TL;DR
Qualcomm introduced the Snapdragon X2 Plus at CES 2026 alongside X2 Elite and Elite Extreme, and the first laptops using X2 silicon are expected by the end of Q1. The Plus targets lower-cost designs with fewer CPU cores but retains an 80 TOPS NPU and promises lower power draw and improved driver support.
What happened
At CES 2026 Qualcomm unveiled the Snapdragon X2 Plus to join the previously announced X2 Elite and X2 Elite Extreme, and showed the first laptops using X2-class silicon. Qualcomm told The Verge that PCs built on both the Elite and Plus chips should arrive around the end of the first quarter. The Plus family comes in 10-core and 6-core variants (compared with Elite’s 18- and 12-core parts), keeps the same 80 TOPS neural processing unit as higher-end X2 chips, and trades some GPU capability for power savings. Qualcomm claims CPU uplift of up to 35 percent and GPU gains up to 39 percent versus the prior generation, and says the Plus can use up to 128GB of LPDDR5x. The company also outlined quarterly GPU driver updates, broad API support, and a typical laptop power envelope of roughly 12–35W, with possible fanless and mini PC designs.
Why it matters
- Adds a lower-cost X2 option that could broaden ARM-based Windows laptop choices for consumers and OEMs.
- Retaining an 80 TOPS NPU signals continued focus on on-device AI acceleration in thin-and-light laptops.
- Lower power consumption claims aim to deliver longer battery life without throttling on battery, if realized.
- Expanded driver support and modern graphics API compatibility improve the platform’s viability for gaming and mainstream applications, though GPU limits remain.
Key facts
- New chips: Snapdragon X2 Plus joins X2 Elite and X2 Elite Extreme.
- Availability: Qualcomm expects X2 Elite and X2 Plus laptops by the end of Q1, per spokesperson Cassandra Garcia-Bacha.
- CPU configurations: X2 Plus offered in 10-core and 6-core variants; Elite chips have 18 and 12 cores respectively.
- NPU: All X2 families include an 80 TOPS neural processing unit.
- Performance claims: Qualcomm cites up to 35% CPU gains and up to 39% GPU gains over the prior generation for Plus models; Elite claims higher gains (up to 2.3x GPU in some comparisons).
- GPU frequencies: 10-core Plus has a 1.7GHz GPU frequency while the 6-core Plus is quoted at 0.9GHz.
- Power and memory: Qualcomm says the Plus can use up to 43% less power than the previous generation and supports up to 128GB LPDDR5x.
- Graphics support and drivers: Qualcomm pledges quarterly driver updates, supports about 1,400 games covering roughly 90% of the most-played titles, and lists compatibility with DX12.2 Ultimate, Vulkan 1.4, and OpenCL 3.0.
- Typical power envelope: Qualcomm expects most designs to sit in a 12–35W range; mini PCs may add about 10W for extra headroom.
What to watch next
- OEM pricing and specific laptop models announced at CES and in the coming weeks — Qualcomm is not committing to price points today.
- Independent benchmarks and real-world battery tests of X2 Plus and Elite laptops to verify Qualcomm’s performance and multi-day battery claims — not confirmed in the source.
- Possible Windows handheld announcements or broader OS support at the 2026 Game Developers Conference (GDC), which Qualcomm highlighted as an event to watch.
Quick glossary
- NPU: Neural Processing Unit — a dedicated processor designed to accelerate machine learning and AI computations on-device.
- TOPS: Tera Operations Per Second — a measure of how many trillion operations a processor (often an NPU) can perform each second.
- LPDDR5x: Low-Power Double Data Rate 5X — a mobile-class memory standard offering higher bandwidth and lower power consumption than earlier LPDDR generations.
- DirectX 12.2 Ultimate: A Microsoft graphics API that includes features for advanced rendering and GPU capabilities used by modern PC games.
- Vulkan: A cross-platform graphics and compute API designed for high-efficiency, low-overhead GPU access.
Reader FAQ
When will laptops with Snapdragon X2 chips ship?
Qualcomm says PCs with X2 Elite and X2 Plus should arrive around the end of the first quarter.
How do the X2 Plus chips differ from X2 Elite?
X2 Plus offers 10-core and 6-core options versus Elite’s 18- and 12-core parts, has lower GPU frequency on the 6-core part, but retains the same 80 TOPS NPU; Qualcomm positions Plus for more budget-oriented designs.
Will Qualcomm set target retail prices for X2 laptops?
Qualcomm is not promising specific price points; the company says X2 products aim to sit in similar market 'swim lanes' to the prior generation but gave no guarantees.
Will these chips support operating systems beyond Windows?
Qualcomm declined to announce OS plans at CES and said it’s looking at other operating systems, but details and timelines are not confirmed in the source.
TECH GADGETS CES Qualcomm’s next-gen Snapdragon X2 laptops are here — and they brought a new friend Snapdragon X2 Plus joins Elite and Elite Extreme. by Sean Hollister Jan 5,…
Sources
- Qualcomm’s next-gen Snapdragon X2 laptops are here — and they brought a new friend
- Qualcomm announces Snapdragon X2 Plus CPUs at CES …
- Qualcomm expands Snapdragon on Windows with X2 Plus
- Snapdragon X2 Elite laptops are launching at CES 2026
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