Snapdragon X Archives

Winsage

July 30, 2025

Adobe brings native Windows on Arm support to Premiere Pro, After Effects, and more — but not all features made it

Adobe has launched native ARM64 versions of its creative applications—Premiere Pro, After Effects, Audition, and Media Encoder—for Windows on Arm devices, currently in public preview. However, these applications have certain limitations: - Premiere Pro will not support the Loudness Radar effect, Export to Wraptor DCP, Import and export of the GoPro CineForm codec, and Export to the P2 Movie format. - Audition lacks support for the GoPro CineForm codec and Loudness Radar effect. - Media Encoder will also not support the Loudness Radar effect, Export to Wraptor DCP, GoPro CineForm, and P2 Movie format. Future updates are expected to integrate support for third-party extensions, ProRes, and additional formats in these applications. After Effects currently has no listed unavailable features for its Arm-native version.

Winsage

July 30, 2025

Adobe Premiere Pro, After Effects, Audition, and Media Encoder are Now Native on Windows 11 on Arm

Adobe has released public beta versions of Premiere Pro, After Effects, Audition, and Media Encoder for Windows 11 on Arm architecture. These applications are expected to work well on Qualcomm Snapdragon X-based laptops and tablets. Certain features will be included in the final release of Premiere Pro, such as support for third-party extensions, ProRes support, and hardware-accelerated playback of H.264 and HEVC. However, some features will not be available, including the Loudness Radar effect and export to Wraptor DCP. For After Effects, issues include limited format support and the absence of certain features like Keylight and Mocha. Adobe recommends using the latest Qualcomm Adreno GPU driver for optimal performance. Beta versions of Audition and Media Encoder are also available for Windows 11 on Arm.

Winsage

July 28, 2025

Microsoft Releases New Windows 11 Pre-Release Builds to Dev and Beta Channels

Users enrolled in the Dev or Beta channels of the Windows Insider Program can now install the preview cumulative update KB5062669. This update advances Windows 11 version 25H2 to build 26200.5722 for Dev channel users and updates Windows 11 version 24H2 to build 26120.5722 for Beta channel participants. The update introduces several features: - An Agent in Settings for AMD/Intel-powered Copilot+ PCs is now available for Snapdragon X-based Copilot+ PCs. - The Second Chance Out of Box Experience (SCOOBE) has been redesigned for a more intuitive setup process, with an option to disable it. - A new tutorial for Click to Do guides users on actions with images and text. - Windows Search now includes a grid view for image results in the left pane of the Search highlights result pane. There are also minor adjustments to the Lock screen configuration, updates to the Notification center, enhancements in Task Manager, and various fixes and newly identified issues.

Winsage

July 24, 2025

Microsoft’s not the only reason NVIDIA’s Arm chips are delayed — but Windows deserves part of the blame

NVIDIA's Arm processors, initially expected to launch this year, are now delayed until next year due to factors such as setbacks in Microsoft's operating system roadmap, ongoing revisions at NVIDIA, and a decline in notebook market demand. The upcoming N1 series is anticipated to rival the RTX 4070 laptop GPU in performance while offering improved energy efficiency, with speculation about a 65W processor matching a 120W RTX 4070. There are rumors of chips with thermal design power (TDP) of 80W or 120W. The introduction of the N1 series is expected to diversify options in the Arm market, competing with Qualcomm's Snapdragon X chips. Earlier reports indicated millions of N1X chips were to ship in Q4 2025, followed by N1 processors in 2026, but this timeline has shifted. The processors are being developed in collaboration with MediaTek and could disrupt the computing landscape, with projections suggesting readiness by late 2026 and a potential announcement at CES 2027.

Winsage

July 24, 2025

Microsoft is bringing powerful new AI tools to Windows 11

Microsoft has rolled out new features for Windows 11, transitioning tools from testing to general availability. Key additions include semantic and agentic search functionalities in the Settings menu, allowing users to express queries in natural language and request specific tasks. The Click-to-Do feature now integrates with Copilot and a new Reading Coach application for context-aware actions. Paint has been upgraded to allow AI-generated stickers and includes a new object select tool for easier image editing. The Photos app will introduce a Relight feature for dynamic lighting effects, limited to devices with Snapdragon X processors. The Snipping Tool has a new “perfect screenshot” feature that uses AI for improved selection, and a new Black Screen of Death and rapid recovery option have reduced crashes and restarts by 22%.

