Dell joins the Snapdragon X platform with several new laptops including the Inspiron 14 Plus
Dell pushed AI PCs in the last few months using the Intel Core Ultra platform, but five new laptops will be added to that list based on the Snapdragon X Elite and X Plus chipsets.
Today, Dell announced five new AI PCs using the Qualcomm Snapdragon X platform at Microsoft Build in Redmond, WA. The five Dell Snapdragon laptops are some of the first AI PCs with the highly anticipated Snapdragon X Elite and Snapdragon X Plus chipsets.
Dell is offering a Snapdragon X version of the Inspiron 14 Plus, Inspiron 14, Latitude 7455, Latitude 5455, and XPS 13 later this year. Most of Dell's upcoming Snapdragon laptops run on the Snapdragon X Plus platform, though the XPS 13 uses the Snapdragon X Elite and the Latitude 7455 comes with Snapdragon X Plus and X Elite as a configurable option.
Dell Inspiron 14 Plus (7441)
Dell Inspiron 14 Plus (7441) is the official name for the Snapdragon X Plus version of the laptop, but it will look very similar to the Intel version released earlier this year. The Intel edition was numbered 7440 so that final digit on the model number is doing quite a bit of heavy lifting considering all of the spec changes that come with the Snapdragon platform.
The Inspiron 14 Plus (7441)'s Snapdragon X Plus CPU features 10 computing cores with up to 3.4GHz of speed, an integrated Qualcomm Adreno GPU, and an integrated Qualcomm Hexagon GPU that offers up to 45 TOPS (trillions of operations per second) of AI performance. The Inspiron 14 Plus can be configured with a 512GB SSD and an optional 1TB upgrade. The laptop also features 16GB of memory and a 14-inch QHD+ (2,560 x 1,600) anti-glare 400-nit display panel.
The Intel version of the Inspiron 14 Plus impressed us with its snappy performance and long-lasting battery life in April. Based on Qualcomm's claims about the Snapdragon X Plus's performance, we're excited to see how the Inspiron 14 Plus (7441) will hold up against its Intel competition.
The Inspiron 14 Plus (7441) is available for pre-order today with a full launch scheduled later this year. The starting price for the Inspiron 14 Plus (7441) is $1,099.
Inspiron 14 with Snapdragon X Plus
Dell has not shared much about the Snapdragon X Plus version of the Inspiron 14, only that it will launch later this year. However, as Qualcomm has only one version of the Snapdragon X Plus chipset, we can make some determinations about the specs.
The Qualcomm Snapdragon X Plus X1P-64-100 CPU features 10 computing cores with up to 3.4 GHz of computing speed. The CPU also sports an integrated Adreno GPU and Hexagon NPU. Considering the 2023 model of the Inspiron 14 featured 16GB of memory and 1TB of SSD storage, it is likely the 2024 version will come with similar specs.
Based on the images of the Inspiron 14 with Snapdragon X Plus Dell shared, it seems the laptop will be available in both the Ice Blue and Platinum Silver colorways.
Dell will launch the Inspiron 14 later this year, we will likely get more information on the specs and pricing closer to that date.
Latitude 7455
The Latitude 7455 business laptop will come in a Titan Gray aluminum chassis with Snapdragon X Elite and X Plus configurable options. The Snapdragon X Elite X1E-80-100 will feature 12 computing cores, up to 3.4GHz speed with a dual-core boost of up to 4.0GHz, and an integrated NPU with up to 45 TOPS. The Snapdragon X Plus X1P-64-100 will feature 10 computing cores and up to 3.4GHz computing speeds with an integrated NPU with up to 45 TOPS.
The Latitude 7455 will have an integrated Qualcomm Adreno 740 GPU. Dell will also offer optional upgrades to the storage and memory slots, with up to 1TB of SSD storage and up to 32GB of LPDDR5 RAM.
The Dell Latitude 7455 will be available later this year. Pricing will be announced closer to the launch date.
Latitude 5455
Dell provided only a few details about the upcoming Latitude 5455 business laptop. We know the Latitude will feature the Qualcomm Snapdragon X Plus chipset and it appears to have a smaller version of the Titan Gray aluminum chassis Dell is using on the Latitude 7455.
With the Snapdragon X Plus XIP-64-100 chipset, the Latitude 5455 will feature 10 computing cores with 3.4GHz speeds. Along with the Snapdragon X Plus CPU, the chipset also features an integrated Adreno 740 GPU and an integrated Hexagon NPU with up to 45 TOPS.
Dell will share further information on the Latitude 5455 including specs and pricing closer to its launch later this year.
What this means for the future of Dell
Between the XPS 13 with the Snapdragon X Elite platform, the two Inspiron, and two Latitude laptops on the Snapdragon X Plus, Dell will have five laptops on the Snapdragon X platform.
Since the official announcement of the Snapdragon X Elite in October of last year, the main issue with the platform was a lack of available units. Qualcomm may have made the chip, but no manufacturers were using it. More than six months later, we're finally getting announcements but those units still won't ship until later this year. The Snapdragon laptops will likely launch in late Q3 2024, which means sometime between August and October.
Units finally shipping out the door this year is great news for Qualcomm and the ARM – Advanced RISC (reduced instruction set computer) Machine – market. For Dell, it allows them to further diversify their laptop line with additional processors. Traditionally, Dell used both AMD and Intel for their CPU chipsets, but adding a third competitor can only be good for manufacturers like Dell. Competition breeds innovation, especially in the tech market.
For Dell fans, it also gives them more options for configuring their laptop exactly how they want it. So they can start using ARM CPUs for home use or for business.
