Snapdragon X2 Elite and Plus Windows Laptops: Benchmarks, Prices, Specs and Compatibility

The roundup's conclusion has two sides. Editor-in-chief Andrei Girbea says the X2 chips are now fast enough to compete with most mainstream Intel and AMD laptops. He also says most of these machines cost too much for what they offer. If you're thinking about a Snapdragon PC this autumn, both points matter.

Before you rely on any spec sheet, including the one in the roundup, there's a problem to know about. Some of Ultrabookreview's chip labels don't match each other, and in at least one case the published spec is wrong. That's covered further down.

What Snapdragon X2 is​

Snapdragon X2 is an Arm-based system-on-chip made on TSMC's 3nm process. According to Ultrabookreview, it contains:

• Oryon CPU cores grouped in clusters of six, with each cluster sharing its own cache. The top chips have two clusters of "Prime" cores and one cluster of "Performance" cores. Despite the name, the Performance cores are the efficiency cores.
• Adreno X2 integrated graphics in several versions: X2-90, X2-85 and X2-45.
• A Hexagon NPU rated at 80 TOPS on every X2 chip, up from 45 TOPS on the first-generation X1 Elite.
• LPDDR5x memory with up to 152 GB/s of bandwidth on standard chips and 228 GB/s on the Elite Extreme.
• Platform support for PCIe Gen5 storage, 5G, Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4. Whether a given laptop actually includes 5G or a Gen5 SSD depends on the manufacturer's design. Don't assume it.

Girbea notes there is no plain "Snapdragon X2" chip yet. Qualcomm still uses older X1 parts for entry-level machines, so the cheapest Snapdragon laptops in stores are probably last-generation hardware.

Summary: X2 is a 3nm Arm platform with up to 18 cores and an 80 TOPS NPU across the range. Many of its headline features are optional, so check each laptop's own spec sheet.

The chip lineup, with one correction​

Ultrabookreview's spec table covers the X2 Elite Extreme X2E-94-100, the X2 Elite X2E-88-100 and X2E-78-100, and the X2 Plus X2P-64-100 and X2P-42-100. The older X1E-78-100 is included for comparison.

The site's own text says the higher-tier X2 Elite chips have 18 cores. Its table, however, lists the X2E-88-100 as a 12-core part with six Prime and six Performance cores.

Third-party spec sources agree that the 18-core figure is right. Notebookcheck describes the X2E-88-100 as having all 18 CPU cores, divided into 12 Prime Cores at up to 4.7 GHz (up to dual-core, 4 GHz on all cores) and 6 Performance Cores at up to 3.4 GHz. CPU-Monkey's listing agrees, adding that graphics come from a Qualcomm Adreno X2-90 at 1.70 GHz. Ultrabookreview's table lists that GPU as an X2-85.

The X2E-88-100 also has the same memory bandwidth as the standard chips. CPU-Monkey gives it 152 GB/s across eight lanes of LPDDR5X-9523, below the 228 GB/s of the large Extreme models.

Here is the lineup with the X2E-88-100 row corrected:

*Corrected using Notebookcheck and CPU-Monkey listings.

Two more chips in the laptop list deserve a note.

• X2E-80-100 (ThinkPad T14s Gen 7): Ultrabookreview's listing implies "up to 18 cores." Notebookcheck's series list shows the Snapdragon X2 Elite X2E-80-100 as 12x 3.4 GHz - 4.7 GHz, so that configuration looks like a 12-core part.
• The six-core X2P-42-100: this entry-level chip has a much slower GPU. It shows up in the $999 to $1,199 laptops, which makes those cheaper prices less of a bargain.

Ultrabookreview also says the Elite Extreme and the regular Elite look similar on paper but are physically different chips with different cooling needs. That helps explain why the Extreme chip is currently found in only one laptop.

Summary: The "Elite" name covers both 12-core and 18-core chips with different GPUs. Look up the exact model number, and check it against more than one source.

Benchmarks from Ultrabookreview's testing​

The site tested several X2 systems. These are its results, not independent measurements:

Some caveats on this data:

• The 3DMark figures for the Yoga Slim 7x and Surface Laptop 13.8 are marked as approximate ("~").
• The X1 reference column is labeled X1E-88-100, while the text calls it X1E-78-100.
• The Blender result for the Zenbook A16 in 30W mode is 12m 57s, against 2m 57s in 45W mode. That gap looks more like a typo than a real result.

Even so, the pattern is clear. Single-core performance rises sharply from the X1 to the X2 generation, from 106 to around 150 in Cinebench R24. The mid-range X2P-64 Plus chip roughly matches the previous generation's flagship.

