Intel Core 9 273PQE vs Qualcomm Snapdragon X2E-78-100 Comparison

The Verdict

The Intel Core 9 273PQE and the Qualcomm Snapdragon X2E-78-100 are fundamentally different processors serving different markets. The Intel part is a desktop-focused, high-core-count processor with a 93rd percentile ranking among all CPUs, while the Snapdragon is a mobile processor with a 50th percentile ranking. The data shows the Intel Core 9 273PQE is the clear choice for compute-intensive desktop workloads, as it carries a full suite of benchmark results. The Snapdragon X2E-78-100, by contrast, has no recorded benchmark scores in the database, meaning its performance cannot be quantified against the Intel part. The Intel processor also delivers 24 threads versus the Snapdragon's 12 threads, a doubling of thread count that favors heavily multithreaded applications. The Intel chip offers 36 MB of shared L3 cache, while the Snapdragon has 16 MB of shared L2 cache and no listed L3. For users requiring a desktop processor with verified performance data, the Intel Core 9 273PQE is the only option with measurable results. The Snapdragon is the choice for a mobile, low-power platform, but its performance profile remains unverified in this database.

Architecture Differences

The Intel Core 9 273PQE uses the Bartlett Lake codename and belongs to the Core 9 generation. It is built on a 10 nm process at Intel's own foundry. The chip has 12 cores and 24 threads, with a base clock of 3.40 GHz and a boost clock of 5.90 GHz. Its thermal design power is 125 W. The cache hierarchy includes 80 KB of L1 per core, 2 MB of L2 per core, and 36 MB of shared L3 cache. Memory support covers DDR4 and DDR5 in a dual-channel configuration, with a memory bandwidth of 89.6 GB/s. The processor supports ECC memory and provides PCIe Gen 5 with 16 lanes from the CPU. Integrated graphics are handled by UHD Graphics 770. The socket is Intel Socket 1700, and the part number is SA4Q9. The processor was released on 2026-03-08 and carries a launch MSRP of $589. The multiplier is locked.

The Qualcomm Snapdragon X2E-78-100 uses the Glymur codename and belongs to the Snapdragon X2 (Elite) generation. It is built on a 3 nm process at TSMC, with a die size of 220 mm². The chip has 12 cores and 12 threads, with a base clock of 4.00 GHz and no recorded boost clock. There is no TDP listed for this part. Cache includes 288 KB of L1 per core and 16 MB of shared L2, with no L3 cache listed. Memory support is limited to LPDDR5X in a dual-channel configuration, with a memory bandwidth of 152.4 GB/s. ECC memory is not supported. PCIe is Gen 5 with 12 lanes from the CPU. Integrated graphics are provided by the Adreno X2-85. The socket is Qualcomm BGA 2343, and the part number is X2E78100. The release date is 2026-04-05. No launch MSRP is recorded.

The process node difference is substantial: 10 nm on Intel versus 3 nm on Qualcomm. The Snapdragon has a higher base clock at 4.00 GHz versus 3.40 GHz, but the Intel part has a boost clock of 5.90 GHz, which is not listed for the Snapdragon. Memory bandwidth favors the Snapdragon at 152.4 GB/s versus 89.6 GB/s. Thread count favors Intel at 24 versus 12. L3 cache exists only on the Intel part, with 36 MB shared. The Snapdragon's 16 MB shared L2 is its largest cache pool, while Intel provides 2 MB of L2 per core plus the larger L3. The Intel chip supports ECC memory, which the Snapdragon does not. Both use PCIe Gen 5, but Intel provides 16 lanes and Qualcomm provides 12 lanes.

Where Each One Wins

The Intel Core 9 273PQE wins in every category where benchmark data exists, because the Snapdragon has no recorded scores. The Intel processor's benchmark suite includes Cinebench R15, R20, and R23 results in both multi-core and single-core tests. It also has PassMark results for data compression, data encryption, extended instructions, prime number finding, floating point math, integer math, multithread, physics, random string sorting, and single-thread tests. The Snapdragon X2E-78-100 has an empty benchmark array, so no wins can be attributed to it from measured data.

The Intel part's 24 threads give it a structural advantage in multithreaded workloads, and its 36 MB of shared L3 cache supports large working sets. The Snapdragon's 152.4 GB/s memory bandwidth is higher than the Intel part's 89.6 GB/s, which could benefit memory-bound mobile workloads, but there is no benchmark data to confirm this advantage in practice. The Snapdragon's 3 nm process and 4.00 GHz base clock suggest efficiency and responsiveness in mobile contexts, but again, no measured results exist to validate performance claims.

The Intel processor's 93rd percentile ranking places it among the top 7 percent of all CPUs in the database. The Snapdragon's 50th percentile ranking places it exactly at the median, though this ranking is based on no benchmark scores, so it reflects an unverified position. The Intel part's average benchmark score is 66099, while the Snapdragon's average is 0. The nearest rivals for the Intel chip are the Intel Core Ultra 5 250KF Plus (avg score 66159, delta -0.1 percent), the AMD Ryzen 9 7950X3D (avg score 65914, delta 0.3 percent), the Intel Core Ultra 5 250K Plus (avg score 66855, delta -1.1 percent), and the AMD EPYC 4465P (avg score 66925, delta -1.2 percent). These deltas show the Intel Core 9 273PQE sits within 1.2 percent of its nearest competitors in average score.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has more threads?

