Windows on Arm PCs powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon chips have often faced criticism regarding application performance, especially when it comes to running apps designed for traditional X86 processors. While natively coded apps typically run smoothly, those reliant on emulation to translate X86 code for Arm processors have encountered challenges. Qualcomm aims to address these concerns with its upcoming Snapdragon X Elite processors and the PCs they power. However, there’s a significant caveat to their performance claims.
During a presentation at the Game Developer Conference, Qualcomm executives expressed confidence that most games listed as the most popular on Steam should run nearly at full speed on Snapdragon X Elite processors. According to The Verge, Qualcomm engineer Issam Khalil explained that game developers have options to optimize their games for Arm architecture, such as porting them over directly or utilizing a hybrid approach with Arm64EC apps, where Qualcomm’s drivers run natively while the rest of the app is emulated. Khalil noted that most games are GPU-bound, implying that the emulator’s performance would have minimal impact.
However, certain challenges remain. Games employing kernel-level anti-cheat drivers or utilizing AVX instructions may not function properly via emulation. This could affect popular titles like Fortnite, Valorant, and Apex Legends, which rely on such drivers. While some discussions suggest that AVX requirements have been quietly addressed in certain games, compatibility issues persist. Developers may need to recode these games for Arm architecture to resolve these issues, posing a potential hurdle to widespread adoption.
Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X Elite platform holds promise, but the effectiveness of emulation remains a crucial factor in its success. As Qualcomm seeks to compete with Intel’s Core processors, particularly in the gaming realm, the ability of Snapdragon X Elite PCs to seamlessly run applications will determine their viability in the market.
