Qualcomm set to bring fast Snapdragon X performance to mid-range laptops with new chipset

Qualcomm made a big splash last year with the release of its Snapdragon X Plus and X Elite chipsets. The company proved it's possible to develop ARM-powered Windows laptops that perform just as well as an x86-based computer -- albeit with help from AI.

Over at CES 2025, Qualcomm revealed yet another piece of laptop hardware that will bring next-gen performance to mid-range laptops instead of high-end machines. This future chipset is aptly and plainly named the Snapdragon X. According to the brand, the model consists of an eight-core Qualcomm Oyron CPU alongside an integrated energy-efficient graphics card and 45 TOPS NPU.

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Qualcomm claims it can deliver speedy performance while requiring less power to operate. Laptops housing the chipset can reportedly last up to twice as long as the competition. The Snapdragon X ecosystem is being aimed at college students, business professionals, and "budget-conscious consumers who need a reliable and powerful laptop" to tackle various workloads, from internet browsing to streaming content.

Five third-party brands, including Dell and Lenovo, are set to launch laptops powered by the Snapdragon X in early 2025. Prices will hover around $600. That price point reveals a lot. It tells me that these upcoming models may have a longer battery life than devices housing the Snapdragon X Plus or X Elite at the cost of performance. They won't be as powerful as what's currently available.

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Of course, we don't know this for sure at the moment. We'll just have to wait until we get our hands on a Snapdragon X laptop when the series is released within the next few months or so. 

In other CES news, Qualcomm announced its plans to launch the first mini desktop powered by Snapdragon X Series hardware. We don't know exactly which chipset model it'll run. It could be a Snapdragon X Elite or a new piece of hardware designed for desktops. The company did, however, promise to release more information soon. Finally, as part of a new expansion, over 50 apps will receive native support on Snapdragon platforms. The library now includes "20 of the [most] popular VPNs", plus "50… popular security [and] cloud storage apps".