Snapdragon X2: Qualcomm completes the offering with Plus variants downwards

At CES 2026, the launch of two more Snapdragon X2 processors will enable notebook manufacturers to offer a wider range of configurations. So far, the X2 family included the 18-core Snapdragon X2 Elite X2E-88-100 and the twelve-core Snapdragon X2 Elite X2E-80-100. Now, the ten-core X2P-64-100 and the six-core X2P-42-100 are following.

All X2 Snapdragons integrate an AI unit (Neural Processing Unit, NPU) capable of a full 80 TOPS (trillions of operations per second, specified for data type INT8) – including the X2P-42-100 as the smallest model. The GPU X2-45, scaled down from three to two slices, is already known from the twelve-core X2E-80-100. The two new Plus variants are likely to use the same die, with parts of it deactivated as is common in the industry. This increases the overall yield.

Core Configuration and Initial Benchmarks

Qualcomm exclusively disables CPU cores from the six-cluster with the weaker performance cores. In the ten-core model, there are only four of them left, and in the six-core model, there are none at all – meaning only the particularly fast Prime cores are found there. Unlike the first generation of Snapdragon X processors, Qualcomm allows all Elite and Plus variants of the X2 to reach boost clock frequencies of up to 4 GHz, which should enable all X2 models to deliver high computing power in single-threading workloads. Independent tests are still pending; however, Qualcomm has already announced results of common benchmarks on its reference systems.

Qualcomm has not yet revealed whether there will be even smaller X2 variants in the future, only stating that the first generation of Snapdragon X CPUs for notebooks will remain available in stores. With six to 18 cores, we see practically no need for Qualcomm to aim even lower. A small side note: Even for this first generation of Snapdragon X processors, an even smaller variant with only four cores (codename Canim) was rumored in 2024, but unlike the models with eight (Purwa) and twelve cores (Hamoa), it never saw the light of day.

Qualcomm is shipping the two Snapdragon X2 Plus to notebook manufacturers immediately. When the first notebooks with Snapdragon X2 hit the market in the coming weeks and months, they should therefore be available from the start with a wide range of configurations. This will certainly help them to advertise with low entry prices. The first notebooks with Snapdragon X Elite and Plus will be released by Asus, HP, and Lenovo in the coming months; other manufacturers such as Acer, Dell, or Microsoft will likely follow in the second quarter.

Heise Medien is an official media partner of CES 2026.

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