Table of ContentsTable of ContentsPerformanceBattery lifeBoth last a long time, but Qualcomm maintains performanceThis was a turbulent year in the world of Windows laptops. The introduction of Qualcomms Snapdragon X chips completely changed the game and I dont say that lightly.They entered the market in such a forceful way that both AMD and Intel were forced to respond quickly with their own more power-efficient chips that could compete. Intels Core Ultra Series 2, otherwise known as Lunar Lake, attempted to beat Qualcomm at its own game, boasting a dramatic improvement in battery life.Recommended VideosBut now that the dust has settled a bit, which chip results in the best laptops you can buy right now? Ive tested a number of systems using both chips, and I finally feel like I can see where the chips are falling.RelatedThe Qualcomm Snapdragon X comes in two variations, the Snapdragon X Elite and the Snapdragon X Plus. As you can see in the chart below, they vary widely in terms of their core counts, speeds, and integrated Adreno graphics performance. Qualcomm doesnt advertise their TDP (thermal design power), but evidence points to their running at between 15 watts and 80 watts.The primary concern with the Qualcomm chipsets is that Windows on Arm requires applications to be written natively for the platform to see the best performance. While the current version of Windows on Arm has a very good emulation engine compared to past versions, and its much more compatible with a variety of applications, there can still be a penalty if an important app wont run at all or at full speed.QualcommIntels Core Ultra Series 2, or Lunar Lake, also has various iterations that are more consistent in their overall design. They all have eight cores with the same number of performance and efficiency versions. Most are 17-watt parts, while the Core Ultra 9 288V is a 30-watt part.We havent yet reviewed a laptop with the Core Ultra 9, so we cant directly attest to its performance. Lunar Lake is an x86 chipset and so uses the same version of Windows as past Intel and AMD chips. Theres no concern about compatibility and no performance concerns around emulation.IntelLooking at our benchmark results, we see that Snapdragon X is a lot faster than Core Ultra Series 2 in CPU-intensive tasks. Theres some variability, but thats generally true. Its not as fast, though, in GPU-intensive tasks. Intels Core Ultra Series 2 chips have the best integrated graphics weve ever seen in a Windows laptop, so we have to give credit where credit is due. Meanwhile, Qualcomms Adreno graphics are in last place among the options, behind AMD and Apple as well.None of the laptops with these chips provide a viable gaming platform for AAA gaming, nor does either chip provide a truly significant performance benefit for creative applications. For that, youll want a discrete GPU, and as of now, that category of laptops dont exist for either platform. Youll have to jump to AMDs latest chips or go back to Intels previous generstion if you want something more powerful.its also important to note that Apples M3 chipset that runs in similar thin-and-light laptops splits the difference in CPU tasks while enjoying faster graphics.But looking at my testing results so far, its clear that Qualcomm has an upper hand against Intel, both in single-core and multi-core performance and for these types of laptops, thats what matters most.Cinebench R24(single/multi)Geekbench 6(single/multi)3DMarkWild Life ExtremeAcer Swift Go 14 AI(Snapdragon X Plus / Adreno)107 / 7162413 / 113883231HP OmniBook X(Snapdragon X Elite / Adreno)101 / 7492377 / 134906165Dell Inspiron 14 Plus 7441(Snapdragon X Plus / Adreno)108 / 4192451 / 87446457Dell XPS 13 9345(Snapdragon X Elite / Adreno)121 / 9212805 / 145116397Acer Swift 14 AI(Core Ultra 7 258V / Intel Arc 140V)121 / 5252755 / 111385294HP OmniBook Ultra Flip 14(Core Ultra 7 258V / Intel Arc 140V)116 / 5982483 / 107257573Lenovo Yoga Slim 7i Aura Edition(Core Ultra 7 258V / Intel Arc 140V)109 / 6302485 / 105695217Asus Zenbook S 14(Core Ultra 7 258V / Intel Arc 140V)112 / 4522738 / 107347514MacBook Air(M3)141 / 6013102 / 120788098Kunal Khullar / Digital TrendsSo, how do they perform in terms of battery life? After all, both chipsets are intended to make more Windows laptops better equipped to compete with Apple MacBooks, which have been significantly longer-lasting.Its a challenge to compare battery life across each platform because weve reviewed laptops with different display technologies and resolutions. The longest-lasting machines have been those with FHD+ (1920 x 1200) IPS displays, while those with 2.8K (2880 x 1800) OLED displays have done the worst. The Acer Swift 14 AI, for example, used Intel Lunar Lake combined with a 14.0-inch FHD+ IPS display and is one of the best performers, while the Acer Swift Go 14 used a Snapdragon X Plus along with a 14.5-inch QHD+ (2560 x 1600) IPS display and it also did very well. The HP OmniBook Ultra Flip 14 combined Lunar Lake with a 2.8K OLED display and wasnt as impressive.Generally speaking, its safest to say that Intels new chipset is likeliest to give the best performance the more the CPU is being pushed. That shows up best in our Cinebench R24 test that runs the chipsets at maximum performance. Here, Intel does better than Qualcomm. When looking at all three scores, the Apple MacBook Air M3 remains a strong option, and its likely that the M4 version arriving early in 2025 will provide even stronger scores.The bottom line is that both the Snapdragon X and Core Ultra Series 2 represent important advances for the Windows platform. Unlike in the past, you can easily select a Windows laptop that will give you all-day and maybe even multiday battery life. Thats huge.Web browsingVideoCinebench R24Acer Swift Go 14 AI(Snapdragon X Plus)15 hours, 29 minutes21 hours, 38 minutes1 hour, 42 minutesHP Omnibook X(Snapdragon X Elite)13 hours, 37 minutes22 hours, 4 minutes1 hour, 52 minutesDell Inspiron 14 Plus 7441(Snapdragon Plus)10 hours, 9 minutes19 hours, 28 minutes2 hours, 25 minutesDell XPS 13 9345(Snapdragon X Elite)12 hours, 29 minutes22 hours, 9 minutes1 hour, 37 minutesAcer Swift 14 AI(Core Ultra 7 258V)17 hours, 22 minutes24 hours, 10 minutes2 hours, 7 minutesHP OmniBook Ultra Flip 14(Core Ultra 7 258V)11 hours, 5 minutes15 hours, 46 minutes2 hours, 14 minutesLenovo Yoga Slim 7i Aura Edition(Core Ultra 7 258V)14 hours, 16 minutes17 hours, 31 minutes2 hours, 15 minutesAsus Zenbook S 14(Core Ultra 7 258V)16 hours, 47 minutes18 hours, 35 minutes3 hours, 33 minutesApple MacBook Air(Apple M3)19 hours, 38 minutes19 hours, 39 minutes3 hours, 27 minutesIf you go exclusively by efficiency, then both platforms are easy enough to recommend. Intels Core Ultra Series 2 is more efficient overall because it maintains efficiency when working harder. But both equip Windows laptops that are so much longe- lasting.However, Qualcomms Snapdragon X is considerably faster. If youre a demanding productivity user, its a stronger choice. Youll still want a discrete GPU if gaming or video editing is your primary usage, and we havent yet reviewed either platform with a discrete GPU. Thats going to take longer with Qualcomm. But for thin-and-light laptops for productivity, the Snapdragon X provides the better combination of speed and battery life right now.Perhaps the strongest point in favor of Qualcomm, though, is pricing. Yes, its been out a bit longer, but as of now, you can pick up Snapdragon X laptops for significantly less than any options for Intels latest chipset.Editors Recommendations