Tag: Snapdragon X Plus

  • Qualcomm to Reveal 8-Core Snapdragon X Plus at IFA 2024

    Qualcomm to Reveal 8-Core Snapdragon X Plus at IFA 2024

    Qualcomm is set to unveil the newest member of its Snapdragon series, a scaled-down variant of the current Snapdragon X Plus, at a press conference on September 4 during the IFA 2024 event in Berlin.

    This announcement, spearheaded by Qualcomm CEO Cristiano Amon, will introduce the market to the first 8-core processor utilizing the Oryon architecture. This processor specifically aims at the CoPilot+ notebook segment, with a price point under $800.

    A Budget-Friendly Take on the 10-core X Elite

    The Snapdragon X Plus (model X1P-42-100) is anticipated to be a cost-effective alternative to the Snapdragon X Elite and the existing 10-core X Plus. It comes equipped with an 8-core Oryon CPU built on a 4nm process. This chip is crafted to strike a balance between performance and affordability, making it suitable for mid-range laptops favored by budget-minded consumers.

    Reports suggest that the Snapdragon X Plus will achieve clock speeds of up to 3.4GHz on a single core and 3.2GHz across multiple cores. It features an Adreno GPU variant, providing 1.7 TFLOPS of processing power. Although this is less than the flagship models’ 3.8 TFLOPS, it should still suffice for general graphics tasks.

    Key Specifications and Features

    In terms of memory, the Snapdragon X Plus supports LPDDR5X RAM with a total cache capacity of 30MB, as opposed to the 42MB available in the higher-end X Plus versions.

    Moreover, the chip will retain several essential features from its pricier counterparts, including the Qualcomm Hexagon NPU, delivering 45 TOPS of AI capabilities, and the Always-Sensing ISP, which enhances camera processing.

    Connectivity options remain strong, featuring Wi-Fi 7 and 5G support, ensuring that devices powered by the Snapdragon X Plus are aligned with the latest in wireless technology. Additionally, the chip can support up to three external 4K displays at 60Hz, catering to users interested in developing a more complex desktop setup. 

    Qualcomm to Reveal 8-Core Snapdragon X Plus at IFA 2024
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  • Surface 7 with Snapdragon X Plus Outperforms M3 MacBook in Battery Test

    Surface 7 with Snapdragon X Plus Outperforms M3 MacBook in Battery Test

    Various PC manufacturers have recently introduced their latest notebooks featuring Qualcomm’s new Snapdragon X Elite and X Plus processors. These chips promise impressive battery life, and now, we observe the Snapdragon X series-powered Surface Laptops compared to the latest MacBooks, delivering some noteworthy results.

    Is Snapdragon X Plus Superior to M3 in Efficiency?

    In a battery life and efficiency examination by Alex Ziskind on YouTube, we gain insight into the real-world performance of the new Snapdragon chips. His test aimed to provide a realistic portrayal by including coding, music listening, and some intensive tasks. Alex also considered the different battery sizes of the laptops.

    In the initial efficiency test measuring “Battery Drain vs Work Done”, the M2 MacBook Air emerged as the most efficient, with the M3 MacBook Pro and M2 Max variants also demonstrating commendable performance. Conversely, the Surface Laptop 7th Edition outshone other Snapdragon X Elite and X Plus equipped laptops such as the ASUS Vivobook S 15, Dell XPS 13, and Galaxy Book 4 16 Edge. It is important to note that this efficiency test focused more on intensive tasks that pushed the CPU cores.

    Automated Workflow Test

    Ziskind conducted an automated workflow test to simulate a more realistic scenario, rerunning the test while occasionally playing YouTube videos, writing, and running codes. This prolonged test had all laptops set to high performance. In this scenario, the Surface Laptop 7 13 (X Plus) led the group with the highest average efficiency, followed closely by the M3 MacBook Air 13.

    The Snapdragon X Elite variant of the Surface Laptop 7 13 secured third place, performing significantly better than the Galaxy Book 4 Edge 16 and VivoBook S 15. It should be noted that this test reflects the experience of a coder, so results may vary with casual use and different tasks. For more details, you can check out our previous coverage of the Snapdragon X Plus, where it outperforms the M2 and M3 chips in Cinebench.

