Qualcomm Announces Snapdragon X2 Plus: Making AI-Powered Laptops More Affordable

Qualcomm is back in the spotlight — this time with a brand-new X series chipset, which is aimed at making AI-capable laptops more affordable. The company has just announced the Snapdragon X2 Plus SoC, a slightly toned-down version of the flagship Snapdragon X2 Elite, designed especially for thinner, lighter, and more affordable Windows laptops.

Snapdragon X2 Plus Specs

As for the Qualcomm shared Snapdragon X2 Plus specs. The Snapdragon X2 Plus uses the third-generation Oryon CPU and it has an 80 TOPS NPU. It’s made on a 3nm processor.

It comes in two versions – 10-core and 6-core. The 10-core version has 34MB of total cache and a 4GHz maximum multithread frequency. The 6-core version has six CPU cores, with 22MB total cache, with the same maximum 4GHz frequency.

Qualcomm Announces Snapdragon X2 Plus: Making AI-Powered Laptops More Affordable
Image source: Qualcomm

This chipset has the same X2-45 GPU, but the 10-core version is clocked at up to 1.7GHz, whereas the six-core option has a 900MHz clock speed.

The company promises no drop in performance when on battery, as well as “multi-day battery life”, but that obviously depends on what size cells laptop makers will use.

Premium AI Performance and Affordability

You can expect upcoming laptops from major OEMs — like Acer, Lenovo, HP, and ASUS — to feature the new SoC in the coming months. These laptops will likely be priced in the ₹60,000–₹80,000 range, bringing serious AI computing closer to the mainstream Indian market.

More read: Google TV Gets a Brain Boost: Gemini AI Brings Smarter Streaming Experience

What This Means for the Laptop Market

This move could be a game-changer for users who want the efficiency of ARM and the intelligence of AI, without moving into the ultra-premium price range. With growing competition from Intel’s new Core Ultra series and AMD’s Ryzen AI processors, Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X2 Plus could shake up the Windows laptop scene yet again.

More details, including benchmark results and first laptop models powered by X2 Plus, are expected to be revealed soon. But one thing’s clear — 2026 is already shaping up to be a big year for AI-powered computing, and Qualcomm’s new chip might just be the key to unlocking it for everyone.

1. How is Snapdragon X2 Plus different from Snapdragon X2 Elite?

Snapdragon X2 Plus offers fewer CPU cores and slightly lower peak performance than X2 Elite, but keeps the same next-gen Oryon CPU architecture and powerful NPU to hit more affordable laptop price points.

2.What are the main specs of Snapdragon X2 Plus?

It comes in 10-core and 6-core variants with clock speeds up to 4 GHz, a new Adreno X2-45 GPU, support for LPDDR5X memory up to 128 GB, and an NPU rated at up to 80 TOPS for AI workloads.

3. Is Snapdragon X2 Plus good for everyday use like office work and multitasking?

Yes, Qualcomm claims up to 35% better single-core and 17% better multi-core performance versus the previous Snapdragon X Plus generation, which should translate into smoother office work, browsing, and multitasking.

4. Is Snapdragon X2 Plus good enough for light content creation?

The improved CPU and GPU, along with the upgraded NPU, should comfortably handle light photo editing, video trimming, and AI-assisted creativity tasks in supported apps on ARM-optimised Windows laptops.

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