Qualcomm snapdragon X2 Elite Outperforms AMD and Intel in Efficiency and Power Tests
Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X2 Elite processor demonstrates leading performance and efficiency in recent testing, even while consuming over 100W under maximum load. The tests utilize the INPP (Idle-Normalized Platform Power) metric, accounting for idle power draw (typically 1-4W) to provide a near-total consumption figure.
While the processor reached 103W during testing without a consumption limit – a figure that initially appears high for an energy-saving processor – Qualcomm emphasizes the distinction between economy and efficiency. The 18-core Snapdragon X2 Elite achieved over 1970 points at 103W, resulting in an efficiency of 19.1 points/W. In comparison, the core Ultra 9 285H scored around 1170 points at the same 103W consumption (11.4 points/W), and the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX370 managed approximately 1170 points at 75W (15.6 points/W).
At a more typical laptop power target of around 40W, the Snapdragon X2 Elite scored approximately 1430 points.This performance surpasses all other processors tested, even those without consumption limits. Both AMD and Intel processors finished below 1200 points at this level.
The 12-core version of the Snapdragon X2 Elite achieved 1080 points at 40W, a result significantly lower than the 18-core variant. The AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX370 reached 1,000 points, while the core ultra 9 285H (Arrow Lake) achieved around 730 points. Lunar Lake (Core Ultra 9, 288 V) performed the lowest, scoring approximately 630 points at 40W.
The performance differences are attributed to the scaling of consumption versus performance under higher loads. Lunar Lake, limited by its 8 cores, reached its performance ceiling, resulting in a non-linear performance curve.The 18-core Snapdragon, conversely, maintained efficiency as load increased. This difference in scaling may also explain the performance gap between the 12 and 18-core Snapdragon variants, and between 8 and 12-core Ryzen processors.
Qualcomm notably refrained from direct comparisons with Apple’s M4 Pro or Max processors, which would require testing on a non-Windows platform, raising the question of whether they are concerned about potentially losing their leading position.
