In 2024, Qualcomm's Snapdragon X chips enhanced Arm laptops, making them viable with strong performance and impressive battery life. While software compatibility posed challenges, 2025 saw improvements, expanding Arm's appeal.
Enhanced App Compatibility in 2025
Throughout 2025, several creative applications received native Arm versions or performed well via Prism emulation. Notably, Adobe Premiere Pro now runs natively on Arm, and Adobe's Lightroom Classic functions effectively on Snapdragon X Plus chips under emulation. Additional support for x86 AVX and AVX2 enabled more games to run on the platform, and Qualcomm's new program accelerated graphics driver updates. The Xbox game launcher has also gained more native features.
Performance and Market Competition
While first-generation Snapdragon X chips provide excellent battery life, Intel's Lunar Lake and AMD's Strix Point have begun to offer competitive alternatives. This competitive landscape could shift further as Qualcomm, Intel, and AMD plan new releases for 2026. Rumors of an Nvidia Arm chip for Alienware suggest an upcoming focus on graphics, though current integrated GPUs on Snapdragon devices aren't suited for high-performance gaming. Competitive pressures from Linux and potential changes in Windows' strategy could further affect purchasing choices going forward.
Windows on Arm laptops now offer a practical choice for most consumers, with significant improvements in application compatibility and gaming support making them more attractive to users who prioritize portability and battery life over high-end gaming capability.
