In October 2023, Qualcomm launched the Snapdragon X Elite, the company’s current ARM-based flagship processor for Windows laptops that promises to not only offer better performance per watt than processors based on the x64 architecture from AMD and Intel, resulting in excellent performance and battery life simultaneously, but also to beat Apple’s M3 chipset that does duty in the latest iteration of the MacBook Air. Well, Microsoft wants to leverage Qualcomm’s achievement to its advantage and show the world that Windows laptops can beat MacBooks.
Microsoft to demo Snapdragon X Elite laptops beating M3 MacBook Air
According to a new report from The Verge, Microsoft is planning to demo laptops with the Snapdragon X Elite processors at an event that it is holding on 20 May 2024. During this demo, the company is planning to show that this processor (and Windows laptops) can beat the Apple M3 chipset in the latest MacBook Air when it comes to performing CPU-intensive tasks, AI acceleration, and even offer better app-emulation (running apps that are not native to the platform or in other words, running apps made for the x64 architecture) than Apple’s Rosetta 2.
Currently, there aren’t many apps for Windows that run natively on ARM-based processors, and the existing laptops with ARM-based processors can’t run apps made for the x64 architecture very efficiently, which results in slow performance and poor battery life, offering a bad user experience. However, if the app-emulation on Snapdragon X Elite turns out to be as good as Microsoft is planning to showcase, many people will buy laptops with the processor, giving rise to laptops with ARM-based processors, and finally ending the supremacy of Apple's laptops in performance and efficiency.
Samsung's upcoming Galaxy Book 4 Edge could beat Apple MacBooks
On a related note, Samsung is planning to launch a laptop with the Snapdragon X Elite processor, called the Galaxy Book 4 Edge. If the latest news from The Verge turns out to be true, the South Korean tech giant's upcoming laptop will be faster than the MacBook Air. More importantly, it will be a great option for people who are looking for Windows alternatives to MacBooks. Reportedly, the Galaxy Book 4 Edge will offer a 14-inch display, 16GB RAM, and 512GB storage. It could also offer cellular (5G) connectivity as the Snapdragon X Elite supports the connectivity option.
