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Qualcomm recently made headlines when they unveiled their second-generation PC chip platform at Snapdragon Summit 2025, featuring two processors -- Snapdragon X2 Elite and Snapdragon X2 Elite Extreme -- built using 3nm technology and designed to power next-gen Windows laptops starting in 2026.

Qualcomm is making headlines with their claims of outshining competitors Intel and AMD with AI-driven PCs that deliver faster, more efficient computing.

Snapdragon X2 Elite: Key Performance Gains

According to Qualcomm, the new Snapdragon X2 family brings:

- Up to 31% higher performance at the same power compared to the first-gen Snapdragon X Elite

- 43% lower energy use for the same performance

- A new 1.85 GHz Adreno GPU offering 2.3x better performance per watt

This leap comes from the use of 3rd-gen Oryon cores — the same architecture powering the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 mobile chip.

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Snapdragon X2 Elite Extreme: A True Flagship Chip

The Extreme version takes things even further with:

- Up to 18 cores (12 cores at 4.4GHz, 2 cores reaching 5GHz — a first for Arm-based PC processors)

- 37% more performance and 16% better efficiency than its predecessor

- Claims of being up to 75% faster than Intel’s Core Ultra 9 285H and AMD’s Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 at similar power levels

This positions Qualcomm’s Extreme chip as the most powerful Arm-based processor for Windows PCs to date.

AI at the Core of Snapdragon X2

AI is a big focus this year. The X2 platform introduces an 80 TOPS Hexagon NPU, which Qualcomm calls the fastest AI processor in any laptop. This enables:

- AI-driven productivity and personalization

- Accelerated creative workflows such as 28% faster Photoshop editing and 43% quicker Lightroom exports are now possible.

- Accelerated video processing in Adobe Premiere

By integrating CPU, GPU, and NPU power together in one chip, the X2 chips are designed to efficiently navigate modern AI workloads with ease.

Designed for Creators and Professionals

Qualcomm is targeting creators, gamers, and professionals with the Snapdragon X2 lineup. Battery life remains a strong selling point, with efficiency improvements allowing longer runtimes without sacrificing performance.

Kedar Kondap, SVP and GM of Compute and Gaming at Qualcomm, summed it up:

“Snapdragon X2 Elite strengthens our leadership in the PC industry, providing legendary leaps in performance, AI processing, and battery life to enable the experiences consumers deserve.”

ALSO READ: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 Announced: Most Powerful Mobile Chip Yet

Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 Also Announced

Qualcomm unveiled their Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 mobile platform alongside their X2 PC chips, set to power flagship Android smartphones from Samsung, Xiaomi, Realme, OnePlus and others.

Final Thoughts

The Snapdragon X2 Elite and Elite Extreme show Qualcomm’s ambition to reshape the Windows PC landscape with Arm-based processors that rival — and in some cases surpass — traditional x86 giants like Intel and AMD. With unmatched efficiency, integrated AI power, and creator-friendly features, these chips could mark the start of a major shift in the laptop industry.