Linux laptop vendor TUXEDS Linux laptop vendor TUXEDO has confirmed plans to release a Linux ARM laptop based on the Snapdragon X Elite SoC.
It recently showcased a prototype of a new ARM notebook at Computex, the annual computer event in Taiwan. Powered by the Snapdragon X Elite and running an ARM port of their Ubuntu-based TUXEDO OS with the KDE Plasma desktop.
This is the same chip that’s been in the (tech) news a lot of late as it’s powering Microsoft’s new wave of Copilot+ PCs and laptops running Windows 11 ARM. Like Apple Silicon, the X Elite has CPU, GPU, NPU, and memory all on one chip, greatly bolstering performance.
While the NPU (45 TOPS) introduces some high-tech AI features to Windows 11, the true appeal of these processors isn’t limited to their AI capabilities. Instead, it’s their combination of performance and power efficiency, gradually approaching the standards set by Apple’s M-series chips. Despite opinions on Apple as a company, their work on Apple Silicon has significantly influenced the entire industry.
Qualcomm suggests that the Snapdragon X Elite competes closely with Apple’s entry-level M3 chip. However, these claims are based on select benchmarks that show the Snapdragon using more power than the M3, lagging behind in GPU performance, and having lower single-core speeds and significantly reduced memory bandwidth. Nonetheless, the narrowing gap between them is noteworthy.
Additionally, the possibility of utilizing this SoC with a Linux operating system is incredibly exciting—though the likelihood of affording a TUXEDO ARM notebook seems slim if the pricing of the Windows 11 Cop… is any indicator!
Linux Support for Snapdragon
Qualcomm has written about its efforts to get support for the this chip upstreamed into mainline kernels working with the ARM specialists at Linaro.
Elsewhere, Canonical kernel engineer Juerg Haefliger is single-handedly bringing Ubuntu 24.04 LTS support to the Lenovo ThinkPad x13s, a Snapdragon 8cx (gen3) laptop preloaded with Windows 11 ARM; while the Ubuntu Asahi project works to bring Ubuntu to Apple Silicon.
And of course, Ubuntu already supports single-board computers like the Raspberry Pi which have helped popularise, promote, and pave the way for ARM as a viable Linux platform.
We’re finally moving out of the era of low-cost, low-power Linux ARM laptops like the PineBook and into a world of powerful yet power-efficient devices.
There’s plenty more work ahead for TUXEDO in order to get this device up to par for a commercial release (it’s a prototype described as alpha-quality right now), but the company doesn’t rule out the possibility of it being ready before Christmas…
Exciting stuff — but is ARM ready to rival Intel/AMD for your needs? Let me know below.