Snapdragon X2 Elite Extreme: A Game-Changer in Windows on Arm Performance

Summary

• Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X2 Elite Extreme outperforms Apple’s M4 Max in single-core performance.
• With configurations reaching 18 cores and clock speeds up to 5.0GHz, this chip signifies a leap in Windows on Arm capabilities.
• Optimizations in Windows 11 may further enhance benchmark scores, indicating a promising future for Arm-based devices.

On January 9, technology observers noted a notable advancement in the Windows on Arm ecosystem. Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X2 Elite Extreme has demonstrated performance capabilities rivaling the high-end chips in Apple’s MacBook Pro lineup. In recent tests using Geekbench 6.5, the Snapdragon X2 Elite Extreme achieved a remarkable single-core score of 4072 and an impressive multi-core score of 23611.

The Snapdragon X2 series encompasses a range of Elite and Elite Extreme models, featuring configurations with up to 18 cores and impressive clock speeds reaching 5.0GHz. These processors are specifically designed to deliver high performance for Windows on Arm devices.

The series includes various configurations:

• The X2E‑80‑100 and X2E‑84‑100 models are equipped with 12 cores.
• The X2E‑88‑100, X2E‑90‑100, and X2E‑96‑100 models offer up to 18 cores, with a thermal design power (TDP) of up to 82W.

A noteworthy benchmark score comes from the X2E-80-100, the entry-level model in the Elite series, which recorded a single-core score of approximately 3850 and a multi-core score around 16171. Impressively, it outpaced Apple’s M3 and nearly matched the performance level of the M3 Pro.

The X2E-88-100 model exemplifies enhanced multi-core performance with a single-core score of approximately 3838, while its multi-core score soars to 20320, positioning it just below the Apple M3 Max and M4 Pro in terms of multi-core capabilities.

The highlight of the X2 series is the X2E-96-100, which achieved a stellar single-core score of 4072 and a multi-core score of 23611 in the Geekbench 6.5 test. This single-core score surpasses that of Apple’s M4 Max, which recorded around 3913 points.

However, when it comes to multi-core performance, the Snapdragon X2E-96-100 is slightly trailing the M4 Max, which boasts a multi-core score exceeding 26,000, although it did outperform the M4 Pro’s score of about 22,822 points.

Experts suggest that if Microsoft addresses some underlying performance issues with Windows 11, the true potential of these chips could be unleashed, leading to even more favorable benchmark results in the future.

This significant leap in performance showcases Qualcomm’s commitment to enhancing the Windows on Arm platform. With robust configurations and powerful benchmarks, the Snapdragon X2 Elite Extreme may well redefine expectations for high-performance computing on Arm processors.