New Snapdragon X Elite allegedly beats Apple M3 in CPU and AI performance, but Apple is already looking to M4

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Microsoft has a moving target.

The 2024 MacBook Air M3 on a wooden table in front of a bookshelf.
(Image credit: Gerald Lynch / Future)

Microsoft and Qualcomm might finally have an answer to a chip Apple launched six months ago, but with what Apple has planned next, it might already be a bit behind the competition. 

The first Apple M3 chip device launched back in October last year with the M3 MacBook Pro range. The same chip then launched with the M3 MacBook Air in March this year. The new line of OLED iPad Pros is also tipped to get the M3 chip, with the iPad Air 6 expected to inherit 2022’s M2 chip. This is all to say we’ve had the chip for a while now and most modern Apple devices will have some variation of it. 

According to a report from The Verge, “Microsoft is confident that a round of new Arm-powered Windows laptops will beat Apple’s M3-powered MacBook Air both in CPU performance and AI-accelerated tasks.” These will be powered by the Snapdragon X Elite Processor.

How is Microsoft beating the M3?

Expected to launch on a variety of Microsoft devices, Snapdragon’s new processor is said to beat the M3 MacBook Air for “CPU tasks, AI acceleration, and even app emulation”. It’s important to note that The Verge’s report only cites the MacBook Air line, and not the M3 MacBook Pro range, which can come with the M3 Pro or M3 Max chip. Interestingly, this report claims that Microsoft’s PCs will have “faster app emulation than Rosetta 2”, Apple’s emulation layer for running apps not natively designed for Apple Silicon devices. 

Though Microsoft is well ahead of Apple when it comes to AI, Apple AI might be unveiled as soon as WWDC 2024, weeks after May 20, Microsoft’s AI PC reveal. Not only will Apple’s AI plan play into the M4 chip, which has started formal development, but it will also increase the usefulness of the M3 range. Microsoft has a clear target in Apple’s devices but that target is moving rapidly. Recent reports from February indicate that the M4 and A18 chips “will significantly increase the number of built-in AI computing cores” and the overall performance.”  We’ll have to wait for the official unveiling in May to get a better look at Microsoft’s performance, but when M4 comes out, Microsoft might well find itself on the back foot again.

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James Bentley
James Bentley

James is a staff writer and general Jack of all trades at iMore. With news, features, reviews, and guides under his belt, he has always liked Apple for its unique branding and distinctive style. Originally buying a Macbook for music and video production, he has since gone on to join the Apple ecosystem with as many devices as he can fit on his person. 

With a degree in Law and Media and being a little too young to move onto the next step of his law career, James started writing from his bedroom about games, movies, tech, and anything else he could think of. Within months, this turned into a fully-fledged career as a freelance journalist. Before joining iMore, he was a staff writer at Gfinity and saw himself published at sites like TechRadar, NME, and Eurogamer. 

As his extensive portfolio implies, James was predominantly a games journalist before joining iMore and brings with him a unique perspective on Apple itself. When not working, he is trying to catch up with the movies and albums of the year, as well as finally finishing the Yakuza series. If you like Midwest emo music or pretentious indie games that will make you cry, he’ll talk your ear off.