Tag: Snapdragon X2 Plus

  • Microsoft Surface Laptop 15-inch with higher resolution and faster processors

    Microsoft Surface Laptop 15-inch with higher resolution and faster processors

    Key Takeaway

    – Standard Surface Laptop 8 uses Snapdragon X2 processors, not Intel Panther Lake.
    – Features a higher-resolution 15-inch IPS display (3270×2180, 120Hz, 600 nits).
    – Comes with 16–64 GB LPDDR5X RAM and up to 2 TB removable PCIe Gen 4 storage.
    – Battery life is up to 19 hours, 1 hour less than the 13.8-inch model.
    – Pricing starts at $1,699 and tops out at $3,649.

    Microsoft’s new Surface Laptop 8 15-inch comes in two variants, one for business and one for consumers. The business version uses Intel’s Panther Lake platform, while the standard model takes a different path entirely.

    Snapdragon chips and memory options

    So, the standard Surface Laptop 8 15-inch is actually powered by a Snapdragon X2 Plus or a 12-core Snapdragon X2 Elite chipset, wich is a big change from the previous generation. You can also choose from 16 GB, 24 GB, 32 GB or 64 GB of LPDDR5X RAM. Storage is removable and uses PCIe Gen 4, coming in 512 GB, 1 TB or 2 TB sizes. Battery life is estimated at up to 19 hours, just a little less than the 13.8-inch version that gets 20 hours.

    Display upgrades over the last model

    This new 15-inch laptop clearly beats its predecessor with a much sharper screen. While the old Surface Laptop 7 had a 2,496 x 1,664 pixel display at 200 PPI, the new one offers 3,270 x 2,180 pixels with a 262 PPI density. It remains IPS-based but can reach 600 nits peak brightness and support a 120 Hz refresh rate, making it smoother and brighter for everyday use.

    Pricing and configurations in the US

    If you want to buy one, the Surface Laptop 8 15-inch starts at $1,699 in the US. That base model comes with a Snapdragon X2 Plus, 16 GB of RAM, and a 512 GB SSD. For an extra $100, Microsoft will swap in the Snapdragon X2 Elite chipset with the same memory and storage. The most expensive configuration costs $3,649, which includes 64 GB of RAM and a 1 TB SSD. You can choose between Black and Platinum shell finishes for any memory option.


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  • Microsoft Surface Pro 12: 64GB RAM & 120Hz OLED Now Global

    Microsoft Surface Pro 12: 64GB RAM & 120Hz OLED Now Global

    Key Takeaway

    – Retains same 13-inch 120Hz display (OLED/IPS) with 3:2 aspect ratio and similar form factor
    – Powered by Snapdragon X2 Plus (10-core) or X2 Elite (12-core), with RAM options from 16GB to 64GB
    – Up to 11.5 hours of active web usage (15% battery improvement over Surface Pro 11)
    – Starting price of $1,499 (50% more than predecessor) for entry-level configuration
    – Available in Black, Dune, and Platinum with color-matching Flex Keyboard accessories

    New Surface Pro Hits Shelves

    Microsoft has finally replaced the Surface Pro 11 powered by Qualcomm’s inaugural Snapdragon X platform (curr. $1,199 on Amazon). As expected, the consumer-oriented Surface Pro 12 retains the overall form factor of its predecessor, including its 13-inch display that outputs at 2,880 x 1,920 pixels with a 267 PPI and a 3:2 aspect ratio. Moreover, OLED and IPS options return. Both 120 Hz panels that deliver 600 nits peak brightness in SDR mode, Microsoft’s OLED option surpasses its IPS counterpart with up to 900 nits peak brightness in HDR mode.

    Dimensions and Weight Stay Consistent

    The new Surface Pro measures 287 x 209 x 9.3 mm too, with a 895 g weight excluding its Type Cover or Flex Keyboard. Meanwhile, Microsoft claims up to 11.5 hours of ‘active web usage’, which equates to a 15% battery life improvement over the older Surface Pro 11. Currently, the company is remaining vague about which processors it is using. At the time of writing, it only refers to offering the Surface Pro 12 with a 10-core version of the Snapdragon X2 Plus and a 12-core version of the Snapdragon X2 Elite.

