Qualcomm's Snapdragon X Elite and X Plus chips, which debuted in high-end laptops earlier this summer, are now getting a more budget-friendly sibling. 

At the IFA in Berlin, Qualcomm unveiled a new, lower-end version of the Snapdragon X Plus, featuring 8 CPU cores instead of the typical 10. This move is expected to lower prices, with laptops powered by the 8-core variant starting at $799.

Affordable Power: The New 8-Core Snapdragon X Plus

Qualcomm's introduction of the 8-core Snapdragon X Plus is a strategic effort to make their high-performance chips more accessible to a broader market. 

Despite having fewer cores, this new chip retains the same 45 NPU TOPS (Tera Operations Per Second) as the 10-core X Plus and the higher-end X Elite models. 

This means that users can expect similar AI performance, making it a compelling option for those looking for a balance between price and capability, as per Fone Arena.

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Two New 8-Core Variants: X1P-42-100 and XP-46-100

Qualcomm has introduced two new chips in the 8-core range: the X1P-42-100 and the XP-46-100. While both chips feature 8 cores, there are notable differences between them:

• X1P-42-100: This version offers up to 3.4 GHz with single-core boost and 3.2 GHz in multi-core mode, paired with a GPU capable of reaching 1.7 TFLOPS.
• XP-46-100: The higher-end of the two, this chip provides up to 4.0 GHz with single-core boost and 3.4 GHz in multi-core mode, with a more powerful 2.1-TFLOPS GPU.

Despite these variations, both chips maintain impressive performance, particularly in AI tasks, which remain consistent across the board.

Differences Between 8-Core and 10-Core Snapdragon X Plus Chips

According to XDA Developers, the introduction of the 8-core versions comes with several trade-offs compared to their 10-core counterparts. The 8-core chips feature less cache (30MB compared to 42MB on the 10-core versions) and exhibit slower single and multi-core performance. 

What's more, the GPU in the 8-core models is slightly less powerful, maxing out at 2.1 TFLOPS compared to 3.8 TFLOPS on the 10-core versions. These differences might impact performance in GPU-intensive AI applications that don't rely on the NPU.

Reduced Camera Capabilities

Another significant change in the 8-core Snapdragon X Plus chips is the image signal processor. The newer chips support up to a 36MP single camera, a reduction from the 64MP capability of the 10-core X Plus, which could also support dual 36MP cameras. This change could influence users who rely heavily on high-resolution imaging.

Positioning in the Market: A Different Approach

Interestingly, Qualcomm continues to label these chips as X Plus, even though they have fewer cores and different capabilities than the 10-core version. 

The company is using a different badge- a black Snapdragon flame instead of a silver one- to help differentiate these chips in the marketplace. However, this might not be sufficient for consumers to fully understand what they're purchasing, especially given the previous association of "Plus" with premium offerings.

Laptops Featuring the 8-Core X Plus

Laptops powered by the new 8-core Snapdragon X Plus are launching today, with offerings from major brands such as HP, Acer, Asus, Dell, Lenovo, and Samsung. These devices will be positioned as Copilot+ PCs, featuring exclusive capabilities like Cocreate and live translation- at least until competitors like AMD's Ryzen AI 300 chips and Intel's Lunar Lake processors enter the market.

Performance Comparisons and Battery Life

Qualcomm is making bold claims regarding the performance of its new chips. The company states that the Snapdragon X Plus delivers 79% faster peak single-threaded CPU performance than the Intel Core Ultra 5 125U, with a 216% improvement in power efficiency. Against AMD's Ryzen 5 8640U, Qualcomm claims a 40% improvement in single-threaded performance with 150% less power consumption.

In multi-threaded performance, the XP-46-100 reportedly offers 35% faster performance in Geekbench 6.2 than the Ryzen 5, with 116% less power consumption. 

Similar comparisons show significant gains over Intel's Core Ultra 7 155U and AMD's Ryzen 7 8840U, with Qualcomm also promising up to twice the battery life, particularly in video calls using Microsoft Teams.

A New 10-Core Snapdragon X Plus

While Qualcomm's focus at IFA was on the new 8-core chips, the company also quietly mentioned a new 10-core Snapdragon X Plus, the X1P-66-100. This chip will offer similar capabilities to the existing 10-core version but adds a single-core boost up to 4.0 GHz. Expected to arrive in the first half of 2025, this new chip could make a significant impact when it launches, likely at CES.

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