Skip to content
Tech News
← Back to articles

I swapped my MacBook Air with a Snapdragon X Elite Extreme laptop - here's how they compared

read original get Dell XPS 13 Laptop → more articles
Why This Matters

The Asus Zenbook A16's integration of the Snapdragon X2 Elite Extreme processor highlights a shift towards high-performance, ultraportable laptops that challenge traditional Intel and AMD offerings. This development is significant for consumers seeking lightweight yet powerful devices, and for the industry as it explores alternative ARM-based architectures for premium laptops.

Key Takeaways

Asus Zenbook A16 3.5 / 5 Good pros and cons Pros Gorgeous display

High-end processor

Appropriately priced

Thin and light Cons Potential emulation issues remain

Variable battery life

Plasticky build View now at Best Buy

Follow ZDNET: Add us as a preferred source on Google.

Asus' new Zenbook A16 is the sequel to last year's Zenbook A14, one of the thinnest, lightest, and longest-lasting laptops of 2025. The A16 picks up where its younger sibling left off, aiming for the same thin and light build but with key hardware upgrades that elevate it to a more premium position.

Also: This ultraportable Asus laptop is my favorite MacBook Air alternative (and it's better in some ways)

Physically, it's made with the same textured, smudge-resistant ceraluminum, features a brilliant 3K OLED display, large trackpad and ultrasleek build. But under the hood is its secret weapon: the Snapdragon X2 Elite Extreme processor, Qualcomm's second-gen high-end processor with a 5-GHz clock speed, 192-bit memory interface and 228GB/s bandwidth.

... continue reading