The name ‘X’ may have received an icy welcome as a social media platform, but Qualcomm is snapping it up with a new line of PC chips called the Snapdragon X series. The “all-new naming architecture” describes a chip anchored by the Qualcomm Oryon CPU, which when combined with its neural processing unit (NPU) will deliver what the company says will be “next-level performance, AI, connectivity and battery life.” The move positions Qualcomm to take on Apple in the bid for AI super chips. Qualcomm acquired the Oryon tech with its 2021 acquisition of Nuvia, founded by former Apple engineers.

Nuvia’s team “had previously worked on Apple’s A-series iPhone and iPad chips,” according to The Verge, which says “Arm has filed a lawsuit against both companies over the deal that is set to go to trial in September 2024.”

The Snapdragon X series “is part of a growing wave of chips positioned by vendors to accelerate AI workloads in PCs, which companies like Intel, AMD, HP and Dell view as a major refresh opportunity,” CRN says, conceding the lawsuit has “clouded” release plans.

If Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X series lives up to the company’s promises, “it could mean a big shift for Windows users, particularly in the lightweight laptop space,” The Verge writes. Qualcomm has yet to release benchmarks and the name announcement is devoid of specifics, other than the Snapdragon X is coming in 2024. Qualcomm is likely saving big news for its annual “Snapdragon Summit” later this month.

Arm chips are RISC-based and famously frugal with power consumption, making them popular for mobile devices. Ars Technica suggests the X series “may finally do for Arm-powered Windows PCs what Apple Silicon chips did for Macs a few years ago.”

While Qualcomm has produced PC chips for years, including for powering Surface devices, “those chips have never quite been fast enough to challenge Intel’s Core or AMD’s Ryzen CPUs in mainstream laptops,” Ars Technica says, noting that the Oryon architecture is a ground up redesign.

Qualcomm SVP and CMO Don McGuire says in a blog post that new logos and platform badges will accompany the Snapdragon X series to market, “leveraging the iconic Snapdragon fireball with a twist.”