Tag: Snapdragon X Elite

  • ARM Ends Qualcomm Chip Design License Agreement

    ARM Ends Qualcomm Chip Design License Agreement

    With a legal conflict on the horizon for December, ARM Holdings plc has initiated a confrontation with Qualcomm by terminating their architectural design agreement.

    Cancellation of License

    According to BNN Bloomberg, ARM has issued Qualcomm a 60-day cancellation notice. Should this cancellation become effective, Qualcomm will be forced to cease the sale of products that utilize ARM technology. This move could significantly impact a profitable revenue stream that includes various devices used in Android smartphones and other portable gadgets. Among these products are the Snapdragon X Elite and 8 Elite, which are based on Nuvia technology.

    Background of the Dispute

    The conflict traces back to 2022 when ARM took legal action against Qualcomm and its subsidiary Nuvia for creating custom Phoenix cores without obtaining permission from ARM. Prior to Qualcomm’s acquisition of Nuvia, there was an agreement that allowed Nuvia to modify ARM’s designs to develop these custom cores. However, this agreement was rendered void after the acquisition, leading ARM to revoke all of Nuvia’s licenses in March 2022.

    Statements from the Companies

    ARM contended that Qualcomm “tried to transfer Nuvia’s licenses without ARM’s permission.” In contrast, Qualcomm asserted that ARM lacks the “contractual or any other rights to interfere with Qualcomm’s or Nuvia’s innovations.” Although newer Qualcomm chips do not incorporate ARM cores, they still rely on the ARM instruction set as a bridge between hardware and software components.

    In a statement to Sam Mobile, a spokesperson from Qualcomm remarked, “This is just more of the same from ARM – more baseless threats intended to intimidate a long-standing partner, meddle with our leading CPUs, and hike up royalty fees despite the extensive rights under our architecture license.”

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  • Snapdragon X2 Elite Development Already Underway

    Snapdragon X2 Elite Development Already Underway

    Qualcomm’s ARM-based Snapdragon X Elite and Snapdragon X Plus laptops began shipping earlier this year, showcasing outstanding battery life and enhanced power efficiency. Recently, details about the upcoming “Snapdragon X2” CPUs have emerged online.

    New High-End Version Discovered

    The company is currently getting ready to test the X2 CPUs, and WinFuture has reportedly uncovered “the first evidence of a new high-end version.” All models of the 12-core Snapdragon X Elite share the same internal model number, “SC8380XP.” However, a new chip with the model number “SC8480XP” has been found in databases, which is expected to be named “Snapdragon X2 Elite.”

    Early Testing Insights

    WinFuture further discloses that Qualcomm began testing early prototypes of the “SC8480XP” chip, codenamed “Project Glymur,” back in July and August of this year. Unfortunately, specific performance numbers are not available at this time.

    At this point, there is no information regarding the clock speed or the number of cores in the SC8480XP. The codename “Glymur” suggests substantial improvements, as it refers to the second-highest waterfall in Iceland. Historically, Qualcomm has typically chosen names based on locations in Hawaii for its smartphone and PC processors, so this shift in naming could indicate something significant.

    Expected Development Timeline

    Qualcomm aims to complete the development of “Project Glymur” or the “SC8480XP” by 2025. The current Snapdragon X Elite series emphasizes single-core CPU performance, while its multi-core and graphics capabilities lag behind those of the Apple M4. The introduction of the X Elite and X Plus chips for Windows PCs has prompted Intel and AMD to develop processors that integrate stronger CPUs, GPUs, and NPUs.

    Qualcomm is likely to leverage this momentum to compete more effectively with the latest Apple Silicon, focusing on both computational power and energy efficiency.

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  • Snapdragon X Elite Core Architecture Unveiled: Surprising Insights

    Snapdragon X Elite Core Architecture Unveiled: Surprising Insights

    The initial shipment of laptops featuring the Snapdragon X Elite began in June this year. This ARM-based chip differentiates itself from Intel processors mainly due to its exceptional power efficiency. This efficiency translates to extended battery life and enables manufacturers to create thinner and lighter devices since less cooling is required.

    Qualcomm’s Bold Claims

    Despite starting with ambitious efficiency promises from Qualcomm and ending with favorable reviews on battery longevity, there has been limited detailed information available about the chipset until now. Recent developments have unveiled kernel images and the module distribution map of the Snapdragon X Elite, allowing for a comparison with the Apple M4, revealing some intriguing insights.

    Size and Transistor Density

    The Snapdragon X Elite is only marginally larger than the Apple M4. Its core area measures 169.6 square millimeters, closely matching that of the Apple M4. However, the Snapdragon chip utilizes TSMC‘s 4nm process, while the Apple M4 is manufactured using a 3nm process. This means the Apple M4 can accommodate more transistors per square millimeter than the Snapdragon X Elite. Generally, as manufacturing processes shrink, the space between transistors decreases, enabling a higher transistor count in the same die area. Thus, the Apple M4 is expected to deliver better performance and energy efficiency compared to Qualcomm’s chip, although the performance disparity does not appear to be substantial.

    Performance Influencers

    While transistor density plays a crucial role, other elements such as architecture, design choices (like the number of CPU cores, cache sizes, and clock speeds), and optimization also greatly influence performance outcomes. For example, the design of individual cores and the integration of AI accelerators are essential factors to consider.

    CPU and GPU Specifications

    The Snapdragon X Elite features up to 12 Oryon architecture CPU cores, dubbed Phoenix, with each core occupying a single area of 2.55mm². This size is slightly less than the performance core of the Apple M4, which is 3mm², and matches the performance core of the A16. Each core includes 192KB of L1 instruction cache and 96KB of L1 data cache, while every four cores share a total of 12MB of 12-way L2 cache (36MB combined), with a single group area of 6.1mm².

    In contrast, the Adreno X1 GPU in the Snapdragon X Elite is only 24.3mm², making it 25% smaller than the GPU in the Apple M4.

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