    Memory and Storage Options

    Nonetheless, the new Surface Pro features 16 GB, 24 GB, 32 GB or 64 GB of LPDDR5X RAM and 256 GB, 512 GB or 1 TB of M.2 2230 storage. The Surface Pro 12 comes in Black, Dune and Platinum colours with colour-matching Flex Keyboard accessories. Pricing starts at $1,499 with 16 GB of RAM and 256 GB of storage, as well as a Snapdragon X2 Plus chipset and an IPS display.

    Price Increase and Availability

    In other words, the Surface Pro 12 starts at 50% more than its predecessor. Please see Microsoft’s website for more details. Microsoft have not anounced any new accesories beyond the colour-matched keyboards, but theyre rumored to be working on a new stylus. The company also did not specify if the old chargers are compatable.

    • OLED option: up to 900 nits peak brightness in HDR mode
    • IPS option: 600 nits peak brightness in SDR mode
    • Processor: 10-core Snapdragon X2 Plus or 12-core Snapdragon X2 Elite
    • RAM: 16 GB, 24 GB, 32 GB, or 64 GB LPDDR5X
    • Storage: 256 GB, 512 GB, or 1 TB M.2 2230
    • Colours: Black, Dune, Platinum
    • Starting price: $1,499 (16 GB RAM, 256 GB storage, Snapdragon X2 Plus, IPS display)


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  • Lenovo 13-Inch Laptop with 120Hz Display and 32GB RAM Release

    Lenovo 13-Inch Laptop with 120Hz Display and 32GB RAM Release

    Key Takeaway

    1. Lenovo releases a smaller, lighter version of the IdeaPad Slim 5x (13.3-inch) with a powerful Snapdragon X2 Plus chipset.
    2. The new model features a 54.7 Wh battery with over 28 hours of video playback, supporting fast charging.
    3. It offers a 1200p IPS display with 100% sRGB coverage, 400 nits brightness, and 120Hz refresh rate; a 1600p option exists.
    4. Starting price is approximately £1,050 (€1,230–€1,249), with configurable options for increased RAM and storage.

    New Launch from Lenovo In Europe

    Lenovo has kinda quietly launched a new version of their IdeaPad Slim 5x on the European market. Initially, they introduced a 15-inch model in North America, but now they added a smaller one. The latest is called the 13Q8Y11, and its dimensions are 295 x 207 x 14 mm with a weight of just 1.19 kg. This makes it a lot smaller and lighter than the previous 14-inch version, which is priced around $775 on Amazon.

    Specifications and Features

    Under the hood, this compact machine packs a Snapdragon X2 Plus X2P-42-100 chipset, featuring 6 Oryon V3 cores, making it quite a powerhouse for its size. It sports a 54.7 Wh battery, capable of supporting a 65 W charger, and Lenovo claims you can get over 28 hours of battery life if you’re watching 1080p videos at 150 nits. For now, the display is limited to a 1200p IPS panel, though Lenovo has hinted at an available 1600p screen option in the future. The current display covers 100% of sRGB with a peak brightness of 400 nits and a refresh rate of 120 Hz.

    Pricing and Market Availability

    The starting price for the new IdeaPad Slim 5x 13Q8Y11 is around £1,050, with prices in the Eurozone fluctuating between €1,230 and €1,249. It comes configured with 16 GB of LPDDR5X-9523 RAM and 512 GB of M.2 2242 SSD storage in every market, but there are upgrade options available for 32 GB of RAM and 1 TB SSD if needed. There has been no official word yet about when it will be available outside of these markets or in other regions.