    Surface 7 with Snapdragon X Plus Outperforms M3 MacBook in Battery Test
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  • Dell XPS 13 9345 with Snapdragon X Plus Now Available in China

    Dell XPS 13 9345 with Snapdragon X Plus Now Available in China

    Dell introduced the Snapdragon X Plus powered XPS 13 9345 laptop last month, and it is now available for purchase in China at a price of 11,999 yuan (approximately $1300 in the US).

    The laptop’s body is crafted from aluminum, utilizing CNC precision cutting technology. It boasts a slim profile with a thickness of 14.8mm and a weight of just 1.17kg.

    A Snapdragon-Powered Lightweight Device from Dell

    When you open the lid, you’ll find a full-size keyboard, a seamless glass touchpad, and a smart touch function bar that can switch between function keys and media keys as needed.

    This laptop features a 13.4-inch OLED touch display with a 2880×1800 resolution, supporting 400nits of brightness, a 100% DCI-P3 color gamut, and TÜV hardware for blue light reduction. For audio, it includes four speakers (two for low frequencies and two for high frequencies) and a 1080p webcam for video calls. The new chip also offers real-time noise reduction to enhance video call quality.

    Powerful Internals

    Internally, the laptop is powered by the newly released Arm-based Snapdragon X Plus chipset. This chipset includes 10 Qualcomm Oryon CPU cores, an integrated Adreno GPU that "delivers graphics-intensive presentations and entertainment," and the Qualcomm Hexagon NPU, which provides 45TOPS AI performance—reportedly the fastest NPU for laptops currently available.

    The chipset emphasizes power-efficient operation, allowing the manufacturer to design such a lightweight laptop without the need for aggressive cooling or a large battery.

    Memory and Connectivity

    In terms of memory and storage, the laptop comes with 16GB of LPDDR5x RAM with speeds up to 8400MT/s, and a 1TB SSD. The storage can also be expanded up to 4TB.

    The new XPS 13 laptop includes two Thunderbolt ports, one on each side.

    Dell XPS 13 9345 with Snapdragon X Plus Now Available in China
    Dell XPS 13 9345 with Snapdragon X Plus Now Available in China
    Dell XPS 13 9345 with Snapdragon X Plus Now Available in China
    Dell XPS 13 9345 with Snapdragon X Plus Now Available in China
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  • Qualcomm Snapdragon X Plus: Windows laptops get what feature MacBooks lack

    Qualcomm Snapdragon X Plus: Windows laptops get what feature MacBooks lack

    As we prepare for the launch of laptops equipped with Snapdragon X Elite chips by mid-2024, Qualcomm is also contemplating offering more cost-efficient ARM-based Windows chip options such as Snapdragon X Plus.

    There Are Two Snapdragon X Plus SoC Variants

    According to recent leaks, Qualcomm appears to be creating two different variations of their Snapdragon X Plus System-on-Chip (SoC), which may offer advantages over Apple’s current MacBook series. These chips reportedly bear model numbers X1P44100 and X1P46100; “X Plus” chips can be distinguished from Snapdragon X Elite ones by using “X1E” instead of ‘X1P” when listing model numbers.

    Potential Features of Snapdragon X Plus

    Although exact details remain sparse, its nomenclature suggests that the Snapdragon X Plus may be a lesser version of its more robust sibling; possibly with reduced core counts similar to what Apple uses with their M series chips as a differentiating factor. Although not reaching the raw power of its more expensive sibling, the Snapdragon X Plus could prove ideal for affordable Windows laptops running ARM technology.

    Integration of Qualcomm Snapdragon X65 5G Modem.

    Qualcomm appears to be testing an important feature that would make Snapdragon X Plus laptops even more appealing: an integrated Snapdragon X65 5G modem. If successful implementation occurs, this would bring 5G-enabled Windows laptops onto the market – something Apple cannot compete with due to Apple’s absence in this particular segment of 5G laptops.

    Though an official release date for the Snapdragon X Plus smartphone hasn’t been set, considering its predecessor is anticipated for later 2024, we might expect its arrival later in 2019 or early in 2025 based on similar patterns as with its Snapdragon X Elite counterparts. At present, however, any predictions remain uncertain and timeline estimates should only be used as estimates at best.

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