Qualcomm Snapdragon X Plus

Qualcomm Snapdragon X Plus

Qualcomm Snapdragon X Plus (Oryon): A Revolution in Mobile Performance

A new processor for laptops that challenges Intel, AMD, and Apple

The Qualcomm Snapdragon X Plus, codenamed Oryon, is an ambitious attempt by the company to strengthen its presence in the laptop market. Built on a 4nm process technology and equipped with 10 cores, this chip promises high performance and energy efficiency. But how competitive is it? Let's dive into the details.


Architecture and Process Technology: 10 Cores, 4nm, and No Compromises

Oryon Architecture Features

The Snapdragon X Plus is built on a completely custom architecture designed by Qualcomm. Unlike Intel's hybrid solutions (P- and E-cores) or AMD's (Zen 4c), all 10 cores here are high-performance (Performance-cores). Each core operates at a fixed frequency of 3.4 GHz without turbo mode support, ensuring consistent performance without throttling.

Key Features:

- 10 Cores / 10 Threads: No Hyper-Threading or analogs—each core handles one thread.

- 42 MB L3 Cache: One of the largest in its class, speeding up data handling in resource-intensive applications.

- No iGPU: There is no integrated graphics—focus is placed on discrete GPUs in laptops.

The 4nm process technology reduces power consumption and heat while maintaining high transistor density, which is especially important for thin ultrabooks.


Power Consumption and TDP: A Balance Between Power and Battery Life

The TDP range of 23–65 Watts indicates the flexibility of the processor. In ultrabooks, it will operate at the lower end (23–30 Watts), ensuring long battery life, while in workstations, it can ramp up to 65 Watts for maximum performance.

Use Cases:

- Office Tasks (TDP 23 Watts): Consumption of ~5–10 Watts, comparable to Apple M2.

- Rendering (TDP 65 Watts): Full load on all cores, but with active cooling.


Performance: Geekbench, Office Tasks, and More

Test Results:

- Geekbench 6: 2359 (Single-Core), 12433 (Multi-Core).

- Comparison: The multi-core result is close to Intel Core i9-13900H (around 12,500), but the single-core performance lags (2359 vs 2700+).

Real-World Tasks:

1. Office Work: Running dozens of tabs in Chrome, working with Excel and Zoom—no lags even at a TDP of 23 Watts.

2. Multimedia: 4K video editing in DaVinci Resolve—rendering is 20% faster than Ryzen 7 7840U.

3. Gaming: With no discrete GPU—weak results. With RTX 4050—60+ FPS at Full HD (Cyberpunk 2077).

Turbo Mode: Absent, but the fixed frequency of 3.4 GHz ensures stability under load.


Use Cases: Who is the Snapdragon X Plus Suitable For?

1. Professionals: Designers, programmers, engineers—those who value multi-threading in a mobile format.

2. Creatives: Video editing, 3D modeling (with discrete graphics).

3. Premium Laptop Users: Long battery life (up to 15 hours in reading mode) and quiet operation.

Not Suitable For: Gamers without an external GPU, users for whom single-thread performance is critical (e.g., emulators).


Battery Life: How 4nm and TDP Affect Battery Performance

Power-Saving Technologies:

- Dynamic Core Management: Disabling unused cores under low load.

- 4nm Optimization: Claimed to be 30% more efficient than 5nm chips (according to Qualcomm).

Examples:

- Web surfing: 12–15 hours (with a battery capacity of 70 Wh).

- 4K Video: Up to 10 hours.


Comparison with Competitors: Snapdragon X Plus vs Apple M3, Intel, AMD

1. Apple M3 Pro (12 cores): Best energy efficiency (18–20 hours of battery life), but Snapdragon excels in multi-thread performance (12433 vs 11500 in Geekbench 6).

2. Intel Core Ultra 7 155H: Hybrid cores, higher single-thread performance (2700+), but TDP is 28 Watts compared to Snapdragon's 23 Watts in similar scenarios.

3. AMD Ryzen 9 7940HS: Similar multi-thread performance, but the Radeon 780M iGPU makes it more versatile.

Main Advantage of Snapdragon: A balance between power and battery life in Windows laptops.


Strengths and Weaknesses

Strengths:

- Record L3 cache (42 MB).

- Stable performance without throttling.

- Support for Wi-Fi 7 and 5G modems.

Weaknesses:

- No iGPU—discrete graphics are mandatory.

