A new report from Signal65 indicates that Qualcomm’s 18-core Snapdragon X2 Elite chip, specifically the X2E-88-100 model, demonstrates superior performance compared to Intel’s Core Ultra X7 358H processor across several key areas including CPU, AI, and productivity.
Snapdragon X2 Elite Takes the Lead
The analysis, released on October 1st, pitted the Snapdragon X2 Elite against Intel’s Core Ultra X7 358H and AMD’s Ryzen AI 7 445. The test systems featured a Lenovo Slim 7x with the Snapdragon chip, a Dell XPS 14 with the Intel processor, and a Lenovo Yoga 7a 14 with the AMD chip. All systems were equipped with 32GB of RAM, with the Snapdragon and Intel systems running at slightly higher clock speeds (9523 MHz and 9600 MHz respectively) than the AMD’s 8533 MHz. The operating systems were Windows 11 builds, with the Snapdragon system running on Windows 26H1 (28000.2608) and both Intel and AMD systems on Windows 25H2 (26200.8973).
CPU Performance: A Clear Win for Snapdragon
In the demanding Geekbench 7 multi-core test, the Snapdragon X2 Elite system achieved an impressive score of 24,016, significantly outperforming the Intel system’s score of 18,360. This represents a lead of 31% for Qualcomm’s offering. The single-core performance also favored the Snapdragon, with a score of 3,237 compared to Intel’s 2,602.
AI Capabilities Shine
The report also highlighted the Snapdragon X2 Elite’s prowess in artificial intelligence tasks. In the UL Procyon AI Computer Vision test, the Snapdragon system scored 4,360, while the Intel system managed 2,302. Furthermore, in the AI CV 2.0 WinML test, the Snapdragon chip maintained its substantial lead, again showing approximately a 31% advantage over its Intel competitor.
Battery Life: A Mixed Bag, but Strong Showing for Snapdragon
When it came to battery endurance, the results were more nuanced. The Snapdragon system demonstrated superior performance in local video playback, lasting 16.1 hours compared to the Intel system’s 14.4 hours. Web browsing with Chrome also favored the Snapdragon, lasting 11.2 hours versus Intel’s 8.6 hours. However, in office productivity tasks, the Intel system edged out the Snapdragon, achieving 17.4 hours of battery life to Qualcomm’s 14.3 hours.
System Specifications at a Glance:
- Qualcomm Snapdragon X2 Elite (X2E-88-100): 18 cores / 18 threads (ARM64 Oryon architecture), Adreno X2-90 graphics, 32 GB RAM @ 9523 MHz, 70.0 Wh battery, Windows 26H1.
- Intel Core Ultra X7 358H: 16 cores / 16 threads (x86-64 Panther Lake architecture), Intel Arc B390 graphics, 32 GB RAM @ 9600 MHz, 68.6 Wh battery, Windows 25H2.
- AMD Ryzen AI 7 445: 6 cores / 12 threads (x86-64 Zen 5 architecture), AMD Radeon 840M graphics, 24 GB RAM @ 8533 MHz, 70.0 Wh battery, Windows 25H2.
These findings suggest that Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X2 Elite is a formidable contender in the laptop processor market, offering significant advantages in raw CPU power and AI processing capabilities, while maintaining competitive battery life.
