Asus Zenbook A16 Launches with Qualcomm Snapdragon X2 Elite Extreme Processor

Qualcomm has debuted the Snapdragon X2 Elite Extreme processor in the Asus Zenbook A16 laptop, positioning the series as the fastest, most powerful and efficient processors for Windows PCs. The company states that the Snapdragon X2 Elite Extreme in the Zenbook A16 is faster than most Apple machines.

Wired reported that the Asus Zenbook A16 scores 50 to 100 percent faster than competing AMD and Intel systems on Geekbench 6 benchmarks.

The Asus Zenbook A16 also scores faster than the Apple MacBook M4 Pro on Geekbench 6 benchmarks. However, the Apple MacBook M4 Pro scores higher than the Asus Zenbook A16 on Cinebench 2024 benchmarks. The Asus Zenbook A16 ranks second in Cinebench 2024 benchmarks in the testing archive.

Graphics performance in Snapdragon X2 chips shows frame rates quadrupling on average compared to previous generations. Qualcomm improved compatibility for applications on Snapdragon X, with more apps running natively instead of via emulation. Qualcomm states that Autodesk’s CAD suite is the only major app not fully supported on Snapdragon X2, with an update in the works.

Battery life decreased in Snapdragon X2 compared to previous models to achieve performance boosts. 5 hours of battery life at full brightness during full-screen YouTube playback. The Asus Zenbook A16 fan activates after 10 to 15 minutes of sustained high-stress workloads.

It features a 16-inch touchscreen with 2880 x 1800 pixel resolution. 65 inches thick at its thickest point.

The Asus Zenbook A16 employs Asus’s Ceraluminum technology with added magnesium in the lid, base, and keyboard frame. It includes two USB-C ports supporting USB 4, one USB-A port, a full-size HDMI jack, and an SD card reader. The device charges via a 130-watt adapter.

Qualcomm released the Snapdragon X processor in 2024, which uses an ARM design. Microsoft certified Snapdragon systems as the first to provide sufficient horsepower for AI tasks.