The Snapdragon X2 Series: Qualcomm’s Next Big Swing at the Laptop Market

Craig McCamley
2026-01-14T09:13:08+00:00

Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X2 family represents the second generation of its Oryon‑based laptop processors, building on the momentum of the original Snapdragon X Elite. Announced across late 2025 and showcased at CES 2026, the X2 lineup is designed to power the next wave of Windows 11 Copilot+ PCs with major improvements in CPU performance, GPU capability, and AI acceleration.

1. Architecture and Core Design

At the heart of the X2 series is Qualcomm’s third‑generation Oryon CPU, available in multiple configurations depending on the model:

X2 Elite Extreme: Up to 18 cores, with 12 high‑performance cores reaching 4.7 GHz and 6 performance cores up to 3.4 GHz.

X2 Elite: Up to 12 or 18 cores, depending on SKU.

X2 Plus: More mainstream 6‑core and 10‑core variants for mid‑range laptops.

These chips feature large shared caches (up to 53 MB on the Elite Extreme) and advanced power management to maintain high performance in thin‑and‑light designs.

2. GPU and Graphics Improvements

All X2 processors include Qualcomm’s X2‑series Adreno GPUs, with the Elite Extreme integrating the X2‑90 GPU clocked at 1.7 GHz. Key improvements include:

Higher sustained graphics performance

Better thermals for gaming and creative workloads

Support for modern APIs and high‑resolution external displays

While early benchmarks show Apple’s M‑series still leading in some GPU tests, Qualcomm has significantly narrowed the gap in multi‑core CPU performance and AI acceleration.

3. AI Performance: 80 TOPS NPUs

AI is a major focus of the X2 generation. The Elite and Elite Extreme integrate an 80 TOPS Hexagon NPU, meeting Microsoft’s requirement for Copilot+ PCs and enabling:

Real‑time language translation

On‑device generative AI

Image and video enhancement

Local LLM inference

The X2 Plus uses the same NPU architecture, though tuned for lower power envelopes.

4. Battery Life and Efficiency

Qualcomm continues to lean on ARM efficiency advantages. The X2 series supports:

LPDDR5x‑9523 memory with 152 GB/s bandwidth

Advanced low‑power states

Efficient multi‑core scaling

This allows X2 laptops to deliver all‑day battery life even under mixed workloads—one of Qualcomm’s strongest competitive advantages over Intel and AMD.

5. Connectivity and I/O

The X2 platform includes modern, high‑bandwidth connectivity:

USB 4.0 (up to 3 ports)

PCIe 5.0, NVMe, UFS 4.0 storage support

Wi‑Fi 7 and 5G options depending on OEM design

These features bring ARM laptops closer to parity with premium x86 systems.

6. Early Benchmarks and Real‑World Performance

Early testing paints a promising picture:

The X2 Plus trails Apple’s M4 in single‑core tests but remains competitive in multi‑core workloads.

The X2 Elite Extreme surpasses 4,000 points in single‑core benchmarks, putting it in striking distance of Apple’s M5 and next‑gen Intel Panther Lake chips.

Qualcomm’s efficiency and AI performance remain standout strengths.

7. Laptops Featuring Snapdragon X2

At CES 2026, the first wave of X2 laptops was announced from:

ASUS

HP

Lenovo

More OEMs are expected to join throughout 2026 as Windows on ARM adoption accelerates

Conclusion: A Turning Point for Windows on ARM

The Snapdragon X2 series is Qualcomm’s most ambitious laptop processor family yet. With stronger CPU performance, competitive graphics, and industry‑leading AI acceleration, the X2 lineup positions Qualcomm as a serious challenger to Apple, Intel, and AMD in the premium and mid‑range laptop markets.

If adoption continues to grow—and if Windows on ARM software compatibility keeps improving—the Snapdragon X2 generation could mark the moment ARM laptops finally go mainstream.