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The era of Arm-powered Windows laptops is swiftly approaching with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X Elite CPU scheduled to be released by the middle of this year. However, the availability of compatible software becomes equally important.
Windows applications compiled for x86 or x64 architectures cannot run natively on ARM-based devices. While Microsoft has introduced emulation technology to enable some x86 applications to run on Windows on ARM devices, not all applications are compatible or perform optimally under emulation. And this is where comes the latest revelation from Google regarding Chrome.
Google has released Chrome for Windows on Arm
Back in January, we reported about Google working on a native version of Chrome for Arm-based Windows PCs. Google has launched a production-ready version of Chrome specifically tailored for Windows on Arm PCs powered by Snapdragon processors. Google’s initiative to optimize Chrome for Arm-based Windows laptops marks a crucial step forward in the integration of Arm architecture into the Windows ecosystem.
Users can expect a browsing experience that Google has finally tuned for their Arm-based PCs. The native version of Google Chrome is likely to perform better, thanks to the absence of the translation layer. The launch of Chrome for Windows on Arm comes amidst a broader industry shift initiated by Apple’s transition to Arm-based Apple Silicon M1 chips.
It’s important to note that the majority of software is still unoptimized for Arm-based PCs. However, the upcoming Snapdragon X Elite platform has at least influenced the development of native apps for Arm-based systems even before its arrival, which will likely happen towards the middle of this year.
Google’s announcement indicates that the release of Chrome for Windows on Arm will be rolled out this week. It will offer users immediate access to an optimized browsing experience on the platform.
Possible advantages of an Arm-based Windows PC
We have seen Intel’s new Core Ultra chips bringing power efficiency to Windows laptops. The biggest improvement in MacBooks came when Apple switched from x86 to its self-developed Arm-based M1 chip. Notably, Qualcomm acquired Nuvia, a company full of “Apple Silicon veterans” to develop something similar or even better. Well, they did it. Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X Elite chip reportedly competes with Apple Silicon in terms of performance and power efficiency.
It could mean a significant improvement in battery life for Windows laptops. This new platform might offer a ray of hope for users who complain about the fan noise of high-end Windows laptops running on powerful yet power-hungry processors.
There is also a significant demand for laptops that are not only capable but are also thin and light. The Snapdragon X Elite platform may help Windows laptops in this regard too, with a smaller battery and a less aggressive cooling system.