8-core Qualcomm Snapdragon X Plus heralds new era of affordable Copilot+ PCs

Qualcomm has introduced an 8-core Snapdragon X Plus chip, with new devices available from today. And its arrival means that prices of Copilot+ PCs will start at $700 rather than $1,000.

“With Snapdragon X Plus 8-core, we are now bringing to more users these transformative AI experiences [of Copilot+ PCs], and the best-in-class performance and unprecedented battery life of our power-efficient custom Qualcomm Oryon CPU,” said Cristiano Amon, President and Chief Executive Officer, Qualcomm.

“We’re proud to be working with leading global OEMs and retail partners to expand our portfolio and enable enterprise customers and consumers.”

To coincide with the launch, Dell announced aggressively priced versions of its Dell Inspiron 14 and Dell Latitude 5455 laptops.

What you need to know about 8-core Snapdragon X Plus chips

While the 8-core X Plus chips are more affordable than their 10-core alternatives, you still get the same NPU and similarly quick performance.

There are two 8-core chips at launch: the X1P-42-100 and X1P-46-100. The former will be slower, as its peak multicore frequency is 3.2GHz while its single-core boost is limited to 3.4GHz.

That compares to 3.4GHz multicore and 4GHz single-core for the X1P-46-100, which matches the two 10-core members of the X Plus family: the X1P-64-100 and X1P-66-100.

Both 8-core chips have a lower rated GPU than their siblings too. See our table below for a quick comparison:

Because all the chips include the same NPU, any laptop with a Snapdragon X Plus chip inside qualifies for Copilot+ PC status.

“Qualcomm’s introduction of Snapdragon X Plus 8-core builds on the incredible energy and momentum for Copilot+ PCs that began in May,” said Pavan Davuluri, Corporate Vice President, Windows + Devices, Microsoft.

“Their breakthrough platform unlocks all-day battery life, unprecedented performance and efficiency, and with the powerful NPU, brings AI-powered Windows experiences to even more people.”

New Asus laptops based on 8-core Snapdragon X Plus

Not every laptop manufacturer is going down the budget route with these new 8-core Snapdragon X Plus chips.

Asus has announced that the stylish and sleek Vivobook S 15 and detachable ProArt PZ13 laptops will pack the chips. Both feature OLED panels and go on sale with immediate affect.

In the UK, the Vivobook S 15 will cost from £1,000 inc VAT. It’s 14.7mm thick and weighs 1.4kg, and that reflects a generous 70Wh battery. Even with the OLED panel, Asus reckons it will last for up to 19 hours.

Then there’s the ProArt PZ13, an 850g detachable laptop with a slender 9mm body. Again, it includes a big 70Wh battery. Prices start at £1,200 inc VAT.