New Snapdragon X2 Elite benchmarks surface — and Apple and Intel should be worried

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Don't count Qualcomm out!

Snapdragon X2 Elite CPU case
(Image credit: Future / Tom's Guide)

Just as we’ve been putting the latest Intel Core Ultra Series 3 “Panther Lake” chips through their paces, fresh benchmark numbers for the Snapdragon X2 Elite processor have surfaced.

A new video from the YouTube channel Hardware Canucks (as reported by Wccftech) has revealed standard Snapdragon X2 Elite benchmarks that suggest Apple and Intel can’t just win the chip war on raw multi-core power alone.

The testing, performed on a pre-production Asus Zenbook sample, shows that Qualcomm’s second-gen Oryon cores are a major leap forward. However, when compared to the Apple M5 and the recently released Intel Panther Lake chips, the landscape gets very interesting. Let’s get into the numbers.

Snapdragon X2 Elite vs. Apple M5 vs. Intel Panther Lake

Snapdragon X2 Elite vs AMD Gorgon Point vs Intel Panther Lake

(Image credit: Future)

The most telling results come from Cinebench 2024, where the Snapdragon X2 Elite demonstrated its 18-core performance. The X2 Elite clocked in at 1,432 in the multi-core test, comfortably beating the Apple M5’s 1,153.

For context, while we are still waiting on official Cinebench 2024 numbers for all Panther Lake SKUs, early lab indicators suggest Intel’s Core Ultra 7 is closing in on Apple. However, based on these results, Qualcomm is currently the one pulling away in pure multi-threaded compute.

Swipe to scroll horizontally

Snapdragon X2 Elite

Apple M5

Intel Panther Lake (CU7)

Cinebench 2024 (Single)

146

200

~131*

Cinebench 2024 (Multi)

1,432

1,153

~1,210*

Handbrake (Video Transcode)

3:29

3:31

4:32

Blender 5.01 (Render Time)

3:31

5:33

5:10

Geekbench 6 (Multi)

23,449 (Extreme)

17,926

16,927

*Estimated based on early lab samples.

Row 6 - Cell 1 Row 6 - Cell 2 Row 6 - Cell 3

It's also worth noting that while Qualcomm is winning in multi-core performance, Apple’s M5 is still doing better in single-core performance. That 146 vs. 200 single-core gap is the main reason MacBooks feel snappier for day-to-day browsing, even if the Snapdragon is faster for rendering.

Things get interesting when we look at the real-world rendering tests. In Handbrake, the Snapdragon X2 Elite finished a transcode in a blistering 3 minutes and 29 seconds. While that smokes the Apple M5 (5:14), it also holds a healthy lead over the Intel Panther Lake chip we just tested in the new Dell XPS 14, which clocked in at 4:32.

Efficiency

Dell XPS 14 (2026) battery test results.

(Image credit: Tom's Guide)

The Hardware Canucks' testing also noted that the X2 Elite drew about 31W during these peaks. This is impressive, but it’s where Intel has recently made its stand.

As we saw in our testing, the entry-level Panther Lake XPS 14 managed over 21 hours of battery life by being incredibly efficient at lower power draws. Qualcomm needs to show that the X2 Elite can match that type of epic endurance when it isn’t reaching its 31W limit.

We also have to consider the "Extreme" version of Qualcomm's chip. In our own hands-on benchmarks of the Snapdragon X2 Elite Extreme, we saw Geekbench 6 multi-core scores hit 23,449.

To put that in perspective, that’s much higher than the Apple M5 (17,926) and the Core Ultra 7 inside the XPS 14 (16,927). Qualcomm is clearly aiming for the performance crown, even if Intel currently holds the efficiency title.

Outlook

The silicon war was already hot thanks to Panther Lake’s impressive performance and efficiency, but it could go nuclear when Snapdragon X2 Elite arrives.

If you’re into the best laptops like I am, this is a great time. We’re sure to test the first Snapdragon X2-powered laptops as they arrive, so stay tuned for more of our test results!

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Tony Polanco
Tony Polanco
Senior Computing Writer

Tony is a computing writer at Tom’s Guide covering laptops, tablets, Windows, and iOS. During his off-hours, Tony enjoys reading comic books, playing video games, reading speculative fiction novels, and spending too much time on X/Twitter. His non-nerdy pursuits involve attending Hard Rock/Heavy Metal concerts and going to NYC bars with friends and colleagues. His work has appeared in publications such as Laptop Mag, PC Mag, and various independent gaming sites.

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