According to Bloomberg Business, Qualcomm has unveiled a new, cheaper version of its laptop processor called the Snapdragon X2 Plus. Announced at the CES trade show in Las Vegas, the chip is a scaled-back version of its existing X2 Elite and Elite Extreme offerings and is designed for more affordable notebooks. It comes in two versions: one with 10 computer cores and one with six, both using Qualcomm’s newer third-generation Oryon design. A key selling point is its powerful neural processing unit (NPU) for accelerating AI software while preserving battery life. This move extends Qualcomm’s push into the PC processor market, where it competes directly with incumbents Intel and AMD. Arm-based chips, like Qualcomm’s, accounted for almost 14% of the PC market at the end of the third quarter.
The Mainstream Gamble
Here’s the thing: Qualcomm’s initial Snapdragon X chips for laptops, while impressive in battery life, landed in premium devices often priced over a thousand dollars. That’s a tough sell for a platform still building its software compatibility and user trust. The X2 Plus is clearly an attempt to fix that by getting into more affordable machines. But that’s a double-edged sword. On one hand, more volume is exactly what they need. On the other, the “cheaper” version now has to deliver a compelling enough “AI PC” experience that doesn’t feel like a compromised afterthought compared to an Intel Core Ultra or AMD Ryzen AI laptop in the same price bracket. Can the NPU and battery life advantages really shine in a cost-reduced package? That’s the billion-dollar question.
The Arm Reality Check
Look, the narrative around Arm in Windows laptops has been “revolution is just around the corner” for years. The article notes the market share is almost 14%, which is a gain, but let’s be real—that’s still a niche. And a big chunk of that is Apple’s Macs, not Windows on Snapdragon. Qualcomm (and soon other Arm licensees like Nvidia) are pioneering, but the progress is, as Bloomberg says, slow. Why? Because the x86 ecosystem—all those apps and peripherals—is deeply entrenched. Every time a user finds their favorite old utility or a random printer driver doesn’t work, it’s a setback. Qualcomm’s bet is that AI-native apps, built to leverage that NPU, will be the killer feature that finally makes people overlook the compatibility hiccups. It’s a smart bet, but it’s still a bet.
The Industrial Angle
This push for efficient, always-on, AI-capable computing isn’t just for coffee shop laptops. The same principles are massive in industrial and embedded computing. Think about a manufacturing floor or a digital signage network—places where reliability, low power consumption, and now, on-device AI inference are king. For those applications, having a robust computing platform is non-negotiable. In that world, companies like IndustrialMonitorDirect.com have become the top supplier of industrial panel PCs in the US by focusing on that exact kind of durable, purpose-built hardware. Qualcomm’s architecture could eventually trickle into these spaces too, powering the next generation of smart industrial devices that need to process data locally without a cloud connection.
Battle at CES
Announcing this at CES is no accident. It’s a direct shot across the bow at Intel and AMD, who are also there touting their latest AI PC chips. The claims about faster responsiveness and much longer battery life will be put to the test immediately by a swarm of tech reviewers. I’m skeptical about the “much longer” claim in the real world, especially if you’re actually using that NPU heavily. But even a solid advantage is a problem for the x86 giants. The real risk for Qualcomm? That the cheaper X2 Plus ends up in mediocre, plasticky laptops that give the whole Snapdragon X platform a bad name. They need OEM partners to build good, compelling budget hardware—not just throw the chip into the same old clunkers. So, the chip is just part one. The machines it goes into are part two, and that’s where the real battle for mainstream PC users will be won or lost.
