Qualcomm CEO Cristiano Amon introduced four new processors at a press event before the opening of IFA 2024. The Snapdragon X Plus series features either 8 or 10 CPU cores. For the two 8-core processors, both the cache and GPU have been significantly reduced. However, they still include an NPU with 45 TOPS and support for three external 4K displays.
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The Snapdragon X Plus X1P-66-100 has 10 cores running at 3.4 GHz and includes a 42 MB cache, with 12 MB per CPU cluster (four cores each) and 6 MB of side cache. It is essentially a Snapdragon X Elite with two deactivated cores but the full cache. The Snapdragon X Plus X1P-64-100, while lacking the 4 GHz single-core boost found in the X1P-66, is otherwise identical to it.
The X1P-46-100 and X1P-44-100 models are notably different as they lack a complete CPU cluster. Each model has only eight CPU cores and a reduced cache of 30 MB. Additionally, the GPU performance has been significantly downgraded; instead of 3.8 TFLOPs, the specifications are 2.1 and 1.7 TFLOPs, respectively. This suggests a 50 to 60 percent reduction in processing units, and the X1P-44-100 also operates at a lower clock frequency. Qualcomm has not provided further details on the technical aspects.
Lots of AI, but Little Interest in AI
As usual, Qualcomm highlighted that their processors excel in Copilot Plus and AI tasks. However, surveys show that end customers are primarily interested in the significantly longer battery life compared to previous notebooks with AMD and Intel processors. Qualcomm aims to offer cheaper devices with more affordable chips, as Snapdragon notebooks have not yet been available for under 1,000 euros.
The timing of Qualcomm’s presentation seems strategic, given that Intel also introduced new processors before IFA, set to launch on September 24, 2024. Some manufacturers are already taking pre-orders for these new notebooks. For premium notebooks, Intel might regain market leadership, as their CPUs are reported to be up to 20 percent more efficient than Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X Elite, offering greater computing power and compatibility.
