Snapdragon X2 Archives

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January 13, 2026

CES 2026: Showcasing new Windows 11 PC innovations across the ecosystem

CES showcased significant advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) integrated into the Windows ecosystem, with various companies unveiling new products. Acer introduced the Copilot+ PCs, including the Swift 16 AI laptop with a haptic touchpad and Predator Helios Neo 16S AI gaming laptop. ASUS launched the Zenbook DUO, featuring dual OLED touchscreens, and the ROG Zephyrus Duo, a dual-screen gaming laptop. Dell refreshed its XPS brand with new laptops and monitors, while HP presented the EliteBook X G2 Series and the EliteBoard G1a Next Gen AI PC. Lenovo revealed several new Copilot+ PCs, and Samsung introduced the Galaxy Book6 series. AMD and Intel announced new processor lines, with AMD's Ryzen AI 400 Mobile Series and Intel's Core Ultra Series 3 processors. Qualcomm launched the Snapdragon X2 Plus for enhanced AI experiences in PCs.

Winsage

January 12, 2026

VLC gets native support for Snapdragon-powered PCs — but its devs haven’t forgotten your ancient Windows XP rig

The latest update to VLC, versions 3.0.22 and 3.0.23, introduces native support for Arm processors, specifically for Windows ARM64, requiring a minimum of Windows 10 RS5 17763 / 1809. This update improves playback across various formats, enhances subtitle rendering, includes codec updates, introduces a Dark Mode user interface, allows users to manage playing files, and addresses multiple security issues. The Snapdragon X2 Plus chip outperforms Intel's Core Ultra 7 265U and 256V processors, delivering up to 3.5 times the CPU performance of the former and a 52% increase in multi-core performance compared to the latter. Microsoft reported that 90% of usage time on Arm-based PCs is dedicated to natively compiled applications.

Winsage

January 7, 2026

Windows 11 version 26H1 will launch exclusively on Snapdragon X2 devices this spring

Microsoft is set to launch Windows 11 version 26H1, designed specifically for PCs using Qualcomm's Snapdragon X2 platform. ASUS will pre-install version 26H1 on its upcoming ZenBook A14 and A16 models. In contrast, the ZenBook S14 and S16, featuring Intel and AMD processors, will come with version 25H2. Version 26H1 is built on a new platform called Bromine, offering performance and stability enhancements not present in version 25H2, which is based on the previous version 24H2. The Windows Insider Program allows users to install version 26H1 on any compatible PC, though the changes are mainly foundational.

Winsage

January 6, 2026

Snapragon X2 PCs ship with Windows 11 26H1 by April 2026. Existing PCs will get Windows 11 26H2

Qualcomm will start shipping new PCs with the Snapdragon X2 chipset by April 2026. This coincides with Microsoft testing Windows 11 26H1, which is designed for these new CPUs and will only be available on new Arm64 PCs. Windows 11 26H1 is not an update for existing PCs and will not be accessible to Intel or AMD users. Since November 2025, Windows Insiders have been testing this version, which is based on a platform release codenamed ‘Bromine’ and includes support for Snapdragon X2 Plus, Elite, and Extreme models. Microsoft has stated that 26H1 is aimed at supporting new processors and may involve changes to power states and scheduling. The build number for this version is 28000, and while there are minor user interface improvements, significant changes are expected in the upcoming Windows 11 26H2 release, anticipated for October 2026.

Winsage

January 1, 2026

Windows Reborn: Microsoft Moves Copilot into the Kernel, Launching the Era of the AI-Native OS

Microsoft is transitioning its Windows operating system to an "AI-native" platform, embedding AI capabilities directly into the Windows kernel, marking a significant architectural shift not seen in three decades. This new approach, called the "Agentic OS," allows AI to manage files, system settings, and workflows proactively. The updated kernel, partially rewritten in Rust, includes a new NPU-aware scheduler that treats the Neural Processing Unit as a primary resource. Microsoft has introduced "Agent Workspace" and "Agent Accounts" for autonomous agents, ensuring actions are logged and audited for compliance. Communication between agents and the system is facilitated by the Model Context Protocol (MCP). Hardware requirements for the new OS have increased, with benchmarks set for NPUs achieving 80 to 100 TOPS. Major PC manufacturers are adjusting their portfolios to accommodate "Agentic PCs." The competitive landscape is evolving, with companies like Alphabet and Apple developing their own AI-native platforms. The introduction of the AI-native kernel raises privacy and security concerns, with Microsoft implementing measures to restrict third-party access to the kernel. Future updates may include "self-healing" capabilities and "Cross-Device Agency," leading to a more integrated personal AI experience.

