Introduction
Qualcomm entered the Windows laptop arena with its flagship Snapdragon X2 Elite, following the Snapdragon X Elite. Early benchmark data from a pre‑production ASUS ZenBook, provided by Hardware Canucks, shows the new SoC challenging Intel’s M5 processor.
Benchmark Overview
The tests were run on a 31 W configuration of the Snapdragon X2 Elite, just 5 W higher than the M5’s 26 W limit. All results come from early drivers and firmware, so final commercial numbers may vary.
Performance Comparison
Across five synthetic benchmarks, the Snapdragon X2 Elite led the M5 in three, while also surpassing the previous Snapdragon X Elite.
- CPU‑intensive tests: Snapdragon X2 Elite ahead of M5.
- GPU‑focused tests: Snapdragon X2 Elite matched or beat M5.
- Mixed workloads: Snapdragon X2 Elite took the lead in two out of three cases.
Power Consumption
Operating at 31 W, the Snapdragon X2 Elite consumes only 5 W more than the M5, delivering higher performance with a modest power increase.
Future Outlook
Since the data is from a pre‑production sample, real‑world battery life and driver stability remain to be seen. Windows 11 updates may further affect power efficiency and performance.
Conclusion
The Snapdragon X2 Elite demonstrates that Qualcomm can compete with Intel’s high‑end mobile CPUs, offering a compelling alternative for Windows laptops. Awaiting final silicon and battery tests will confirm whether it can sustain this advantage in consumer devices.