Snapdragon X Elite Vs. M3: A Close Competition?

With all the hype created by Qualcomm’s new upcoming processor, Snapdragon X Elite, with Geekbench listings, everyone has a lot of expectations from the hardware component. Another popular player in the arena proving its supremacy is M3. Here, we have compared Snapdragon X Elite vs. M3 to help you understand which is the superior choice.

Snapdragon X Elite vs. M3: Which is best?

Snapdragon X Elite vs. M3: Specifications

	Snapdragon X Elite X1E-80-100	M3
CPU cores	12 (dual-core boost) 3 clusters of equally powerful cores, 12 threads	8 (4 performance cores, 4 efficiency cores) It supports 24 GB unified memory
Instruction Set	ARMv9	ARMv8
Cache	L2: 12MB (shared)	L1: 192K (per core) || L2: 16MB (shared)
Frequencies	4.0GHz boost 3.4GHz base	3.7GHz performance 2.4GHz efficiency
Memory (as tested)	16GB	16GB
Transistors	NA	25 billion
Fabrications process	4 nm	3 nm
Graphics	Qualcomm Adreno GPU Up to 3.8 TFLOPs	Apple M3 GPU Up to 4.1 TFLOPs 10 or 12 cores
NPU	Qualcomm Hexagon NPU Up to 45 TOPS	10 cores Up to 18 TOPS
RAM	LPDDR5x Up to 64 GB 8448 MT/s transfer rate 135 GB/s bandwidth	LPDDR5 Up to 24 GB 6400 MT/s transfer rate 100 GB/s bandwidth
TDP	23 W	20 W
PCIe version	4.0	4.0
Connectivity	Wi-Fi 7 Bluetooth 5.4	Wi-Fi 6E Bluetooth 5.3

CPU performance

The CPU that comes with Qualcomm’s new hardware component looks fairly better than its predecessors. With 12 performance cores, it is superior to Apple M3, which has 4 performance cores and 4 efficiency cores. However, when it comes to base frequency, Apple M3 is the clear winner.

Qualcomm has released the Snapdragon Elite X, which comes in three variants with slight differences in terms of multithread frequency, TFLOPS, and Dual-core boost. The variants are X1E-84-100, which has 23405 multithread and 3876 single thread, X1E-80-100, which has 22653 multithread and 3350 single thread, and X1E-78-100, which has 23595 multithread and 3195 single thread.

The Apple M3 has no variant and comes with an ARMv8 instruction set, which is lower than Snapdragon Elite.

Graphics performance

The Graphics performance looks promising with the Qualcomm Adreno 750 integrated GPU. For Apple M3, the GPU comes with Dynamic caching, which enables the use of local memory in hardware in real-time.

On the D Mark WildLife Extreme benchmark, which focuses on short-term performance, the Snapdragon X Elite got 6,260 points, while the Apple M3 scored 8,284 points. This indicates that Apple M3-powered computers have better GPU performance than Snapdragon X Elite.

NPU performance

Regarding NPU performance, Snapdragon X Elite can deliver up to 45 TOPS while M3 delivers only upto 18 TOPS. So, for AI-enriched features, X Elite is the go-to.

Gaming performance

Matt Talks Tech, when testing both processors while gaming, Apple M3 maintained higher average frames per second (FPS) in all tested games. This means you will have a better gaming experience on a device powered by M3 than a Windows computer with Snapdragon X Elite.

Battery Life

Qualcomm claims to give twice the battery life on a laptop powered by Snapdragon X Elite than Intel  Core Ultra 7 155H.

Also, when Dave2D, a popular YouTuber, used the Asus Vivobook S15 powered by Snapdragon newest processor with a 70 Wh battery pack and tested it under light load, they found out that the device lasted to 10 hours and 26 minutes, which is close to the MacBook Air M3 (11 hours and 18 minutes).

Overall performance

Regarding power and efficiency, Snapdragon Elite X delivers a well-balanced performance. With a Neural Processing Unit (NPU) of 45 TOPS, it can be considered an AI powerhouse.

Apple M3 is the first chip built on an industry-leading 3-nanometer process, and it features technology that allows 25 billion transistors to be fitted into a smaller space.

