Qualcomm introduces next-gen Windows PC chips

Qualcomm has officially announced the Snapdragon X2 Elite and Snapdragon X2 Elite Extreme, its new processors for Windows PCs. The company claims these are the fastest and most efficient chips ever designed for Windows laptops and desktops.

Performance leap with 3nm design

Built on a 3nm process, the Snapdragon X2 series brings major upgrades over last year’s Snapdragon X Elite. Qualcomm says the new CPU delivers up to 31 percent faster performance at the same power or up to 43 percent lower power consumption. On the GPU side, it offers 2.3x higher performance per watt, thanks to a redesigned 1.85GHz Adreno GPU.

Third-gen Oryon CPU with 18 cores

At the heart of the chips lies Qualcomm’s third-generation Oryon CPU. It features up to 18 cores, with 12 running at 4.4GHz and two hitting 5GHz clockspeed — a first for Arm CPUs in Windows laptops. This setup allows the X2 Extreme to match or surpass leading Intel and AMD laptop chips in raw performance.

Boost for AI and creators

The new Hexagon NPU reaches 80 TOPS, delivering 37 percent higher AI performance while using 16 percent less power. Qualcomm calls it the fastest NPU ever built for laptops. Creative users will notice the difference as well: Photoshop runs 28 percent faster, Lightroom exports are 43 percent quicker, and Premiere video analysis sees similar gains compared to last year’s devices.

Gaming and cache improvements

Qualcomm has also added Adreno High Performance Memory, an 18MB high-speed cache aimed at improving gaming on Arm-based systems. Gaming was one of the weaker areas last year, and the new design aims to close that gap.

Multi-day battery life claims

The company says these optimizations will extend battery life to “multi-day” levels. Last year’s laptops managed around 14 to 18 hours, so users may expect up to two full workdays on a single charge.

Scaling beyond thin laptops

Interestingly, Qualcomm tested the X2 Elite Extreme at over 50W power, hinting that these chips could power not only thin-and-light laptops but also larger and more powerful PCs.

Availability timeline

While last year’s Snapdragon laptops shipped the same year, this time Qualcomm confirmed that Snapdragon X2 Elite devices will arrive in the first half of 2026.

Future outlook

The announcement did not detail Qualcomm’s rumored collaboration with Google on Android for PC, though Google’s Sameer Samat hinted at more news next year. If realized, this could bring closer integration between Android, ChromeOS, and Windows running on Snapdragon.