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Linus Tech Tips is a leading tech YouTube channel with over 15 million subscribers, known for its expert reviews and insights on the latest tech trends and gadgets.

Since early this year, the battle for supremacy among processors has been heating up again. Qualcomm’s latest Snapdragon X Elite chips are generating significant buzz.

Linus Tech Tips recently dived into an in-depth analysis that raises big questions about the future of Windows PCs versus MacBooks. Could these new Snapdragon-powered laptops truly challenge the reign of Apple’s M-chip MacBooks? Let’s explore.

 Qualcomm’s Bold Claims and Linus’ Take

Qualcomm has always been a strong player in the mobile processor market. But with the Snapdragon X Elite chips, they’re boldly moving into the laptop space.

According to Linus Tech Tips, these processors are touted to offer unprecedented performance and efficiency. Maybe potentially dethroning the likes of AMD and Intel in the Windows laptop arena.

The big question is, can they outshine Apple’s M chips?

 Performance and Efficiency: The Snapdragon Advantage?

The Snapdragon X Elite chips demonstrated remarkable efficiency in Linus’ rigorous lab tests.

The Asus VivoBook S15 and the HP OmniBook X, both powered by Snapdragon, showcased battery lives of over 14 and 15 hours respectively. This is better than the 12.5 hours achieved by a MacBook Pro M3 in similar tests. For context, most other laptops didn’t even come close.

But it’s not just about battery life.

In multicore workloads, the Snapdragon X Elite outperformed everything, including the Apple M3. While Apple still holds the crown in single-core performance, the Snapdragon’s multi-core prowess is undeniable.

However, this performance comes with a caution!: the Snapdragon X Elite tested was the slowest variant, lacking the dual-core boosting of its faster counterparts.

 If Qualcomm’s higher-end models live up to their potential, they could further close the single-core performance gap.

 Gaming: Not so Good

Here  Snapdragon X Elite chips show promise but also some early not-smooth issues. Linus highlights that while the raw performance rivals AMD and Intel’s integrated graphics, there are inconsistencies.

Some games run perfectly, while others struggle or fail to launch due to compatibility issues. Strangely, Qualcomm’s GPU doesn’t recognize VRAM.

However, the transition from DirectX 11 to DirectX 12 appears smooth. Let alone  Intel’s rough journey with their Arc Alchemist GPUs.

Despite these early days, the future looks bright for Qualcomm. And it will be better if it introduces dedicated GPUs for a more robust gaming experience.

 AI and Beyond: A Strong Start

Artificial intelligence is another frontier where Qualcomm aims to make waves. Linus points out some interesting features like auto presence detection and paint co-creator. The issue is they have limited practical use currently.

Live captions with translation which could be useful were particularly disappointing. They failed at many popular languages like Cantonese, French, and Hebrew.

Microsoft’s much-hyped “recall feature” is also absent, which might be a relief given privacy concerns.

Interestingly, the image quality of webcams on Snapdragon X Elite laptops is a noteworthy highlight. Qualcomm’s integrated image signal processor allows for superior camera performance. This pushes many AMD and Intel-powered laptops to the bin.

 Comparison: Can Snapdragon X-lite Dethrone M Chip MacBooks?

Linus Tech Tips provides a cautiously optimistic view. The initial performance and efficiency are impressive and the battery life is industry-leading.

However, there is still much to overcome, particularly in gaming and AI functionalities.

Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X Elite chips represent a strong start and could indeed be a game-changer in the Windows laptop market.

With design wins from nearly every major Windows laptop maker! The industry has confidence in these chips. But the true test will be whether these machines can consistently deliver across all use cases.

In this tech race, one thing is certain: the competition between Windows PCs and MacBooks is about to get even more exciting.

The claim of Qualcomm dethroning Apple remains to be seen, but one thing is for sure – the Snapdragon X Elite is a power-punch contender.

Would you switch to a Snapdragon-powered Windows PC? Or do you remain loyal to the MacBook?

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