Qualcomm's new chipset makes budget shopping for laptops a whole lot easier in 2026

Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite laptops at MWC 2025

Kerry Wan/ZDNET

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ZDNET's key takeaways

• Qualcomm unveiled the Snapdragon X2 Plus at CES 2026, delivering next-gen performance to midrange laptops.
• The main model features a 10-core Oryon CPU, updated Adreno GPU, and LPDDR5x memory.
• The chip also features Wi-Fi 7 support, Snapdragon Guardian, and enhanced energy efficiency.

In September 2025, Qualcomm unveiled its first next-generation laptop chipsets: the Snapdragon X2 Elite and X2 Elite Extreme, both designed primarily for high-end models. At CES 2026, the company expanded its 2026 roadmap by introducing the Snapdragon X2 Plus.

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If Qualcomm follows the same strategy as the previous generation, this is a new SoC (system-on-a-chip) designed to bring next-gen performance to midrange laptops rather than premium flagship machines. According to the developer, the chipset features a 10-core Oryon processor, an updated Adreno graphics card, and an 80 TOPS Hexagon NPU. All this is paired with LPDDR5x memory to deliver fast and efficient performance.

There will also be a variant of the X2 Plus housing a 6-core CPU, offering laptop manufacturers another option for their affordable models.

Acer Aspire 16 AI

Cesar Cadenas/ZDNET

Early performance figures are promising. Qualcomm claims that the X2 Plus will offer a 35% increase in single-core CPU performance and a 17% increase in multi-core performance compared to the previous generation. The biggest jump comes from the NPU (neural processing unit). This one component is reportedly seeing 78% better AI performance, thus delivering a significant performance boost when needed.

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Energy efficiency remains a major advantage. Qualcomm claims that the Snapdragon X2 Plus chipset will consume up to 43% less power than its predecessor. Based on past experience, I'm inclined to believe them. Last year, I tested the Acer Aspire 16 AI (as seen in the image above). It ran on the Snapdragon X chip, and it last 17 hours on a single charge.

Whether the X2 Plus can maintain a similar endurance in light of added demand remains to be seen, but Qualcomm's track record suggests it's possible. Improved GPU performance is another notable upgrade, potentially making Snapdragon-powered laptops a lot more capable for heavy workloads like video editing and light 3D rendering. While it won't replace a dedicated GPU, it could narrow the gap.

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Additional features for the Snapdragon X2 Plus include support for Wi-Fi 7, which will become handy to have as the new connection standard rolls out more widely, along with Snapdragon Guardian for robust security. It'll protect PCs against malware and enable certain features such as biometric authentication and automatic presence detection.

Qualcomm hasn't shared a specific launch date for laptops running on the Snapdragon X2 Plus, but if the release pattern follows the Snapdragon X2 Elite, expect the first models to arrive within the next six months.