A: The Intel Core 9 273PQE has 24 threads, while the Qualcomm Snapdragon X2E-78-100 has 12 threads. Both have 12 cores.

Q: Does the Snapdragon have any benchmark scores in the database?

A: No. The Snapdragon X2E-78-100 has an empty benchmark array, an average benchmark score of 0, and no nearest rivals listed.

Q: What is the process node difference between the two chips?

A: The Intel Core 9 273PQE is built on a 10 nm process at Intel, while the Snapdragon X2E-78-100 is built on a 3 nm process at TSMC.

Q: Which processor supports ECC memory?

A: The Intel Core 9 273PQE supports ECC memory. The Snapdragon X2E-78-100 does not.

Q: What is the memory bandwidth of each processor?

A: The Intel Core 9 273PQE has a memory bandwidth of 89.6 GB/s with DDR4 and DDR5 support. The Snapdragon X2E-78-100 has a memory bandwidth of 152.4 GB/s with LPDDR5X support.

Q: What is the release date for each processor?

A: The Intel Core 9 273PQE was released on 2026-03-08. The Snapdragon X2E-78-100 was released on 2026-04-05.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

There are no head-to-head benchmark entries in the database for these two processors. The Intel Core 9 273PQE has a complete set of 17 recorded benchmark scores, while the Snapdragon X2E-78-100 has none. This means a direct comparison of measured performance is impossible. The Intel chip's Cinebench R23 multi-core score is 39190 and its single-core score is 5532. In Cinebench R20, the multi-core score is 16459 and the single-core score is 2323. In Cinebench R15, the multi-core score is 3950 and the single-core score is 557. The PassMark results for the Intel part include a multithread score of 46107, a single-thread score of 4573, an integer math score of 164629, a floating point math score of 125546, a data compression score of 585752, a data encryption score of 29636, an extended instructions score of 38743, a find prime numbers score of 198, a physics score of 2754, and a random string sorting score of 53167.

The Intel Core 9 273PQE's average benchmark score of 66099 places it in the 93rd percentile of all CPUs. Its nearest rival, the Intel Core Ultra 5 250KF Plus, has an average score of 66159, which is 0.1 percent higher. The AMD Ryzen 9 7950X3D scores 65914, which is 0.3 percent lower. The Intel Core Ultra 5 250K Plus scores 66855, which is 1.1 percent higher. The AMD EPYC 4465P scores 66925, which is 1.2 percent higher. These deltas show the Intel Core 9 273PQE is tightly clustered with its rivals, within a 1.2 percent band of average scores.

The Snapdragon X2E-78-100 has no benchmark results, no nearest rivals, and a 50th percentile ranking that cannot be verified against any measured data. Its average benchmark score is 0. The only quantitative differences between the two chips come from their specifications: the Intel part has a 5.90 GHz boost clock versus no listed boost clock on the Snapdragon; the Intel part has 36 MB of L3 cache versus no L3 on the Snapdragon; the Intel part has 24 threads versus 12; the Intel part supports ECC and DDR4/DDR5 memory, while the Snapdragon supports LPDDR5X only. The Snapdragon does have a higher base clock at 4.00 GHz versus 3.40 GHz, a higher memory bandwidth at 152.4 GB/s versus 89.6 GB/s, a smaller process node at 3 nm versus 10 nm, and a larger L1 cache at 288 KB per core versus 80 KB per core.

The database records the Intel part as a Desktop segment processor with an active production status, while the Snapdragon is a Mobile segment processor with an active production status. The Intel chip uses Intel Socket 1700, and the Snapdragon uses Qualcomm BGA 2343. The Intel chip has a launch MSRP of $589, and the Snapdragon has no recorded launch MSRP. Neither processor has an unlocked multiplier. The Intel part provides PCIe Gen 5 with 16 lanes, and the Snapdragon provides PCIe Gen 5 with 12 lanes. The Intel integrated graphics are UHD Graphics 770, and the Snapdragon uses Adreno X2-85. The die size for the Snapdragon is 220 mm², and no die size is listed for the Intel part. No transistor counts are recorded for either chip.

The absence of benchmark data for the Snapdragon means the Intel Core 9 273PQE is the only processor in this comparison with measurable performance. The Intel chip's 93rd percentile ranking and its average score of 66099 position it as a high-performing desktop part. The Snapdragon's 50th percentile ranking, based on no data, leaves its performance entirely uncharacterized. For any workload where a score exists, the Intel part is the sole data point. The head-to-head comparison is therefore one-sided: the Intel Core 9 273PQE has a full record, and the Snapdragon X2E-78-100 has none.