With the rise of next-gen AI-powered laptops, Qualcomm has taken center stage with its Snapdragon X Elite chipset. Promising superior performance and efficiency especially on battery power Qualcomm has launched a bold marketing campaign targeting traditional chipmakers Intel and AMD. But how accurate are those claims?
To find out, we put three high-performance laptops powered by the latest from Qualcomm, Intel, and AMD to the test. What we discovered might surprise you.
The Core of the Debate: Performance on Battery Power
While AMD’s new Ryzen AI 300 “Strix Point” processors and Intel’s Lunar Lake Core Ultra 200V chips offer remarkable performance gains, Qualcomm insists that their Snapdragon X Elite chip holds the crown when unplugged.
Their claim? Laptops powered by Intel and AMD lose as much as 45–70% of performance when running on battery, while Snapdragon systems deliver consistent power plugged in or not.
But marketing doesn’t always tell the full story
What We Tested
We ran intensive benchmarks on the following laptops:
| Laptop | Processor |
|---|---|
| Lenovo Yoga Slim 7x | Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite (XIE-78-100) |
| Dell Inspiron 14 Plus 2-in-1 | Intel Core Ultra 7 256V |
| HP ZBook Ultra G1a | AMD Ryzen AI Max+ Pro 395 |
Each laptop represents a different use case, but our goal wasn’t direct chip-to-chip comparison. Instead, we focused on how each performs when unplugged, under different power settings
Battery Modes Make a Big Difference
Windows offers multiple power profiles such as “Balanced” and “Best Performance”—and these dramatically influence results. During our tests, we ran benchmarks in three conditions:
- Plugged in
- On battery using “Best Performance”
- On battery using “Balanced” mode
Here’s what we observed:
- The Snapdragon X Elite continues to deliver strong single-core performance even while running on battery power. However, when it comes to multi-core workloads, there is a noticeable decrease in performance, particularly when the system is set to the “Balanced” power mode
- Intel Core Ultra 7 256V: Shows almost no drop in performance on “Best Performance” profile while on battery.
- AMD Ryzen AI Max+ Pro: Delivers impressive numbers, though it also experiences a moderate dip in battery mode.
So, while Qualcomm’s single-core consistency is impressive, their claim of “no performance drop” isn’t entirely accurate when you look at multicore workloads
Realistic Use Case Matters More Than Benchmarks
Let’s be honest—most users aren’t encoding 4K video or rendering complex scenes in Blender while unplugged at a coffee shop. The truth is, the vast majority of laptop tasks include:
- Email and document editing
- Video calls and browsing
- Watching content or light photo editing
These tasks don’t demand max CPU power, and in such cases, any performance drop is barely noticeable
The Full Picture: Performance vs Practicality
Despite all the benchmark hype, what matters most to everyday users is whether the laptop feels fast, stays responsive, and delivers long battery life. Here are a few critical takeaways from our testing:
Battery Efficiency
- Qualcomm’s X Elite does indeed use less power for similar workloads.
- Intel’s Core Ultra holds up surprisingly well, especially when tuned for performance.
- AMD, while the most power-hungry, delivers powerful multitasking capabilities on larger laptops
AI & App Optimization
- Snapdragon laptops excel at AI-assisted tasks, especially when optimized apps are involved.
- Intel and AMD still dominate when it comes to legacy software and broad compatibility
Value for Money
- Snapdragon-powered laptops often come with premium pricing.
- Intel and AMD offer a wider range of models at more competitive price points
Should You Believe the Hype?
Qualcomm has taken a big leap with the Snapdragon X Elite, and yes—it offers superb efficiency and competitive performance, especially for mobile-first users. However, claims of zero performance drop on battery are exaggerated. Multicore performance does take a noticeable hit under certain power settings
That said, unless you’re stress-testing your laptop on-the-go, you’re unlikely to feel the difference. For web browsing, video calls, and office productivity, Snapdragon laptops deliver exceptional battery life and smooth user experience
So, is Snapdragon better? It depends on your priorities:
| Priority | Best Option |
|---|---|
| Long battery life | Snapdragon X Elite |
| Consistent performance | Intel Core Ultra |
| Heavy multitasking, content creation | AMD Ryzen AI Max+ |
| App compatibility and support | Intel / AMD |
Battery performance is only one piece of the puzzle. While Snapdragon X Elite offers impressive efficiency, the gap between Qualcomm, Intel, and AMD is narrower than ever. Your ideal chip depends more on what you do with your laptop than on benchmark bragging rights.
For the average user? Any of these chips will serve you well as long as you pick a device that suits your workload, budget, and battery expectations
