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2h ago

Qualcomm’s 18-Core Snapdragon X2 Elite Extreme Targets Apple’s M4

Independent benchmarks remain pending, with first devices targeted for the first half of 2026.

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Snapdragon X2 Elite chip case (left) in cut image with Snapdragon X Elite chip case (right)
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Overview

  • Qualcomm describes the X2 Elite Extreme with 18 CPU cores reaching up to 5.0 GHz on TSMC’s 3nm process, positioning it for heavy multi-threaded workloads.
  • Company-run tests cite a Geekbench 6 multi-core score of 23,491 versus reported M4 results of 15,146, based on pre‑production silicon and internal measurements.
  • The Hexagon NPU is claimed at 80 TOPS, more than Apple’s stated 38 TOPS for M4’s Neural Engine, signaling a push for on‑device AI inference.
  • Memory support is listed at over 128 GB of LPDDR5X with up to 9,523 MT/s and 228 GB/s bandwidth, while Apple’s base M4 configurations top out at 32 GB with unified memory.
  • Qualcomm touts efficiency gains over its prior chip and an estimated ~25 W TDP, as Apple’s shipping M4 hardware continues to demonstrate strong real‑world efficiency and a more mature native software ecosystem.