No specification details of the unnamed Snapdragon X chipset were detailed, but Qualcomm could equip it with a 6-core configuration to bring down the price.


Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite Plus CPU


Qualcomm plans to challenge Apple’s dominance in the notebook market by introducing new tiers of chipsets in more affordable machines. CEO Christiano Amon hinted that next year, customers could purchase Windows-powered devices with Snapdragon SoCs for as low as $700. However, Qualcomm has another surprise in store: introducing a new silicon for entry-level $600 products.

Qualcomm has previously launched chipsets with 12-core, 10-core, and 8-core CPUs, with lower core counts indicating less capable silicon but powering more affordable notebooks. A slide shared by XDA suggests that a new Snapdragon X SoC will enter the market, potentially powering machines at an incredibly low price of $600. However, since Qualcomm hasn’t disclosed specifications, we can speculate that it might have a 6-core CPU and the same NPU as other variants.

This move is significant because the notebook market has been dominated by Apple and its custom chipsets for a long time. The cheapest portable Mac with Apple Silicon is the M2 MacBook Air, currently listed on Amazon for $799 (after a $200 discount) with 8GB unified RAM and 256GB storage. Qualcomm’s challenge now lies in convincing developers to port their native apps to the Snapdragon platform, an obstacle that Apple has already overcome.



Of course, a potential Snapdragon X chipset with a 6-core CPU will likely result in lower multi-core performance compared to Apple’s M1. However, if it can deliver comparable performance, we can confidently say that it will be a winner. Additionally, Qualcomm’s partners targeting the $600 price point are expected to equip the chipset with 8GB of RAM and 512GB of storage. While the storage can be swapped out, the 8GB RAM limit will be significant when running Windows if it is soldered to the motherboard. Nevertheless, let’s remain optimistic and anticipate the future developments.

If you believed this was the end of Qualcomm’s advancements, they are actively working on their third-generation Oryon cores, which are scheduled to be introduced for a new Snapdragon X SoC sometime in 2025. From what we can gather, these cores are codenamed ‘Project Glymur.’ One of the versions is rumored to feature an impressive 18-core CPU that supports full DX12, including hardware-accelerated ray tracing.

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