I have been using Windows since college, and bought my first premium Windows laptop (HP Spectre x360) after graduation in late 2016. I usually upgrade my laptop every five years, but I kept holding onto the current Windows convertible since I couldn’t find a worthwhile upgrade that met my expectations. That said, the introduction of the Snapdragon X Elite CPU from Qualcomm may finally convince me to move on from my Spectre x360.

Why did I stick with Spectre x360 for so long?

It’s sufficient to say that the introduction of the Apple M1 CPU completely changed the laptop space. Along with many Windows users, I was spoiled by Apple’s class-leading battery figures in the M-series laptops. In late 2021, when I was looking at options to upgrade my Spectre x360, none of the Windows offerings came close to an M-series MacBook Air in power-to-performance ratio.

I finally gave in and built an AMD-powered Windows PC. While it was powerful enough to meet my workflow needs, the Spectre x360 was clearly showing its age during my travel days. As someone who is heavily invested in the Microsoft ecosystem, I prefer Windows over Apple’s desktop OS, so getting a MacBook was out of the equation. My quest for a powerful, premium, and power-efficient Windows laptop continued.

Enter Snapdragon X Elite

Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X Elite introduction in late 2023 caught my attention. After looking at Qualcomm and Microsoft’s plans for Windows on ARM, I have finally decided to upgrade my HP Spectre x360. Here are some of the reasons why this could be Microsoft’s M1 moment for Windows.

5 Performance

Mouth-watering claims from Qualcomm

Qualcomm’s Arm chips for Windows have always left a lot to be desired. However, unlike their past efforts, Snapdragon X Elite is a completely different beast. The company hasn’t borrowed Arm’s processor designs, but instead, they have licensed Arm architecture to build a new CPU from the ground up.

Thanks to 12 high-performance cores, the Snapdragon X Elite is going toe-to-toe with the best of Intel, AMD, and even Apple. We recently compared Snapdragon X Elite with Intel Core Ultra 7 155H and Apple M2 performance, and we came away from that evaluation impressed with Qualcomm’s offering.

Since I frequently edit images in Lightroom, high-performance processing is a priority for my next purchase. Looking at benchmarks, I’m certain that the Snapdragon X Elite won’t disappoint me.

4 Efficiency

Aims to go toe-to-toe with the best from Apple

I frequently work in cafés, parks, and during long train rides, so I need a solid companion that can get me through a busy day without requiring a power source. A lackluster battery life on Intel laptops has been one of the main reasons for avoiding an upgrade all these years. AMD did have some offerings with excellent battery life, but they were never available in my region.

Aside from high performance, Qualcomm touts an all-day battery life on these Snapdragon X Elite devices. The company compared it to Intel Core i7-13800H and managed to deliver the same performance while drawing just a third of the power. Traditionally, if you wanted good battery life on a Windows laptop, you had to compromise on other factors like performance and display resolution.

3 Support from major OEMs

Everyone seems to want to get their hands on this chip

Windows on Arm always felt like a halfhearted attempt with only a handful of SKUs from manufacturers. OEMs never gave it a proper shot by offering Snapdragon CPUs on their premium devices (although it wasn’t their fault entirely. Microsoft and Qualcomm were equally responsible).

With the Snapdragon X Elite, Qualcomm has all the major Windows OEMs onboard, such as Dell, HP, Asus, Lenovo, Mi, Honor, Samsung, and Acer. Unlike their past attempts, I’m expecting these OEMs to bundle Snapdragon X Elite with their premium offerings. In fact, Microsoft already has plans to launch a redesigned Surface Laptop 6 and Surface Pro 10 with the Snapdragon X Elite. I also expect Dell, HP, and Lenovo to offer Snapdragon X Elite on their high-end XPS, Spectre, and Yoga series, respectively.

After all, I will be upgrading from a high-end premium Windows laptop, so I don’t want to settle for a mid-range Dell Inspiron or an HP Envy.

2 Availability

Should be available to buy in your local store

I have often considered AMD Ryzen laptops for my next purchase. However, their availability was a major concern. Some of the top AMD laptops were unavailable in India, and I didn’t want to import one due to warranty issues. Since major Windows OEMs like Lenovo, Samsung, Dell, HP, Asus, and Microsoft have announced a partnership with Qualcomm, I’m sure availability won’t be a concern with Snapdragon X Elite devices.

1 App support

Developers can't ignore Windows on Arm now

The lack of native Arm apps was one of the main factors behind Qualcomm’s previous failed attempts. This time around, the app situation looks quite promising. Major third-party developers like Google, Adobe, VLC, Spotify, and more are on board with day-one Windows on Arm support.

Although Microsoft aims to improve emulation for x86 apps with the Windows 11 24H2 update, nothing beats the native app performance of Windows on Arm. Microsoft is hosting a special Windows and Surface AI event next month, and I expect the software giant to have even more developers onboard during the announcement.

The wait continues

We are still a month away from Snapdragon X Elite-powered Windows PCs. However, looking at the leaks, we expect Windows OEMs to bring their top offerings to the table. Aside from hardware, I also can’t wait to see how Microsoft improves Windows on Arm with the Windows 11 24H2 update.