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  • HP OmniBook 14 Ultra: Compact Laptop with 1000 Nit OLED & 64GB RAM

    HP OmniBook 14 Ultra: Compact Laptop with 1000 Nit OLED & 64GB RAM

    Key Takeaways

    – HP has updated the OmniBook 14 Ultra, now featuring Intel and Qualcomm processors instead of AMD.
    – Processor options include Intel’s “Next Gen AI Processors” and various Snapdragon models.
    – The laptop includes a 70 Wh battery, a 2.8K OLED display with a 120 Hz refresh rate, and Wi-Fi 7 support.
    – Storage can be configured up to 2 TB of PCIe NVMe, with RAM options reaching 64 GB.
    – Design choices include different colors for Intel (Eclipse Grey, Silk Sand) and Qualcomm (Stone Blue) models, but pricing and availability are still unknown.

    HP has refreshed the OmniBook 14 Ultra during its CES 2026 presentation. Last year, the company presented a similar 14-inch laptop equipped with AMD Strix Point APUs, such as the Ryzen AI 9 365 and Ryzen AI 9 HX 375, priced at $1,449 on Amazon. This year, however, HP has shifted its focus to Intel and Qualcomm solutions, allowing for up to 64 GB of LPDDR5X RAM.

    Processor Options

    Currently, HP only refers to “Intel’s Next Gen AI Processors.” Many think these will be Panther Lake options, possibly the Core Ultra 5 338H or Core Ultra X7 356H. On the other hand, buyers can also choose Snapdragon X2 Plus (X2P-64-100), X2 Elite (X2E-84-100), and X2 Elite (X2E-90-100) processors for the OmniBook Ultra 14.

    Display and Battery Features

    No matter which processor you select, HP provides a 70 Wh battery supported by 65 W charging, together with a 2.8K OLED display featuring a 120 Hz variable refresh rate and a 16:10 aspect ratio. It also offers brightness levels of 500 nits SDR and 1,000 nits HDR peak. Additionally, all models of the OmniBook Ultra 14 come with three USB Type-C ports, a 3.5 mm audio jack, Wi-Fi 7 support, and a haptic trackpad that allows for gestures to control brightness and volume.

    Storage and Design Choices

    Furthermore, the OmniBook Ultra 14 can be configured with up to 2 TB of PCIe NVMe storage. In Qualcomm models, this is paired with 9,522 MT/s RAM, while Intel models feature 8,533 MT/s RAM that can increase to 9,600 MT/s for 64 GB versions. Both Intel and Qualcomm versions have identical hardware inside their 1.27 kg chassis, but HP sets them apart with Eclipse Grey and Silk Sand colors for Intel models and a Stone Blue finish for Qualcomm models. Sadly, HP has yet to reveal any details on pricing or availability.

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  • Qualcomm Snapdragon X2 Plus SoCs for Windows Laptops: 10 Cores, 35% Boost

    Qualcomm Snapdragon X2 Plus SoCs for Windows Laptops: 10 Cores, 35% Boost

    Key Takeaways

    1. Qualcomm introduced the Snapdragon X2 Elite and X2 Elite Extreme ARM SoCs for Windows laptops in September 2025, featuring third-generation Oryon CPUs and a powerful Adreno X2-85/90 iGPU.

    2. The Snapdragon X2 Plus series, revealed at CES 2026, includes 6-core and 10-core variants with varying CPU and iGPU performance while maintaining the same architecture as the X2 Elite models.

    3. Both Snapdragon X2 Plus models support up to 128 GB of LPDDR5x memory, Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4, and can drive three 4K/144 Hz displays simultaneously.

    4. Qualcomm claims significant performance improvements for the Snapdragon X2 Plus, including 35% better single-core and 17% better multi-core performance compared to its predecessor.

    5. The Snapdragon X2 Plus is positioned to compete strongly against AMD and Intel CPUs, offering greater performance and power efficiency, with laptops expected to launch in the first half of 2026.

