Snapdragon Summit Archives

Winsage

March 25, 2025

Windows-on-Arm woes: Amazon warns customers about Surface laptop returns

Qualcomm and Microsoft are enhancing the Windows-on-Arm ecosystem, highlighted during the Microsoft Build event in May 2024. The Surface brand laptops with Qualcomm's Snapdragon X Elite processors received positive feedback for performance and battery life. However, the Microsoft Surface Laptop (7th Edition) has been flagged by Amazon as a "frequently returned item," prompting buyers to check reviews. Customer feedback indicates that app compatibility issues are a primary reason for the returns. Intel's interim Co-CEO suggested that devices with Snapdragon chips are returned at higher rates due to unmet functionality expectations. Despite this, the market for Windows-on-Arm systems remains strong, with major manufacturers adopting Qualcomm's Snapdragon processors. Other Snapdragon-powered devices, like the Microsoft Surface Pro 11, have not faced similar return warnings. The Surface Laptop may have higher return rates due to its popularity and specific shortcomings noted in reviews, such as display quality and keyboard comfort. Microsoft also offers Intel versions of the Surface Laptop and Surface Pro, which may confuse consumers. Qualcomm and Microsoft are working with developers to improve software support for Windows-on-Arm, with notable applications like DaVinci Resolve and Adobe Photoshop now available. Challenges remain, including Qualcomm's discontinuation of its Snapdragon Developer Kit for Windows and limited native support for some applications. Users with specialized needs may prefer traditional x86 Windows versions. Qualcomm plans to unveil its second generation of Snapdragon X processors in late 2025.

Winsage

November 13, 2024

DirectML unlocks new silicon for AI experiences across Windows Copilot+ PCs

October saw the introduction of various applications utilizing the Neural Processing Unit (NPU) on Copilot+ PCs, enhancing AI innovations on the Windows platform. Adobe Premiere Pro became the first Adobe application to leverage NPU capabilities, integrating features like the Audio Category Tagger, which automatically tags audio clips. Capture One announced two AI-powered features, Match Look and AI Crop, for Copilot+ PCs, utilizing Qualcomm's NPU. Affinity Photo 2 introduced AI-enhanced Object Selection capabilities, automating the creation of layer masks using machine learning with Qualcomm's Hexagon NPU. DirectML facilitates compatibility across hardware architectures, supporting these advancements in AI applications on Windows.

Winsage

October 26, 2024

AI in Windows 11 is finally getting (kind of) interesting

Microsoft is rolling out updates for Copilot+ PCs, including a new AI feature called Super Resolution in the Photos app for Windows 11 version 24H2 on Snapdragon X PCs. This feature enhances image size and resolution. Upcoming capabilities like Click To Do and the Recall feature are expected to be released to Insiders this month. Windows 11 version 24H2 has improved the update process, making updates up to 45% faster to install, with restart times improving by nearly 40% and consuming up to 25% less CPU resources. Qualcomm's Snapdragon Summit highlighted the second-generation Oryon CPUs, which offer enhanced single-core performance while consuming 57% less power compared to the first generation. There is anticipation for the next generation of Snapdragon X processors, but there is a need for software developers to optimize for Arm architecture.

Winsage

October 24, 2024

Microsoft is making Windows great for musicians and other audio professionals

Microsoft is introducing significant updates to Windows aimed at musicians and audio professionals, including MIDI 2.0 support, which will be backward compatible with MIDI 1.0. Collaborations with Qualcomm and Yamaha have resulted in a new USB Audio Class 2 Driver for Windows. These enhancements are initially targeted at Windows on Arm PCs, with plans to extend them to Intel and AMD x86-64 devices. Upcoming musician software for Arm64 includes Steinberg Cubase and Nuendo in preview this week, Cockos Reaper currently in preview, and Reason Studios Reason set for preview in early 2025. Audio hardware updates include a vendor-specific USB Audio/ASIO driver preview from Focusrite and Steinberg/Yamaha in 2025. In-box support for ASIO and low-latency USB Audio Class 2 drivers is expected by mid-2025, with MIDI 2.0 previews available in Windows Insider builds this November and retail availability expected early next year.

Winsage

October 22, 2024

These 6 NPU-friendly creative apps prove Microsoft was right about Windows on Arm

Qualcomm showcased several creative applications optimized for Neural Processing Units (NPUs) at the Snapdragon Summit in Hawaii. Applications such as Blender, Affinity Photo 2, Capture One, Moises, Cubase, and Nuendo are either currently leveraging or will soon leverage Snapdragon X processors. Blender has introduced an NPU-powered feature for rendering, available for free on GitHub. Affinity Photo 2 is being optimized for Copilot+ PCs, with enhancements expected to roll out by November 2024. Capture One has been adapted for Windows on Arm, introducing AI cropping and color grading. Moises has been optimized for Windows on Arm, enhancing its audio isolation capabilities. Cubase and Nuendo now support Snapdragon X Elite and Snapdragon X Plus PCs due to Microsoft's MIDI stack overhaul. Qualcomm hinted at the upcoming 2nd Gen Oryon CPU, promising significant performance improvements with lower power consumption.