Chipmaker Qualcomm has claimed that its new Snapdragon X Elite PC processor is 21% faster than Apple's latest M3 chip in multi-core performance, although questions remain about its thermal profile.
Demoing PCs with the new chipset, the San Diego manufacturer told Digital Trends that the Snapdragon X Elite records a multi-core Geekbench score of 15,300, whereas Apple's M3 obtains a score of 12,154. What Qualcomm did not mention however is the Snapdragon-powered machine's power consumption as a benchmarking vector, which is an important indicator of efficiency performance.
Qualcomm's upcoming range of 2024 Windows PCs are expected to be offered in different thermal design profiles. The performance-focused 80W profile runs faster but generates more heat and requires active cooling (fans), while the efficiency-focused 23W profile is made to be used in thinner laptops with passive cooling systems. For comparison, Apple's base M3 MacBook Pro houses a single fan, similar to the discontinued 13-inch MacBook Pro, but the M3 Pro and M3 Max use dual-fan designs to allow the additional cores to reach maximum performance under load.
The Snapdragon X Elite was announced in late October, just before Apple announced its new MacBook Pro lineup powered by M3 series chips. Despite the claims of better performance offered by the Elite chip over Apple silicon, Qualcomm conceded that "hardware... is the only thing we can control," and therefore the user experience between the rival machines is "not going to be the same," because "they're running macOS and we're running Windows."
Apple today released iOS 18.5 and iPadOS 18.5, the fifth updates to the iOS 18 and iPadOS 18 operating systems that came out last September. iOS 18.5 and iPadOS 18.5 come a little over a month after Apple released iOS 18.4 and iPadOS 18.4.
The new software can be downloaded on eligible iPhones and iPads over-the-air by going to Settings > General > Software Update. The iOS 18.5 update has a...
Apple is considering raising prices for its upcoming iPhone 17 models set to release this fall, according to people familiar with the matter cited by The Wall Street Journal.
The company reportedly aims to pair the potential price hikes with new features and design changes to justify the increased cost to consumers, rather than attributing them to U.S. tariffs on goods from China.
The...
Apple today released tvOS 18.5, the latest version of the tvOS operating system. tvOS 18.5 comes a little over a month after the launch of tvOS 18.4, and it is available for the Apple TV 4K and Apple TV HD models.
tvOS 18.5 can be downloaded using the Settings app on the Apple TV. Open up Settings and go to System > Software Update to get the new software. Apple TV owners who have...
Apple today released macOS Sequoia 15.5, the fifth major update to the macOS Sequoia operating system that launched last September. macOS Sequoia 15.5 comes a little over a month after the launch of macOS Sequoia 15.4.
Mac users can download the macOS Sequoia 15.5 update through the Software Update section of System Settings. It is available for free on all Macs able to run ...
Apple today announced that its next-generation CarPlay experience, now dubbed "CarPlay Ultra" begins rolling out today, starting with Aston Martin vehicles.
CarPlay Ultra is now available with new Aston Martin vehicle orders in the U.S. and Canada. It will also be available for existing models that feature the brand's next-generation infotainment system via a software update in the coming...
President Donald Trump has asked Apple CEO Tim Cook to halt the company's manufacturing expansion in India, in a potential disruption of Apple's plan to shift iPhone production away from China.
"I had a little problem with Tim Cook yesterday," Trump said during his state visit to Qatar, according to Bloomberg. "He is building all over India."
"They [India] have offered us a deal where...
Following more than a month of beta testing, Apple is expected to release iOS 18.5 to the general public this week. While the software update is relatively minor, it still includes a handful of new features and changes for iPhones.
Below, we recap everything new in iOS 18.5.
Pride Wallpaper
Apple recently announced its 2025 Pride Collection, including a new Apple Watch band, watch face,...
Thermal Profile is important. Qualcomm's chip is likely missing many of the other GPU optimizations and features that Apple's M3 chip family supports, plus they are comparing it to the base M3 chip, not the M3 Pro, M3 Max, or the soon to be released M3 Ultra for performance. And what about Apple's built in GPUs, Media Encoders, Neural Engine, and other custom chip features on Apple's M3 series of chips, that may be missing on Qualcomm's chip? They are comparing Apples to Oranges!
