Qualcomm plans more Snapdragon X chips, including 80-core dual-CPU server variants

Later this year, the first Windows 11 PCs with new Snapdragon X processors will hit the market. While we already know a lot about the platform to power Microsoft's new "AI PCs," Qualcomm appears to be preparing even more. According to a new report from Android Authority, the company wants to release one more Snapdragon X Plus SKU and even server variants of its new processors.

As of right now, Qualcomm officially unveiled four Snapdragon X processors: three X1 Elite SKUs and one X1 Plus. However, there should be one more X1 Plus variant with eight Oryon cores, fewer PCIe Gen 4 lanes, and less powerful graphics. The SKU in question is X1P-42-100.

Interestingly, Qualcomm is aiming at not just regular PCs, like the upcoming Surface Pro 10. The company reportedly works on server chips with Oryon cores. The "SD1" chip allegedly features the following specs:

• 80 Oryon cores at up to 3.8GHz
• 16 channels of DDR5 up to 5600MHz
• 70 PCIe 5.0 lanes
• CXL v1.1 support
• 9470-pin LGA socket (98.0×95.0mm)
• Support for a two-socket configuration
• Built on TSMC’s 5nm process (N5P)

According to the report, Qualcomm briefed its partners about its new server chip somewhere in late 2021 or early 2022. The SD1 could be Qualcomm's second attempt at server chips after the canceled Centriq in 2017.

Qualcomm has already provided the first benchmarks of its new Snapdragon X Elite and Plus processors. They look on par with the modern competition, which backs the recent report about Microsoft being confident in its AI PCs being capable of outperforming Apple's M3-based MacBook Air.

Of course, real-world tests and benchmarks will have to wait for the first devices to hit the market, which should happen somewhere in mid-2024. Microsoft, for example, plans to unveil the ARM-powered Surface Pro 10 and Surface Laptop 6 on May 20, 2024.

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