- Limited software optimization for Windows on ARM (if ARM architecture).

- Fixed frequency: underperformance in single-thread tests.


Recommendations for Laptop Selection

1. Device Type:

- Ultrabook: Look for models with TDP 23–30 Watts and a battery of at least 70 Wh.

- Workstation: Ensure availability of NVIDIA RTX A2000 or equivalent GPU.

- Gaming Laptop: Only with discrete graphics of RTX 4060 level or higher.

2. What to Pay Attention To:

- Cooling: At least two fans for TDP 65 Watts.

- Memory: LPDDR5X-7500 to fully utilize the cache potential.

- Ports: USB4 with Thunderbolt 4 support.


Final Conclusion

The Qualcomm Snapdragon X Plus is a processor for those who value multi-threaded performance in a thin package. It is ideal for:

- Designers and Engineers working in AutoCAD or Blender.

- Business Users needing a laptop with the autonomy of a MacBook and Windows functionality.

- Travelers willing to sacrifice gaming capabilities for 15 hours of unplugged work.

Its key advantages are stability, large cache, and readiness for the future with Wi-Fi 7 and 5G. However, if you need versatility or maximum FPS in games—consider AMD or Intel.

Basic

Label Name
Qualcomm
Platform
Laptop
Launch Date
April 2024
Model Name
?
The Intel processor number is just one of several factors - along with processor brand, system configurations, and system-level benchmarks - to be considered when choosing the right processor for your computing needs.
X1P-64-100
Code Name
Oryon

CPU Specifications

Total Cores
?
Cores is a hardware term that describes the number of independent central processing units in a single computing component (die or chip).
10
Total Threads
?
Where applicable, Intel® Hyper-Threading Technology is only available on Performance-cores.
10
Performance-cores
10
Performance-core Base Frequency
3.4 GHz
Performance-core Max Turbo Frequency
?
Maximum P-core turbo frequency derived from Intel® Turbo Boost Technology.
3.4 GHz
L3 Cache
42MB
Technology
?
Lithography refers to the semiconductor technology used to manufacture an integrated circuit, and is reported in nanometer (nm), indicative of the size of features built on the semiconductor.
4 nm
TDP
23-65 W

Memory Specifications

Memory Type
?
Intel® processors come in four different types: Single Channel, Dual Channel, Triple Channel, and Flex Mode. Maximum supported memory speed may be lower when populating multiple DIMMs per channel on products that support multiple memory channels.
LPDDR5x-8448
Max Memory Size
?
Max memory size refers to the maximum memory capacity supported by the processor.
64GB
Memory Channels
?
The number of memory channels refers to the bandwidth operation for real world application.
8

GPU Specifications

Integrated Graphics Model
?
An integrated GPU refers to the graphics core that is integrated into the CPU processor. Leveraging the processor's powerful computational capabilities and intelligent power efficiency management, it delivers outstanding graphics performance and a smooth application experience at a lower power consumption.
True

Benchmarks

Cinebench R23
Single Core Score
1478
Cinebench R23
Multi Core Score
11898
Geekbench 6
Single Core Score
2359
Geekbench 6
Multi Core Score
12433
Passmark CPU
Single Core Score
3375
Passmark CPU
Multi Core Score
23650
Cinebench 2024
Single Core Score
107
Cinebench 2024
Multi Core Score
862
Blender
Score
353

Compared to Other CPU

Cinebench R23 Single Core
1950 +31.9%
1721 +16.4%
1130 -23.5%
Cinebench R23 Multi Core
21509 +80.8%
14784 +24.3%
M1
7571 -36.4%
2358 -80.2%
Geekbench 6 Single Core
2664 +12.9%
2511 +6.4%
2246 -4.8%
2163 -8.3%
Geekbench 6 Multi Core
14882 +19.7%
13518 +8.7%
11499 -7.5%
10719 -13.8%
Passmark CPU Single Core
3529 +4.6%
3455 +2.4%
3304 -2.1%
3228 -4.4%
Passmark CPU Multi Core
26057 +10.2%
25039 +5.9%
22896 -3.2%
22081 -6.6%
Cinebench 2024 Single Core
124 +15.9%
116 +8.4%
M1
110 +2.8%
Cinebench 2024 Multi Core
1071 +24.2%
787 -8.7%
Blender
1154 +226.9%
193 -45.3%
139 -60.6%
63 -82.2%