Qualcomm set the bar for AI PC performance and battery life this generation. Though Apple's M3 processors are still a constant point of reference for other chipmakers, the Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite (XIE-80-100) is the current benchmark to beat while we wait for the full M4 launch.
Qualcomm likely isn't resting on those laurels though — evidence of the company's next-gen processor is already coming to light. According to WinFuture, Qualcomm's next generation of laptop processors is in testing internally. The rumored Snapdragon X2 Elite, model number "SC8480XP" codename "Glymur," is an update to the Snapdragon X Elite chipsets which hold the model number "SC8380XP" and were codenamed "Hamoa."
WinFuture's sources confirm the Snapdragon X2 Elite chips were in testing in July and August, just after the Snapdragon X Elite launch in June of this year. This bodes well for the future of Qualcomm's laptop processor division, but the Snapdragon X2 Elite will likely be announced next year.
But with the M4 MacBooks rumored to hit this month, where does that leave Qualcomm?
What do we know about Snapdragon X2 Elite performance?
Since we're still well away from an official announcement of the new Snapdragon processors, we don't have many expectations for the chips' performance. We don't know how many cores the processors will use or if they'll keep to the Snapdragon X Elite's 12-core model or opt for a more efficient 10 or 8-core design. We don't have clock speed information, so we can't guess boost performance either.
We merely have information that the chips are being tested. We also know the model number and codename for Qualcomm's next generation of Snapdragon X chipsets. The codename is rather interesting, too. Historically, Qualcomm has always used codenames related to places in Hawaii, which is the location of Qualcomm's annual Snapdragon Summit. For the Snapdragon X2 Elite chip, "Glymur" is the name of the second-highest waterfall in Iceland.
We do have high expectations for Qualcomm's follow-up to the Snapdragon X Elite processors, considering the Dell XPS 13 9345 (Snapdragon X Elite) ousted the MacBook Pro 16 M3 Max for the battery life record, and the Lenovo Yoga Slim 7x outperformed the Apple M3 in both the MacBook Air 13 M3 and the MacBook Pro 14 M3.
What we know about Apple M4 performance
While Apple hasn't yet unleashed the M4 processor on its laptop lineup, we have seen the M4 chip in the iPad Pro (2024) earlier this year. There should be a bit of a performance difference, given the change in form factor between a laptop and a tablet, but the iPad Pro M4 rivaled high-end Qualcomm and Intel processors.
The M4 will have several processor variants, similar to the Apple M1, M2, and M3 chips with upgrades to processor core counts and various GPU configurations. Apple's processors for the last three generations have set records for battery life, and have either met or exceeded the performance of their Windows counterparts. So Qualcomm's lead in the performance and battery benchmarks may come to an end once the M4 MacBooks hit the stands this fall. The latest reports indicate a late October or early November launch window, similar to last year's M3 launch.
What this means for the future of Qualcomm
If Apple continues to push the boundaries of power and efficiency in laptop chips, it could make the Snapdragon X2 Elite critical for Qualcomm. After all, Qualcomm doesn't have the long history of mobile processor manufacturing that Intel and AMD have to keep them relevant, even if their chips fall short on battery or multicore performance.
Qualcomm has already started padding out the Snapdragon X platform with more efficient 8-core designs in the Snapdragon X Plus lineup. WinFuture's report on the Snapdragon X2 Elite also includes information on yet another budget Snapdragon X Plus chip, the XIP-24-100 variant. So clearly Qualcomm is heavily invested in growing the Snapdragon X laptop ecosystem.
But for the last year, rumors about Nvidia ARM processors have been circulating in the computing space. While Nvidia did not buy ARM entirely, the company did license several ARM architectures. AMD is also working on the ARM-based Versal AI Edge Series Gen 2, expected in late 2025. So the ARM computing space is becoming crowded, and increased competition for ARM processors means Qualcomm has more pressure to excel than ever. But with Nvidia and AMD both owning ARM licenses, does Qualcomm need to shift away from ARM and enter the x86 space?
Rumors that Qualcomm plans to buy Intel have been circulating for a while now. While those reports are far from convincing, there are plenty of reasons why Qualcomm would be interested in purchasing Intel, or at least Intel's manufacturing division. Not only is x86 architecture the computing standard, but Qualcomm had some legal trouble with ARM casting doubt on the company's future of ARM CPU licensing. So could the change in processor codenames for Snapdragon X2 Elite, from Hawaii to Iceland indicate a larger shift in Qualcomm's processor manufacturing? Are the next Qualcomm chips going to be x86 chips instead of ARM?
Only time will tell, but for now, it's some rather interesting food for thought. Especially as Intel, AMD, and Apple are still in the early days of this processor generation.
