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So, what’s not to like? Well, early compatibility issues slowed early adoption of the Snapdragon X, and integrated CPU performance proved to be terrible. And so far, powerful AI tools have not proven to be necessary, as most AI operations are still being done in the cloud. With the second-generation X2, Qualcomm began to deliver on the initial promise of faster performance.
But what does “fast” really mean? As with most claims in the PC computing space, it all comes down to benchmarks. On the Zenbook A16, the tests I ran really showed exemplary performance from the X2 Elite Extreme, in some of the most used tools, namely Geekbench 6 and Cinebench 2024. (I don’t have enough Cinebench 2026 results to compare it to)
The increase in performance on Geekbench is quite impressive, with the A16 scoring 50 to 100% faster than competing systems from AMD and Intel. It’s significantly faster than the Apple MacBook M4 Pro, the last Mac I ran many benchmarks on. However, that Mac beat the Asus on the Cinebench benchmark, but not by much, and the Asus now stands firmly in second place in my benchmarks.
Image quality is better than in previous generations of Snapdragon X chips, with frames increasing four times on average, based on tests. That’s an impressive and significant improvement for the CPU, and while no one would call the A16 a gaming machine, it does make it useful for less demanding games and heavy graphics applications.
Performance of Beige Bellies
Photo: Chris Null
I’m happy enough with the performance of the Snapdragon X2 Elite Extreme to sign off on its targets, but there’s more to the Zenbook A16 than its CPU.
Under the hood, the Snapdragon X2 Elite Extreme X2E94100 CPU is supported by 48 GB of RAM and a 1-TB SSD. The 16-inch screen offers a solid resolution of 2880 x 1800 pixels, and it’s incredibly bright. The weight of 2.9 pounds is impressive (if not heard) for a 16-inch group, and at 0.65 inches (at its thickness), it has a svelte, portable design. Asus to Ceraluminum technology (now magnesium added) is used in the machine’s lid, base, and keyboard frame. This helps keep it thin and light, although when moved or touched, the screen shimmers more than I expected.
