Qualcomm Strikes a Major Blow to Apple’s Core Business

Just a day after Intel unveiled its Lunar Lake laptop CPUs at IFA 2024, Qualcomm is countering with its Snapdragon X Plus chip. The aptly named Snapdragon X Plus features an 8-core design, reducing the core count seen in previous Snapdragon X Elite laptops to effectively compete against Apple. Qualcomm announces that devices equipped with this new CPU will be available for purchase starting today.

While the Snapdragon X Plus itself isn't entirely new, this version brings some changes. The key distinction lies in its core count, now at eight instead of ten. Utilizing a 4nm manufacturing process, Qualcomm claims the chip can achieve speeds of up to 3.4GHz, with single-core bursts reaching as high as 4GHz. Notably, the chip includes a Neural Processing Unit (NPU), enabling it to power Copilot+ laptops with a remarkable performance capability of 45 Tera Operations Per Second (TOPS). Laptops equipped with this chip are also expected to deliver excellent battery life.

Although this latest chip may not match the power of the 10-core Snapdragon X Plus or the 12-core Snapdragon X Elite, Qualcomm asserts that it outperforms the competition. The company claims the Snapdragon X Plus provides a 108% increase in multi-core performance compared to the Intel Core Ultra 5 125U at 15 watts and a 40% single-core advantage over the AMD Ryzen 5 8640U at 6 watts. Qualcomm emphasizes these efficiency metrics to highlight its performance at various power levels.

Despite its impressive performance, the main attraction of this new chip is its affordability. Qualcomm states that this CPU is designed for Copilot+ laptops priced between $700 and $900. Among the first laptops featuring this chip, the Asus Vivobook S 15 is set to launch at $899, and the ProArt PZ13 will be available for $1,099.

Even if only a few models reach the $700 mark, this strategy gives Qualcomm a significant edge over Apple's offerings. The MacBook Air starts at over $1,000, even with its older M2 chip. By providing Copilot+ laptops at lower price points, especially those equipped with 16GB of RAM, Qualcomm is poised to capture a substantial share of the mainstream market.

Qualcomm also mentions that laptops featuring the Snapdragon X Plus 8-core will be available from notable manufacturers including Acer, Asus, Dell, HP, Lenovo, and Samsung, with select devices already available for purchase.