Quote:Snapdragon X2, second time the charm?



Unfortunately, review coverage once again appears limited to the largest media outlets, so there is little point looking for smaller channels or niche sites covering this launch right now. In fact, it took longer than expected to put this roundup together simply because the first wave is so concentrated.

Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X2 Elite is the company’s next-generation Arm chip for premium Windows laptops, and the model getting the most attention today is the Snapdragon X2 Elite Extreme. It brings an 18-core CPU and an 80 TOPS NPU, but this launch is also heavily tied to ASUS, because most of the early reviews are based on the new Zenbook A16. Just like the last Snapdragon launch, the first round of coverage is showing the platform through one system more than through a broad lineup of laptops.

So far, the reviews are broadly aligned. Most outlets point to stronger CPU performance, good battery life, a light design for a 16-inch laptop, and a solid OLED panel. At the same time, the usual Windows on Arm limits are still part of the discussion, especially around app support and gaming.

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