GPU benchmarks, but this chart, too, utilizes the vague “relative performance” as its y-axis metric.
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Qualcomm vs. Apple
Qualcomm also suggests that the Snapdragon X Elite will deliver “50% faster peak multi-thread performance” compared to Apple’s M2 chip. However, some experts have criticized this claim as it primarily stems from the X Elite’s 50% increase in core count over the M2 and higher power consumption. While it may outperform in terms of peak multi-thread performance, the actual real-world advantages remain to be seen.
One of the most intriguing aspects of Qualcomm’s announcement is the introduction of a new technology called Snapdragon Seamless. This cross-platform innovation aims to enable Android, Windows, and Snapdragon devices running various operating systems to seamlessly collaborate and share information. Users could transfer files and windows between different devices effortlessly, share screens, or have their earbuds switch between devices automatically. Qualcomm has already secured partnerships with major tech players, including Microsoft, Google, Dell, Lenovo, Honor, and Oppo.
Future of Snapdragon Seamless
The success of Snapdragon Seamless will largely depend on the adoption of Qualcomm’s PC chips, and its widespread usage remains to be seen. The Snapdragon X Elite, with its impressive specs, could indeed mark a significant improvement in performance compared to previous Snapdragon PC chips. Whether it will outperform Apple’s M2 chip in real-world scenarios, however, is a matter that will be determined when these technologies hit the market.