    Qualcomm recently unveiled the new Snapdragon X2 Elite and X2 Elite Extreme ARM SoCs designed for Windows laptops in September 2025. These advanced systems-on-chip (SoCs) include third-generation Oryon CPUs, an impressive Adreno X2-85/90 integrated GPU (iGPU), and a new Hexagon NPU that delivers 80 TOPS of performance. As anticipated, Qualcomm also plans to release several Snapdragon X2 variants suitable for lightweight Windows laptops that require less power.

    New Snapdragon X2 Plus SoCs at CES 2026

    During CES 2026, Qualcomm revealed the 6-core Snapdragon X2 Plus X2P-42-100 and the 10-core Snapdragon X2 Plus X2P-64-100 SoCs. While these chips share the same architecture as the Snapdragon X2 Elite and X2 Elite Extreme, they feature less powerful CPUs and less robust iGPUs.

    CPU Specifications

    In terms of CPU, the Snapdragon X2 Plus X2P-42-100 comes with 6 Nuvia cores, while the X2P-64-100 has 10 cores. The stronger 10-core Snapdragon X2 Plus includes 6 Prime Cores and 6 Performance cores, whereas the 6-core variant only has 6 Prime Cores. Both models offer a maximum single-core clock speed of 4.04 GHz for the Prime Cores, with a reported maximum multi-core frequency of 4 GHz. The total cache sizes are 34 MB for the 10-core and 22 MB for the 6-core Snapdragon X2 Plus.

    iGPU Performance

    Regarding the iGPU, both Snapdragon X2 Plus models are equipped with the X2-45 Adreno iGPU. The 10-core X2P-64-100 is clocked at a higher 1.7 GHz, while the 6-core X2P-42-100 operates at 0.9 GHz. Similar to its larger counterpart, the Adreno X2-45 supports DirectX 12.2 Ultimate, Vulkan 1.4, and OpenCL 3.0.

    Memory and Connectivity

    In terms of memory, both Snapdragon X2 Plus variants can support up to 128 GB of LPDDR5x-9523, featuring a 128-bit wide bus and 152 GB/s memory bandwidth. Additional specifications include connectivity options such as Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4, support for up to three Type-C ports, and the capability to drive three 4K/144 Hz displays at the same time.

    Qualcomm emphasized the performance of the Snapdragon X2 Elite and X2 Elite Extreme back in September 2025, and they are doing the same for the Snapdragon X2 Plus SoCs. If the first-party performance metrics are correct, the Snapdragon X2 Plus could pose a significant challenge to the Intel Panther Lake CPUs.

    Performance Claims

    According to Qualcomm, the 10-core Snapdragon X2 Plus X2P-64-100 achieves a 35% improvement in single-core performance and a 17% increase in multi-core performance compared to the 10-core Snapdragon X Plus, based on Geekbench 6.5 results. The Adreno X2-45 iGPU is said to be 29% faster than its predecessor in the 3DMark Steel Nomad Light benchmark. For the NPU, Qualcomm claims a remarkable 78% generational performance boost.

    The 6-core Snapdragon X2 Plus reportedly has the same single-core performance gains as its 10-core counterpart, while it enjoys a 10% improvement in multi-core performance and a significant 39% enhancement in GPU performance over the Snapdragon X Plus.

    Competitive Edge Over AMD and Intel

    Qualcomm is also highlighting considerable advantages over similarly positioned AMD and Intel CPUs. For example, the company asserts that the 10-core Snapdragon X2 Plus is approximately 3.5 times faster than the Core Ultra 7 265U in Geekbench 6.5 at “ISO power” and offers 28% superior peak single-core performance. Additionally, the Snapdragon X2 Plus X2P-64-100 is more power-efficient, requiring 4.6 times less power than the Core Ultra 7 265U to reach its peak performance.

    In terms of multi-core performance, Qualcomm boasts an astonishing 50% greater multi-core peak performance compared to the Intel Core Ultra 7 265U.

    Upcoming Availability

    Laptops equipped with the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon X2 Plus SoCs are anticipated to appear in stores in the first half of 2026. Therefore, we expect to see a variety of Snapdragon-based Windows laptops showcased at CES 2026.

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