Winsage

January 1, 2026

3 Windows 11 and Microsoft features you’ll love in 2026 — and 1 you’ll hate

In 2025, Microsoft faced public perception challenges, with accusations of "enshittification" of its products, including Xbox, Surface, and Windows, leading to a loss of support from former advocates. Windows 11 has been criticized for bugs and underwhelming AI features. Qualcomm introduced Snapdragon X2 Elite and X2 Elite Extreme chips, which will require an update to Windows 11 (version 26H1) for compatibility. Windows 11 will also see the return of the Agenda view in the Taskbar calendar flyout and improvements to dark mode, addressing previous inconsistencies. A controversial feature in Microsoft Teams will automatically update users' work locations based on Wi-Fi connections, raising privacy concerns. The Xbox Full Screen Experience is being rolled out to enhance the gaming interface, optimizing performance by reducing background applications.

Winsage

December 29, 2025

Windows on Arm had another good year

The tech landscape is expected to see significant advancements in chips and software by 2026, particularly with Qualcomm's Snapdragon X series enhancing Arm-based Windows laptops. The Snapdragon X chips improved performance and battery life, making Windows on Arm laptops more viable, especially in Microsoft’s Surface Laptop and Surface Pro lines. However, challenges with app compatibility persisted, limiting users to simplified versions of software like Adobe Lightroom. In 2025, software enhancements allowed more creative applications to run natively or through improved emulation, including Adobe Premiere Pro and a functioning version of Lightroom Classic on lower-end Snapdragon X Plus chips. Gaming options improved with advancements in emulator technology, and compatibility for Epic's Easy Anti-Cheat was established. The Xbox game launcher expanded to support local installations on Arm devices. Despite the growing appeal of Windows on Arm laptops, traditional x86 options remain dominant for gaming. The first generation of Snapdragon X chips set new benchmarks for battery life, but competition from Intel’s Lunar Lake and AMD’s Strix Point chips is emerging. Nvidia is rumored to be developing an Arm-based chip for Alienware laptops, indicating a competitive landscape. The gap between x86 and Arm Windows laptops is narrowing, with Arm laptops becoming more accessible, though x86 systems are likely to remain preferred for gamers. Microsoft’s evolution of Windows into an “agentic OS” raises questions about the future of Windows laptops.

Winsage

December 17, 2025

Windows 11 version 26H1 plays catch up with new features brought over from version 25H2

Microsoft has released a preview build of Windows 11, version 28020.1362, for Insiders in the Canary Channel. This build includes several new features: - Expanded Xbox Experience for handheld devices - Revamped context menu for the Click To Do interface - Enhanced search functionality in Windows Settings - New file share drag tray feature - Windows Studio Effects for external webcams - Improved mobile device settings management - Enhancements to dark mode in File Explorer Additionally, Windows 11 version 26H1 will launch on devices with Qualcomm Snapdragon X2, and the Bromine feature is expected to roll out with version 26H2 in the latter half of next year.

Winsage

December 4, 2025

A new discrete gaming GPU evidently supports Windows on ARM for the first time — and it’s not from NVIDIA, AMD, or Intel

China's Lisuan Technology, founded in 2021, has launched the 7G106 GPU, the first discrete graphics card compatible with Windows on ARM, aimed at disrupting the consumer gaming hardware market. Released in July 2025, the 7G106 is China's first 6nm GPU for gaming, featuring 12GB of GDDR6 VRAM and support for DirectX 12. A demonstration video shows the GPU running on a 12-core CP8180 v9 ARM chip, confirming its compatibility with Windows on ARM. Qualcomm announced a refresh of its Snapdragon line with the Snapdragon X2 in September 2025, which enhances performance for ARM-based Windows 11 PCs but lacks compatibility with discrete GPUs from major manufacturers.

Winsage

November 21, 2025

Qualcomm refines Windows on Arm gaming with broad feature release — platform gets Snapdragon Control Panel, AVX2 emulation, improved anti-cheat support

Qualcomm is enhancing its Snapdragon X and upcoming X2 series chips with new gaming features, including a control panel with four sub-menus for graphics, software, system info, and preferences, allowing customization of driver settings for individual games. The update expands anti-cheat support to include Tencent's Anti-Cheat Expert, Roblox's Hyperion, Denuvo, InProtect GameGuard, BattleEye, and Uncheater, with Epic Games improving its Easy Anti-Cheat software for Snapdragon. Additionally, Qualcomm is integrating AVX2 emulation into its Snapdragon Windows-compatible chips, with the Snapdragon X2 Elite already supporting this feature, enabling better compatibility with AVX2 applications on Windows.