Qualcomm Unveils Snapdragon X2 Plus for Windows 11 Copilot+ PCs at CES 2026

At the CES 2026 event today, Qualcomm has officially launched the Snapdragon X2 Plus processor, which the company says is designed to power the Windows 11 Copilot+ PCs without compromising on performance or efficiency. Do note that the announcement follows the unveiling of Snapdragon X2 Elite & X2 Elite Extreme SoCs from last September.

Speaking of the new Snapdragon X2 Plus, it is built around Qualcomm’s third-generation Oryon CPU. Per the company, the new SoC offers up to 35% faster single-core CPU performance compared to the Snapdragon X Plus lineup. Thanks to its power-efficient CPU architecture and a 3nm process node, the new chip consumes around 43% less power than its predecessor.

Not to forget, Qualcomm is offering the X2 Plus in two variants, catering to different performance and pricing tiers. Since AI has gone mainstream, Qualcomm is ensuring that the X2 Plus processor delivers, which is why the SoC features an upgraded Hexagon NPU with up to 80 TOPS of AI performance. It’s double what the Snapdragon X Plus processor came with, and ensures even more advanced on-device AI experiences across Windows 11 Copilot+ features.

On the graphics front, the Snapdragon X2 Plus processor is equally good, as it comes with the integrated Adreno GPU, which is up to 29% faster and supports up to three external 4K displays. Connectivity remains another department where the Snapdragon X2 Plus excels. According to Qualcomm, the new SoC offers optional integrated 5G, Wi-Fi 7, and Bluetooth for a more flexible wireless experience.

Qualcomm is also positioning the latest platform as enterprise-ready, with features like biometric authentication, automatic presence detection, and chip-to-cloud protection through the Qualcomm SPU and Microsoft Pluton. Moreover, it’s worth noting that Windows 11 Copilot+ PCs powered by Snapdragon X2 Plus processors are expected to arrive from major OEMs in the first half of 2026.

A quick look at features of the Snapdragon X2 Plus processor family:

• Third-generation Qualcomm Oryon CPU up to 10 cores
• Sliced-based GPU architecture for lifelike graphics
• Fastest NPU in a laptop with 80 TOPS
• Incredibly energy efficient for multi-day battery life
• Truly mobile PC, with no drop in performance when on battery
• 80 TOPS NPU engineered for next-gen agentic AI and seamless multitasking
• 50+ AI experiences running on device
• Automatic presence detection & biometric authentication
• State-of-the-art security from chip to cloud powered by the Qualcomm SPU with Microsoft Pluton
• Out of Band (OOB) Remote Manageability
• Lightning-fast 5G for blazing speeds 
• Wi-Fi 7 with High Band Simultaneous for peak speeds of X.X Gbps
• Dual Bluetooth with Snapdragon Sound support