Qualcomm claims that its upcoming Snapdragon X Elite chip is 21% faster than Apple's M3 processor.

In a demo published on Digital Trends (thanks to MacRumors), Qualcomm's System on Chip (SoC) scored 15,300 in the Geekbench 6 multi-core test, while Apple's M3 chip scored 12,154. Qualcomm did not mention TDP (thermal design power consumption).

As we learned when we attended this year's Snapdragon Summit, the Snapdragon X Elite chip has at least two thermal designs. The latter will naturally perform better, but it is unclear if the 80W Snapdragon X Elite chip was used in the demo in question. More details can be found in the Snapdragon X Elite benchmark article.

A new MacBook Pro 14-inch benchmarked with an entry-level M3 chip and 8GB of RAM scored 11,870 on the Geekbench 6 multi-core test; at the Snapdragon Summit, the Snapdragon X Elite reference devices recorded 15,130 and 14,000. This suggests that the X Elite chip used in the demo we are discussing has a TDP of 80W, but we are not certain. In any case, Qualcomm's Geekbench 6 scores for the M3 chip are very similar to our test numbers.

A Qualcomm spokesperson told Digital Trends that the chips run on Windows 11 and macOS Sonoma (respectively), so the experience will not be the same, but the hardware is still a consistent metric.

The true power of the Snapdragon X Elite chip will not be known until we get a chance to run our own benchmarks. If Qualcomm's calculations are accurate, the company's upcoming processor could give Apple's silicon a shot in the arm. At least for the entry-level M3 chip. Beyond raw performance, the X Elite's AI capabilities could be superior to the current M-series processors.

Devices powered by the Snapdragon X Elite will not be available until mid-2024. At that time, Qualcomm will have to contend not only with Apple, but also with Intel, which just announced its AI-powered Meteor Lake chip. The latter's Raptor Lake Refresh processor will also bring competition to the X Elite. Nevertheless, if Qualcomm's SoC is up to snuff, it could be a legitimate competitor to Apple and Intel. We will just have to wait and see.