Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X2 Could Power Upcoming Galaxy Books
Qualcomm has announced new premium laptop processor at CES 2026 called the Snapdragon X2 Plus. As the name implies this chip is positioned just below the Snapdragon X2 Elite which was introduced a few months earlier at IFA 2025. The Snapdragon X2 Plus succeeds the Snapdragon X Plus from 2024 and offers updated performance and features. There is also a strong possibility that this processor will be used in upcoming Galaxy Book models before the end of the year.
The Snapdragon X2 Plus is manufactured using the same TSMC 3nm process as the Snapdragon X2 Elite and the Snapdragon X2 Elite Extreme. It is also based on the same third-generation Oryon CPU architecture. However, the X2 Plus is limited to 6 core and 10 core CPU configurations while the more powerful Elite and Elite Extreme models offer 12 core and 18 core CPUs for higher performance requirements.
Qualcomm offers the Snapdragon X2 Plus in two main versions and both are equipped with six Prime CPU cores. The difference is that the 10 core version adds four additional performance cores to boost multitasking and demanding workloads. Across both models the CPU can operate at up to 4GHz in multi core workloads. Depending on the specific version, the total cache memory available is either 22MB or 34MB which helps improve performance and efficiency.
Qualcomm states that the CPU in its new chip delivers up to 35% better single core performance and around 10% faster multi core performance in the six core configuration. The Snapdragon X2 Plus includes an Adreno X2 GPU clocked at 900MHz in models with a six core CPU. In the higher end 10 core configuration, the GPU runs at 1.7GHz. The GPU supports popular graphics standards including DirectX 12.2 Ultimate, Vulkan 1.4 and OpenCL 3.0 helping to improve graphics and compute performance.
The GPU may not be able to handle very demanding games at high frame rates but it offers much better performance overall. Qualcomm says the new GPU is about 29 percent faster than the previous model. In addition, Qualcomm plans to keep GPU drivers updated through the Snapdragon Control Panel app. The company has stated that it will release driver updates every three months. At present, Snapdragon X processors already support around 1,400 games which represent nearly 90 percent of the most popular games being played worldwide.
The onboard Display Processing Unit or DPU can handle an on-device display with up to 4K resolution and a refresh rate of up to 144Hz. It can also support up to three external displays at 4K and 144Hz each, or a single 5K display running at 60Hz. HDR displays are supported as well offering richer colors and improved contrast. Meanwhile, the Neural Processing Unit (NPU) provides 80 TOPS of AI processing power comparable to other premium Snapdragon X2 chips. Its Spectra Image Signal Processor (ISP) can handle two 36-megapixel cameras at the same time and can record high quality HDR videos at 4K resolution with 30 frames per second.
Both variants of the Snapdragon X2 Plus chipset can support up to 128GB of LPDDR5x RAM running at a speed of 4761.5 MHz which translates to 9523 MT/s. For storage, the chips offer support for two high speed options: either PCIe 5.0 NVMe drives or UFS 4.0 storage. In terms of connectivity, the chipsets include Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4 with LE and aptX and USB 4.0 ports with a maximum transfer speed of 40Gbps. They also support DisplayPort 2.1 so you can connect high resolution external screens without any problems.
Although the chip supports 5G connectivity through Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X75 modem, the modem itself is not integrated into the processor. This means that laptop manufacturers have to install the 5G modem separately which adds both extra cost and space requirements.
Qualcomm says that laptops powered by its new Snapdragon chip are designed to deliver multi day battery life while maintaining a comfortable temperature so the devices should stay cool even during extended use. Models powered by the Snapdragon X2 Plus could arrive in the second quarter of this year with prices beginning at approximately $700 though the final price may vary based on specifications and optional features.