Winsage

July 24, 2025

Windows 11 just got a wave of AI features — one Snipping Tool addition makes me want a Copilot+ PC

Windows 11 will introduce a range of artificial intelligence features in the coming weeks, with availability dependent on PC hardware. Users with Copilot+ PCs, especially those with Snapdragon X chips, will have access to the most extensive functionalities. A new agent in the Windows Settings app allows natural language modifications of PC settings, currently available only on Snapdragon X-powered Copilot+ PCs. The Click to Do feature is being updated with new actions, accessible via specific shortcuts for compatible Copilot+ PCs. The Photos app will feature Relight, enabling users to manipulate virtual light sources in images, initially available for Snapdragon X-powered devices. The Sticker Generator in Paint allows users to create stickers from prompts, and an object select feature is forthcoming. The Snipping Tool will include a Perfect Screenshot feature for precise captures and a Color Picker for identifying color values on the screen. Copilot Vision, available only in the U.S., provides advice based on screen content, with extended capabilities requiring a Copilot Pro subscription. Quick Machine Recovery will replace the Blue Screen of Death with a less intrusive design. New features will be rolled out gradually, with some already accessible through the latest Windows non-security preview update, and users are encouraged to enable updates in Settings. Certain features remain exclusive to Copilot+ PCs or Snapdragon X processors.

Winsage

July 22, 2025

It’s Week D, So Microsoft (Re)Announces New Features Coming to Windows 11

Microsoft has introduced a suite of new features for Windows 11 and Copilot+ PCs, currently available in preview mode. Users can subscribe to a newsletter offering three time-saving tips every Friday and free copies of Paul Thurrott's Windows 11 and Windows 10 Field Guides. Key features include: - A new agent in Settings for natural language navigation, available for users with Snapdragon X-based Copilot+ PCs in English. - Click to Do (Preview) improvements for Copilot+ PCs, including actions like Practice in Reading Coach and scheduling Teams meetings. - Photo relight in Photos, providing professional lighting controls for Copilot+ PCs with Snapdragon X processors. - Sticker generator and Object select tools in Paint, exclusive to Copilot+ PCs. - Enhancements to the Snipping Tool, including a Perfect screenshot tool and Color picker, available to all Windows 11 users. - Copilot Vision, allowing interaction with screen content via the Copilot app and Microsoft Edge, now accessible in the U.S. - Edge Game Assist, a mini-web browser within the Game Bar for gaming assistance. - Quick machine recovery, reducing reboot wait time from 40 seconds to as little as 2 seconds on most Windows 11 version 24H2 PCs, with an updated Black Screen of Death. These updates are rolling out for Windows 11 versions 24H2 and 23H2, with some minor fixes for Windows 10 users.

Winsage

July 22, 2025

Copilot+ PCs powered by Intel and AMD still trail behind Snapdragon counterparts — even with experimental features

Microsoft has introduced new Copilot+ experiences for AMD and Intel-powered PCs through recent Windows Insider Builds. The "describe image" action in Click to Do has been made available to these users starting with build 26200.5710, after previously being accessible only to Snapdragon X-powered devices. This feature provides detailed descriptions of images, charts, and graphs to enhance accessibility, particularly for blind and low-vision users. The Narrator tool has also been improved to generate rich descriptions of visual content. Users can activate this feature by pressing the Narrator key + Ctrl + D. Additionally, Microsoft is collecting logs to address performance issues and has updated the lock screen widget experience for Windows Insiders. A new section in Settings allows users to see which third-party applications have recently used generative AI models. There is a noted disparity in feature rollout between Snapdragon X and AMD/Intel-powered PCs, with Snapdragon devices receiving updates first.

Winsage

July 15, 2025

Microsoft Issues New Insider Preview Builds for Beta and Dev Channels

Participants in the Beta channel of the Windows Insider Program can install cumulative update KB5062651, upgrading Windows 11 version 24H2 to build 26120.4733. Dev channel participants can upgrade to build 26200.5702 with the installation of KB5062653, which pertains to Windows 11 version 25H2. Notable features in these builds include: - A new Copilot+ PC experience with a "Describe image" action, initially available on Snapdragon X-based Copilot+ PCs. - A new platform security feature for administrator protection, which is disabled by default and can be activated through Windows Security > Account protection. - Revamped app permission dialogs that appear as system modal dialogs. - Various fixes targeting issues related to the Taskbar, Search, File Explorer, Live Captions, Dynamic Lighting, Graphics, Settings, and more.

Winsage

July 8, 2025

Microsoft Edge Can Now Load Websites Faster After Migration to WebUI 2.0

Microsoft Edge has improved its web browser's loading speed, achieving a global First Contentful Paint (FCP) time of under 300 milliseconds, down from previous times that negatively impacted user satisfaction. Since February 2025, load times have been reduced by an average of 40 percent, with significant enhancements in features such as Settings, Read Aloud, and Split Screen. The migration to WebUI 2.0 has contributed to this improvement, reducing the Settings page load time from 0.394 seconds to 0.034 seconds. Microsoft plans to continue enhancing performance in features like Extensions and Print Preview in the coming months.