Qualcomm Brings Its Cheaper Snapdragon X2 PC Chips to CES

Published: Monday, January 5, 2026 at 5:00 pm

Qualcomm Launches Budget-Friendly Snapdragon X2 Plus PC Chips at CES

LAS VEGAS - Qualcomm has unveiled its Snapdragon X2 Plus PC chips at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2026, targeting the budget-conscious laptop market. These new chips, a more affordable counterpart to the previously announced Snapdragon X2 Elite processors, are expected to be available in laptops by the end of March. The move comes as laptop prices continue to rise, making lower-cost options increasingly attractive to consumers.

The X2 Plus chips are built on a 3-nanometer (nm) process node, a step down from the 4nm used in the previous Snapdragon X series generation. This smaller process allows for denser chip packing and potentially faster clock speeds, although it can also lead to increased heat. The new chips share several features with the Elite versions, including an 80 TOPS (trillions of operations per second) NPU (Neural Processing Unit) AI accelerator, which is a significant upgrade from the previous generation's 45 TOPS. The X2 Plus also supports the new FP8 data type, offers improved graphics, and promises "multiday" battery life, along with other performance enhancements.

Qualcomm's new NPU is the fastest-rated PC chip, though Apple's M5 is estimated to be faster. Qualcomm does not provide platform TOPS like Intel and AMD, so it's possible they may come out ahead for some types of AI operations.

The launch of the X2 Plus chips appears to be a secondary announcement for Qualcomm at CES, as the company is heavily focused on the robotics market. The relatively low-key approach to the laptop launch is understandable, given that budget-focused news is often overshadowed at CES, and component shortages are expected to impact sales and supply of new laptop models.

BNN's Perspective:

The introduction of the Snapdragon X2 Plus chips is a smart move by Qualcomm. By offering a more affordable option, they are positioning themselves to capture a larger share of the laptop market, especially as consumers become more price-sensitive. The focus on AI capabilities and improved battery life are also key selling points that should resonate with users. However, the success of these chips will depend on their real-world performance and how they compare to competing offerings from Intel and AMD.

Keywords: Qualcomm, Snapdragon X2 Plus, PC chips, CES, laptops, budget, 3nm, NPU, AI accelerator, battery life, performance, robotics, Intel, AMD, Apple M5

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