GeekBench v6 results

Here are the GeekBench v6 results when common operations used in real-world apps were performed:

	Snapdragon X Elite (X1E-84-100)	Apple M3
Single core score	2880	3009
Multi-core score	15211	11815
Operating System	Microsoft Windows 11 Pro (64-bit)	macOS 14.1 (Build 23B2073)
Model	Qualcomm CRD	iMac (24-inch, 2023)
Name	Snapdragon X Elite – X1E84100 – Qualcomm Oryon CPU	Apple M3
Topology	1 Processor, 12 Cores (12 performance cores)	1 Processor, 8 Cores 4 Performance and 4 efficiency cores
Identifier	ARMv8 (64-bit) Family 8 Model 1 Revision 201	Apple M3
Base Frequency	4.20 GHz	4.05 GHz
Cluster 1	8 Cores	4 Cores
Cluster 2	4 Cores	4 Cores
Size	16 GB	16 GB

Single- Core & Multi-Core performance

Tasks performed	Snapdragon X Elite (X1E-84-100) Single-Core	M3 Single Core	Snapdragon X Elite (X1E-84-100) Multi-Core Performance	M3 Multi-Core Performance
File Compression	2569 369.0 MB/sec	2876 413.0 MB/sec	8183 1.15 GB/sec	8964 1.26 GB/sec
Navigation	2308 13.9 routes/sec	2799 16.9 routes/sec	15240 91.8 routes/sec	12579 75.8 routes/sec
HTML5 Browser	3188 65.3 pages/sec	3051 62.5 pages/sec	16542 338.7 pages/sec	12920 264.5 pages/sec
PDF Renderer	2924 67.4 Mpixels/sec	13610 313.9 Mpixels/sec	18059 416.5 Mpixels/sec	13610 313.9 Mpixels/sec
Photo Library	2902 39.4 images/sec	2704 36.7 images/sec	20575 279.2 images/sec	13858 188.1 images/sec
Clang	3461 17.0 Klines/sec	3711 18.3 Klines/sec	29422 144.9 Klines/sec	19233 94.7 Klines/sec
Text Processing	2724 218.2 pages/sec	2863 229.2 pages/sec	3354 268.6 pages/sec	3708 297.0 pages/sec
Asset Compression	2768 85.8 MB/sec	2818 87.3 MB/sec	25006 774.8 MB/sec	14596 452.3 MB/sec
Object Detection	2998 89.7 images/sec	2515 75.3 images/sec	12511 374.4 images/sec	9374 280.5 images/sec
Background Blur	2852 11.8 images/sec	2790 11.5 images/sec	16355 67.7 images/sec	12119 50.2 images/sec
Horizon Detection	2967 92.3 Mpixels/sec	3605 112.2 Mpixels/sec	17891 556.7 Mpixels/sec	15987 497.5 Mpixels/sec
Object Remover	2578 198.2 Mpixels/sec	3742 287.7 Mpixels/sec	15765 1.21 Gpixels/sec	12145 933.8 Mpixels/sec
HDR	3515 103.1 Mpixels/sec	3390 99.5 Mpixels/sec	17346 509.0 Mpixels/sec	13768 404.0 Mpixels/sec
Photo Filter	3434 34.1 images/sec	3672 36.4 images/sec	11852 117.6 images/sec	11573 114.8 images/sec
Ray Tracer	2457 2.38 Mpixels/sec	2457 2.38 Mpixels/sec	25819 25.0 Mpixels/sec	13341 12.9 Mpixels/sec
Structure from Motion	2858 90.5 Kpixels/sec	3070 97.2 Kpixels/sec	18590 588.6 Kpixels/sec	13532 428.5 Kpixels/sec

The Conclusion: Snapdragon X Elite vs. M3

Qualcomm has 50% more cores, including 12 performance cores, compared to 4 performance and 4 efficiency cores in Apple M3. However, it is only 21% faster.

Also, it is still behind in single-core performance from Apple M3 but has proven to be better in multi-performance, which makes the Qualcomm processor a strong contender for tasks that benefit from parallel processing.

Apple M3 comes with a powerful GPU that delivers superior graphics performance and is better for gaming as well. When it comes to battery efficiency, Snapdragon X Elite appears to be promising, as it can be used for longer operational times compared to its predecessors.

So, if you want a processor with better multi-core capabilities, Snapdragon X Elite should be your go-to. However, if you are looking for a processor efficient in single-core tasks and a better gaming experience, Apple M3 is the best option.

We have also compared Qualcomm against other brands, so for more information, check out our guides on Snapdragon X Elite vs. Z1 Extreme and Snapdragon X Elite vs. M4.

If you are wondering about the hardware differences, don’t miss out on our guide on Snapdragon X Elite versions to know more about each CPU.

To learn how Snapdragon X Elite and Plus compare, we have a guide that covers both series in detail.

What do you think about these new chips by Qualcomm, are they ready to beat Apple M3? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.