Early third-party testing of Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X2 Elite paints a split verdict: exceptional productivity performance paired with middling gaming results. In a preview run on an upcoming Asus Zenbook evaluated by Hardware Canucks, the ARM-based chip posted commanding scores in CPU-heavy tasks and faster GPU rendering, but still lagged behind leading x86 and Apple silicon laptops in popular games. These figures come with the usual pre-release caveats on firmware and drivers.
Productivity Scores Set the Pace in Early Benchmark Tests
In Cinebench 2024 single-core, the Snapdragon X2 Elite reached 146, outpacing the prior-generation Snapdragon X Elite (108) and topping comparable Intel and AMD contenders reported in testing, with the Intel Core Ultra 9 388H at 130 and Ryzen 9 HX 370 at 112. Apple’s M5 Pro still led single-core at 200, but the X2 Elite’s multi-threaded showing flipped the narrative: 1,432 for X2 versus 1,153 for the M5 Pro, with the Intel and AMD chips not breaking 1,000.
Creative workloads told a similar story. In Blender and HandBrake, the X2 Elite not only cleared the bar set by the previous-gen Snapdragon X Elite—where top x86 and Apple systems typically hovered—but did so decisively, with render and transcode times cut by over 40% in the tests cited. For users who live in code compiles, batch exports, or heavy multitasking, that delta is the difference between finishing a queue before a meeting or waiting until after lunch.
What’s driving the uplift? An enhanced CPU complex coupled with driver and scheduler refinements likely contribute, but the real takeaway is platform-level maturity. Windows on ARM has steadily improved its native software roster, and more productivity apps are shipping with ARM64 builds, reducing translation overhead and letting the X2 Elite stretch its legs.
Gaming Trails Despite GPU Gains in Cross-Platform Tests
Qualcomm’s Adreno X2-90 GPU is clearly faster than its predecessor in rendering tasks, yet gaming benchmarks remain a step behind rivals. In Cyberpunk 2077, the X2 Elite averaged around 40fps in the test system, compared with roughly 46fps from the Intel 388H and about 57fps on Apple’s M5 Pro. Baldur’s Gate 3 at 1200p low settings saw the X2 Elite near 54fps, while the M5 Pro landed near 70fps and the Intel chip around 59fps.
E-sports performance reinforced the pattern: Counter-Strike 2 hit about 113fps on the X2 Elite versus approximately 189fps on the Intel configuration, using 1200p, highest settings with 4x MSAA and 16x AF. The gaps suggest a mix of factors at play—driver maturity, game-specific optimizations, and, importantly, the x86-64 translation overhead on Windows on ARM for many titles. Microsoft’s Prism translation has improved compatibility, but competitive games and engines tuned for x86 still carry overhead that shows up in frame pacing and peak FPS.
None of this discounts the generational GPU strides. It means today’s gaming story on ARM laptops is more about “can play at reduced settings” than “wins the benchmark charts.” As more games ship with native ARM64 binaries and GPU drivers harden, headroom exists—but buyers focused on maximum frames right now will find stronger options elsewhere.
Power and Efficiency Context in Thin-and-Light Laptops
Power envelopes matter in thin-and-light designs. During the tests, the Snapdragon X2 Elite reportedly ran at 31W. Comparable AMD and Intel systems were capped at 30W, while Apple’s M5 Pro drew about 26W. Battery life data wasn’t included, leaving open the key question for this platform: does the X2 Elite maintain the strong longevity that helped sell the original Snapdragon X laptops, now that clocks and performance are higher?
Thermal behavior and sustained performance over long sessions will be just as important as peak numbers. Without standardized retail firmware and finalized drivers, it’s too early to draw firm conclusions, though the power comparisons provide useful framing for the impressive multi-core scores.
What It Means for Buyers Considering ARM Windows Laptops
For productivity-centric users—developers, content creators working in Blender or HandBrake, analysts juggling heavy spreadsheets—the Snapdragon X2 Elite looks legitimately disruptive among Windows ultraportables. The early numbers indicate a CPU lead at common power caps, plus faster GPU rendering that benefits viewport work and certain compute workloads.
For gaming-first shoppers, however, AMD and Intel still rule on Windows, and Apple’s latest silicon continues to post strong numbers within macOS-native titles. If you’re eyeing the X2 Elite, watch for native ARM game releases, driver updates, and broader testing from outlets like Hardware Canucks and coverage tracked by WCCFTech once retail firmware lands. The trajectory is unmistakable—Qualcomm is closing critical gaps—but today’s verdict is clear: productivity champ, gaming underdog.