Snapdragon X Elite Gen 2: Rumors of Enhanced Performance Emerge
The buzz around Qualcomm's Snapdragon X Elite has been immense. Rumors are now starting to circulate about its successor - the Snapdragon X Elite Gen 2. The initial X Elite was already promising incredible performance. Will the subsequent generation push it even further? Let's explore emerging rumors.
Frequency Boost: A Modest Increment?
A recent leak indicates that the second-generation Oryon performance cores of the Snapdragon X Elite Gen 2 could run at 4.40GHz. This is a modest jump from the original Snapdragon X Elite's 4.20GHz. Some expect even higher levels of frequency in other situations. Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 2 leaks proposed tests reaching up to 5.00GHz. This makes the possibility of even higher speeds for the X Elite Gen 2 plausible. There could be more room to breathe in the final version.
Second-generation Qualcomm Nuvia: big core clock starts at 4.4GHz,
— Jukanlosreve (@Jukanlosreve) April 15, 2025
performance improvement estimated at 18–22%. pic.twitter.com/XEc4sPDBm2
Performance Leap: 18-22% Speculation
Adding to the speculation, there's news of an 18-22 percent performance increase for the Snapdragon X Elite Gen 2. The rumor mill is uncertain if this bump is for single-core or multi-core work, or specific workloads. A 22% increase from a small frequency bump seems questionable. This suggests Qualcomm could be using a higher core count in some chip variants to achieve such increases.
The 18-Core Speculation
Fascinatingly, rumors point toward a future generation of the Snapdragon X Elite Gen 2 being a massive 18-core design. That would be a dramatic step and possibly how Qualcomm intends to satisfy those performance boost numbers. This rumored 18-core design is reported to be sometime in the future, perhaps released in 2026. It suggests a long-term plan to continue boosting performance in the Snapdragon X Elite lineup.
3nm Process: Efficiency Gains
One likely reason for frequency or performance enhancement is a shift in manufacturing process. The original Snapdragon X Elite relies on TSMC's 4nm process. The Gen 2 could transition to TSMC's second-generation 3nm process. This process migration would allow for higher clock speeds and improved performance without a monstrous drain on power efficiency. Power efficiency is a crucial aspect of mobile processors.
Wait and See Approach
For the time being, these details remain firmly in the rumor and speculation category. A 22% boost in performance is enticing. A potential 18-core model is notable. We must take these hints with a grain of salt. As we approach potential announcements from Qualcomm, more concrete information will be forthcoming. Until then, the Snapdragon X Elite Gen 2 remains an interesting prospect with many questions still unanswered.
