Just when you thought Qualcomm’s mobile chip lineup couldn’t get any more convoluted, the semiconductor giant went and kicked off a full-blown alpha-numeric apocalypse in the PC space. Say hello to the Snapdragon X Elite and X Plus families – two fresh branches of ARM-based processors gunning to bring premium performance to laptops and 2-in-1s.
Based on the currently available specs, it appears Qualcomm is launching a staggering 8 different X series SKUs spread across these two lineups. On the high end, the mysterious X1E84100 and X1E80100 Elite chips could be true performance beasts, with leaked benchmarks pointing to beefy 8+4 CPU core configurations and boosted clock speeds over 4GHz.
We’re also getting early glimpses of some of the mid-range and entry-level models like the X1P56100 Plus, which recently popped up rocking a more modest 8-core CPU design. Suffice it to say, if you’re an OEM looking to build an ARM-powered Windows machine at virtually any performance or price point, Qualcomm seems determined to have a chip tailored just for you.
The obvious strategy at play? Flex ARM’s inherent power efficiency advantages wherever possible while simultaneously demolishing the narrative that Windows on ARM is a lethargic, compromised experience. A top-tier X Elite chip could theoretically hang with Intel and AMD’s heavyweight laptop CPUs while sipping less juice.
It’s an undeniably scattershot, overcomplicated branding approach from Qualcomm. But the company clearly isn’t messing around in its quest to make ARM matter for PCs in 2024 and beyond – they’re arming OEMs with a full arsenal of firepower. Now it’s just a question of whether consumers will bite, or if the complex lineup will only breed confusion.
In any case, one thing is clear: the processor wars are heating up like never before. Between Apple’s M-series onslaught (Snapdragon X Elite Chips Set to Give Apple’s M-Series a Run for Its Money) and Qualcomm’s scorched-earth X campaign, x86 may need to watch its back.
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