Microsoft and Qualcomm Unleash 45 TOPS ARM Snapdragon X Elite Chips in Surface Laptops to Compete With Apple Silicon
At a special event ahead of Microsoft Build 2024, Microsoft announced its vision for a new era of AI PCs powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X processors. The new Surface Pro 10 and Surface Laptop 6 are the first Microsoft devices optimised for AI experiences. They are powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X Elite and Plus processors, which deliver a massive 45 trillion operations per second (TOPS) of AI performance thanks to the integrated Neural Processing Unit (NPU). This enables advanced on-device AI features like focus, auto-framing, background blur and other effects to device cameras and built-in microphones. Microsoft is touting these new ARM-based Surface devices as the “most powerful Windows PCs ever built”. The company claims the Snapdragon X Elite chip makes the Surface Pro 10 up to 90% faster than the previous Intel-based Surface Pro 9, while providing a significantly longer battery life of up to 19 hours. Recently, Apple also announced their M4 chips with their iPads which had 36 TOPS. But we are yet to see how Apple will optimise their M4 chips with their Macbooks, especially after the launch of the Surface laptops powered by Snapdragon X Elite chips. Before the launch of Snapdragon X Elite chips, M4 were said to be “faster than the neural processing unit of any AI PC today”. However, a comparison between the iPad with Surface laptops won’t make any sense, especially with Apple about to unveil a new lineup of Macbooks powered by M4 chips on WWDC event. It would be interesting to see how Apple will manage to reclaim their position as the fastest AI computer manufacturer.
Microsoft now has more powerful NPU working at 45 trillion operations per second which is even faster than M4, it’ll be interesting how Apple will compete with their Macbooks.
Microsoft now has more powerful NPU working at 45 trillion operations per second which is even faster than M4 clocked at 36 TOPS.
["Microsoft"]
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A software engineer who loves to experiment with new-gen AI. He also happens to love testing hardware and sometimes they crash. While reviving his crashed system, you can find him reading literature, manga, or watering plants.