Ultrabookreview compares the Elite chips favorably with mainstream x86 rivals in its tables, including the Core Ultra 9 386H at about 28W and the Ryzen AI 9 370 at about 30W. Graphics are a different story. Intel's Arc B390 in the Core Ultra X7 358H scored 6988 in Time Spy against 4534 for the best Snapdragon. Girbea also names Intel's Core Ultra X Panther Lake chips and AMD's Ryzen AI Max+ as exceptions where Qualcomm falls behind.

Summary: X2 is competitive on CPU performance and a big improvement over X1. On integrated graphics it still trails Intel's top Arc GPUs.

The laptop list​

Here is Ultrabookreview's list, simplified. Treat the starting prices as one publication's snapshot. Prices and configurations change by region and retailer.

Some practical observations:

• The cheapest X2 laptop on the list costs $999. That's the IdeaPad Slim 5x, and it uses the six-core X2P-42.
• Most models start between $1,249 and $2,099. That's premium-ultrabook money.
• The Zenbook A16 is the only Elite Extreme option for now. If you want the 228 GB/s memory bandwidth and the highest sustained performance, it's the only choice.
• Microsoft has the widest range. Its Surface models, five in total, run from the fanless Pro 12 to the 15-inch Surface Laptop.

Ultrabookreview says it has reviewed only a few of these machines so far. Its page also carries an affiliate disclosure, which is normal for buying guides.

Summary: The list covers almost every major Windows laptop maker. Prices mostly start well above $1,200, and the cheapest models use the slowest X2 chip.

The Windows on Arm question​

Girbea is careful about software, and his caution is justified. He says everyday apps now run fine. Problems still show up with older software and with accessories such as printers, webcams, USB-C drives and docks. He also says those issues are less common than when the X1 Elite launched two years ago.

From general industry experience with Windows 11 on Arm: Microsoft's Prism emulator handles most ordinary x64 desktop apps. Hardware drivers are different, because they must be built natively for Arm64 and can't be emulated. That's why printers, VPN clients, older security tools and some game anti-cheat systems are the usual trouble spots.

A short checklist before you buy:

• List the apps your work depends on. Check whether each vendor supports Windows on Arm, especially for professional or specialized software.
• List your peripherals. Docks, printers, scanners and audio interfaces need Arm64 drivers.
• If you game, check your games and their anti-cheat systems against current compatibility reports.
• IT admins should pilot first. Test VPN, endpoint security and management agents on one unit before deploying a fleet.
• Check the exact chip model against Qualcomm's and the manufacturer's spec sheets, not just the Elite or Plus name.

Summary: Compatibility is much better than it used to be, but drivers and specialized software still decide whether a Snapdragon laptop works for you.

The verdict​

Is Snapdragon X2 worth buying? The chips themselves are strong: big single-core gains, an 80 TOPS NPU on every model, and multi-core performance that matches or beats mainstream x86 chips at similar power levels.

The case against comes down to price and software. Most of these laptops cost as much as well-specified Intel Panther Lake or AMD machines. Those offer stronger integrated graphics in some cases and run x86 software natively.

If you mostly browse, write documents and join video calls, and you value battery life and slim designs, a well-chosen X2 laptop is a good option. Pick the model by its chip number, not its marketing tier. If your work depends on older software, unusual hardware or demanding games, Intel and AMD remain the safer choice.

Update: Commissioned study adds X2 Elite battery and performance comparisons (October 1, 2026)​

A new Signal65 study published October 1 reportedly extends Snapdragon X2’s performance case beyond the Elite Extreme, according to Windows Central. The Qualcomm-commissioned research tested the standard 18-core X2E-88-100 in Lenovo’s Slim 7x against a Dell XPS 14 with Intel’s Core Ultra X7 358H and a Lenovo Yoga 7a 14 with AMD’s Ryzen AI 7 445. These are comparisons of complete laptops, not isolated processors.

According to Windows Central’s account, the Snapdragon system scored 24,016 in Geekbench 7 multi-core against Intel’s 18,360, with a 24% single-core lead. It also reportedly retained 97% of its plugged-in Balanced-mode performance across six benchmarks when running on battery, versus Intel’s 95% and AMD’s 74%. These newer benchmark versions are not directly comparable with the existing article’s Geekbench 6.6 and Cinebench R24 results.

Battery results were mixed, according to Windows Central: Snapdragon lasted 11.2 hours in Chrome browsing against Intel’s 8.6 hours, but Intel won the sustained Office battery test, lasting 17.4 hours against 14.3. The Dell’s higher-resolution, 120Hz OLED display also complicates efficiency comparisons with Lenovo’s 60Hz panel. Intel reportedly retained roughly a 23% graphics advantage in 3DMark Steel Nomad Light.

The tested Snapdragon configuration reportedly cost $1,999 versus Dell’s $2,749, according to Windows Central—not a market-wide price comparison. For buyers, the study adds evidence favoring this particular X2 laptop for unplugged productivity, but its sponsorship, display differences and Intel’s graphics lead limit broader conclusions.