Intel Core Ultra can outperform Qualcomm Snapdragon in particular laptop workloads, but there is no family-wide winner. Intel’s published tests show advantages for a Core Ultra 7 155H in selected graphics, Excel, and MATLAB tasks; newer independent testing reported Snapdragon X2 ahead of a newer Core Ultra X7 in several categories. The useful comparison is between specific laptop models running the work you care about—not processor badges in isolation.
Where Intel reports an advantage over Snapdragon X Elite
Intel’s Core Ultra Series 1 Performance Index compares a Core Ultra 7 155H with a Snapdragon X Elite X1E-80-100 in named workloads. Intel reports these results as “up to” improvements, not guarantees for every laptop or task:
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- Graphics: up to 67% better native graphics performance in Intel’s 3DMark Steel Nomad comparison.
- Excel: up to 13% faster loading of a large Microsoft Excel workbook in the listed Excel Data Workflow.
- MATLAB: up to 47% faster object analysis in MATLAB R2024.
These figures are Intel-published benchmark claims for the configurations on its Core Ultra Series 1 Performance Index. They indicate tasks in which that tested Core Ultra system led; they do not establish that every Core Ultra processor is faster than every Snapdragon chip.
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A laptop result reflects more than its processor. Memory, cooling, firmware, drivers, operating-system build, power mode, display, and storage can all affect performance. Intel’s Series 1 index specifies system details for its comparisons, and the listed configurations are not always identical: one comparison, for example, uses 32 GB of memory in the Intel system and 16 GB in the Snapdragon system. That makes the results useful as comparisons of those tested systems, not clean processor-only measurements.
#1 Best Overall
- Next‑Gen Platform Support: Compatible with Intel 800 Series Chipset‑based motherboards with LGA1851 Socket enabling PCIe 5.0/4.0 and high‑speed DDR5 memory (up to 7200 MT/s).
- High‑Performance Core Configuration: Features up to 24 cores (8 P‑cores + 16 E‑cores) for demanding gaming and creator
- Ultra‑Fast Boost Clocks: Reaches up to 5.5 GHz max turbo frequency for top‑tier responsiveness and performance
- Built for Enthusiasts: Unlocked for performance tuning when paired with Intel Z‑series chipsets, making it ideal for overclockers and power users.
- Robust Power & Thermal Design: Engineered with 125W base power and 250W max turbo power to sustain high‑intensity
Qualcomm also publishes comparison results. Its February 14, 2025 account describes October 2024 tests of a Dell XPS 13 with Snapdragon X Elite X1E-80-100 and a Dell XPS 13 with Intel Core Ultra 7 256V, including their operating modes. These are Qualcomm’s own tests, so they should be read as vendor evidence rather than an independent verdict. See Qualcomm’s methodology and test framing.
Battery life is a system comparison, not a chip score
Intel’s Series 2 index reports up to 20.3 hours in Office productivity testing for an HP EliteBook X with Core Ultra 7 268V, compared with up to 17.9 hours for an HP EliteBook Ultra G1q 14 with Snapdragon X1E-78-100. Intel dates the cited test to December 15, 2024. The systems differ in battery capacity (68 Wh versus 59 Wh in the listed comparison), display resolution, and other details, so the result does not isolate processor efficiency. It is a vendor-reported result for those laptops and that test, not a promise of everyday runtime. Intel’s Series 2 Performance Index provides the listed test context.
Rank #2
- Get ultra-efficient with Intel Core Ultra desktop processors that improve both performance and efficiency so your PC can run cooler, quieter, and quicker.
- Core and Threads 24 cores (8 P-cores plus 16 E-cores) and 24 threads. Integrated Intel Graphics included
- Performance Hybrid Architecture Integrates two core microarchitectures, prioritizing and distributing workloads to optimize performance
- Performance Unlocked Up to 5.7 GHz unlocked. 40MB Cache
- Compatibility Compatible with Intel 800 series chipset-based motherboards
Newer Snapdragon results overturn any simple ranking
Older Intel wins should not be treated as permanent advantages for the whole Core Ultra family. Windows Central’s 2026 report on Signal65 testing compares a Lenovo Slim 7x with Snapdragon X2E-88-100 against a Dell XPS 14 with Core Ultra X7 358H. In Geekbench 7, it reports Snapdragon scores of 24,016 multi-core and 3,237 single-core, versus 18,360 and 2,602 for the Intel system. The report also describes Snapdragon leading in several CPU, AI, productivity, and battery results. These are reported results for those tested laptops, not a universal ranking. Read the Signal65 comparison as reported by Windows Central.
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Intel announced full NPU support in MLPerf Client v0.6 in May 2025, describing four Llama 2 7B generation and summarization use cases. That is a specific, versioned benchmark announcement; it does not demonstrate an across-the-board Intel AI lead or settle which laptop will run a particular AI application faster. The benchmark’s task, software path, and device support matter. Intel’s MLPerf Client v0.6 announcement describes its claim.
Rank #3
- 20 cores (8 P-cores + 12 E-cores) and 20 threads. Integrated Intel Graphics included
- Performance hybrid architecture integrates two core microarchitectures, prioritizing and distributing workloads to optimize performance
- Up to 5.3 GHz. 36 MB Cache
- Compatible with Intel 800 series chipset-based motherboards
- Turbo Boost Max Technology 3.0, and PCIe 5.0 & 4.0 support. Intel Optane Memory support. No thermal solution included
How to choose between a Core Ultra and Snapdragon laptop
Start with the exact laptop models and the applications you use. A graphics benchmark, Excel workbook load, battery test, and AI inference benchmark answer different questions, and results from one generation do not predict another.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- 10 cores (6 P-cores + 4 E-cores) and 14 threads. Integrated Intel Graphics included
- Performance hybrid architecture integrates two core microarchitectures, prioritizing and distributing workloads to optimize performance
- Up to 4.9 GHz. 22 MB Cache
- Compatible with Intel 800 series chipset-based motherboards
- PCIe 5.0 & 4.0 support. Intel Optane Memory support. No thermal solution included.
Rank #4
- 10 cores (6 P-cores + 4 E-cores) and 14 threads.
- Performance hybrid architecture integrates two core microarchitectures, prioritizing and distributing workloads to optimize performance
- Up to 4.9 GHz. 22 MB Cache
- Compatible with Intel 800 series chipset-based motherboards
- PCIe 5.0 & 4.0 support. Intel Optane Memory support. No thermal solution included. Discrete graphics required
- For Excel, MATLAB, or native graphics, check whether the tested workload resembles your own and compare the exact configurations behind the result.
- For unplugged use, compare independent battery tests of the laptop models you can buy; note battery capacity, display, and power settings, not just the chip name.
- For AI tasks, verify that your software supports the relevant hardware path, then look for results on the same task rather than relying on a general NPU claim.
- For a purchase, weigh the complete laptop—applications, compatibility, display, battery, cooling, and price—rather than choosing from processor branding alone.
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