Qualcomm has officially unveiled the complete lineup of Snapdragon X series processors, comprising four distinct chipsets. Among these are three Elite tier offerings and one Plus tier variant. This article delves into the nomenclature of Snapdragon X Elite and Snapdragon X Plus processors, elucidating the discrepancies between the variants, benchmark results, and additional insights. With that said, let’s delve into the details.
Snapdragon X Series Naming
The Snapdragon X Series comprises four processors and two SoC platforms: Snapdragon X Elite and Snapdragon X Plus. Snapdragon X Elite offers three distinct SKUs, while Snapdragon X Plus features a single SKU. Below are the various SKUs for each platform.
Snapdragon X Elite
- Snapdragon X Elite (Model X1E-84-100)
- Snapdragon X Elite (Model X1E-80-100)
- Snapdragon X Elite (Model X1E-78-100)
Snapdragon X Plus
- Snapdragon X Plus (Model X1P-64-100)
Now, let’s delve into the naming convention. The product identifier X1E-84-100 follows a structured pattern: the ‘X’ signifies its association with the Snapdragon X series processors; ‘1’ indicates its generation, marking this as Qualcomm’s inaugural Oryon-based PC chipset; ‘E’ denotes its classification under the Elite category, while ‘P’ designates the Plus category; ’84’ represents the SKU, unique to each processor; lastly, ‘100’ denotes the variant, consistent across all processors.
Each SKU primarily varies in CPU clock speed. While there likely exist distinctions in power consumption among these processors, Qualcomm has not officially released TDP (Thermal Design Power) specifications.
Exploring Snapdragon X Elite and Snapdragon X Plus Processors
Having grasped the naming convention, let’s delve into the diverse SKUs and discern their discrepancies. Before that, let’s establish the commonalities across all chipsets. Irrespective of tier, all four processors share the same Hexagon NPU, delivering performance capabilities of up to 45 TOPS.
Furthermore, all four processors boast support for LPDDR5x memory and PCIe 4.0/UFS 4.0 storage. Additionally, the memory bandwidth remains consistent at 135 GBps across all chipsets. Unlike Apple, Qualcomm has opted not to lower the memory/storage speed for different-tier chipsets, which is commendable. To conclude, Elite tier chipsets feature 12 CPU cores, while the Plus tier chipset boasts 10 CPU cores.
Snapdragon X Elite (X1E-84-100)
Now, turning to the distinctions, Snapdragon X Elite offers three distinct processors, all equipped with 12 Oryon CPU cores. The flagship processor, X1E-84-100, features 12 CPU cores and boasts a total of 42MB of system-level cache. It can elevate dual cores to speeds of up to 4.2GHz, while the maximum multithreaded frequency reaches 3.8GHz.
This marks the highest CPU frequency achievable on any consumer ARM64 processor, surpassing even Apple’s 4.05GHz clock speed on the M3 lineup. Regarding its Adreno GPU, it can deliver performance of up to 4.6 TFLOPs, while the NPU can handle tasks of up to 45 TOPS.
To date, there haven’t been any sightings of laptops utilizing this specific processor, aside from Qualcomm’s reference device. It’s conceivable that this top-tier chipset comes with a higher TDP, and OEMs might be opting for alternative SKUs to address thermal management concerns. Alternatively, it’s possible that laptop manufacturers will unveil premium Windows laptops featuring this flagship processor post-mid-2024. Thus, it’s advisable to await official announcements for further updates.
Snapdragon X Elite (X1E-80-100)
Moving on to the second-most potent chipset in the Snapdragon X Elite lineup, we encounter the X1E-80-100 processor. Sporting identical 12 CPU cores and 42MB of cache as its counterpart, it does exhibit a slight reduction in frequency. Dual cores can be boosted up to 4.0GHz, with the maximum multithreaded frequency reaching 3.4GHz. This entails a reduction of 400MHz to 200MHz in top clock speeds compared to the X1E-84-100 variant.
The Adreno GPU exhibits slightly less power, capable of delivering up to 3.8 TFLOPs (in contrast to 4.6 TFLOPs on the top-tier variant). However, the NPU maintains its performance of up to 45 TOPS. Leaks have showcased this specific variant on Samsung’s Galaxy Book4 Edge and Microsoft’s Surface Laptop 6.
Snapdragon X Elite (Model X1E-78-100)
Moving to the third-most potent and final processor in the Snapdragon X Elite lineup, we encounter the X1E-78-100 variant. Featuring 12 CPU cores and boasting 42MB of cache, this processor does not provide dual-core boost. The maximum multithreaded frequency is elevated to 3.4GHz. In comparison to the second variant, the maximum frequency remains the same, but without turbo boost capability.
The Adreno GPU and NPU retain their performance levels, delivering 3.8 TFLOPs and 45 TOPS, respectively. To date, this processor has been spotted on Lenovo’s forthcoming Snapdragon-edition laptops.
Snapdragon X Plus (Model X1P-64-100)
Lastly, we arrive at the Snapdragon X Plus chipset, which comprises only one SKU. The X1P-64-100 processor is equipped with 10 CPU cores, as opposed to the 12 cores found in the Elite tier variants. It also features 42MB of total cache. Similar to its closest Elite tier counterpart, the X1E-78-100, it lacks dual-core boost functionality and maintains the same maximum multithreaded frequency, reaching up to 3.4GHz. The primary distinction lies in the CPU core count between the Plus and the nearest Elite variant.
Its Adreno GPU can handle operations up to 3.8 TFLOPs, while the NPU can execute tasks of up to 45 TOPS. Regarding leaks, this specific processor has been spotted in Microsoft’s forthcoming Surface Pro 10 laptop.
Distinguishing Features of Snapdragon X Series Processors
Below is an in-depth table outlining the distinctions among different Snapdragon X series SKUs:
Snapdragon X Elite vs Snapdragon X Plus: Benchmark Performance
Here are the official benchmark scores provided by Qualcomm for both Snapdragon X Elite and Snapdragon X Plus chipsets. The Snapdragon X Elite scores are presumed to be from the top variant, X1E-84-100. Take a look at the benchmark scores from Geekbench, Cinebench, PCMark, 3DMark, and other tests.
In the image below, we’ve plotted the benchmark scores comparing Snapdragon X Elite and Snapdragon X Plus.
Below is a Geekbench comparison among different SKUs of Snapdragon X Elite, X Plus, and Apple’s M3 and M2 chipsets. Additionally, we’ve included some leaked Geekbench scores from various laptop manufacturers.
That wraps up our discussion on Snapdragon X series processors, encompassing both Elite and Plus-tier chipsets. Analyzing the benchmark scores, it appears Qualcomm’s Oryon CPU core still trails slightly behind Apple’s high-performance core in the M3. Despite reaching frequencies of up to 4.2 GHz, it falls short of surpassing Apple’s M3 in the single-core test, where Apple’s cores are clocked up to 4.05GHz.
Indeed, in the multi-core test, Snapdragon X Elite does outperform Apple M3, albeit by a narrow margin. I’d argue that both are evenly matched. Personally, I’m particularly intrigued by Snapdragon X Plus, as it’s expected to offer a compelling balance between affordability and performance. With its higher 10 CPU cores, it’s poised to excel in multi-threaded tasks, potentially surpassing the base Apple M3 model.
Share your thoughts on the Snapdragon X series lineup for Windows PCs in the comments section below.
0 Comments