A few years ago, the notion that an ARM-based CPU could outperform traditional x86 processors would have raised eyebrows. At that time, AMD was firmly in control of the performance metrics with its Ryzen and X3D CPUs, while Intel was not far behind. The landscape seemed firmly divided between team Blue and team Red, especially after the lukewarm reception of the Surface RT.
Qualcomm’s Game-Changer
Then came Qualcomm’s announcement of the Snapdragon X Elite in 2023, a revelation that sent ripples through the PC market. This ARM-based processor not only stood toe-to-toe with its x86 counterparts but also surpassed them by a considerable margin.
The Snapdragon X Series marked a significant advancement thanks to its custom Oryon core design, which is technically ARM-adjacent. Prior to this, most manufacturers relied on custom cores derived from ARM’s Cortex design, primarily tailored for mobile devices rather than computers.
However, the triumph of the hardware was only part of the equation. Microsoft collaborated closely with Qualcomm to optimize the Windows operating system for these new processors. A pivotal enhancement was the introduction of the Prism emulation layer, which functions similarly to Apple’s Rosetta. Prism translates code compiled for x86/x64, enabling it to operate on ARM without the need for recompilation. While not flawless, this innovation allows most applications to run smoothly, albeit with slightly reduced efficiency compared to natively compiled ARM applications. Additional adjustments to power profiles, CPU scheduling, and other OS elements further empowered the X Elite processors, enhancing both performance and battery life.
In the years following the release, the Snapdragon X Series has consistently excelled in both performance and battery longevity, a testament to the collaborative efforts of Qualcomm and Microsoft in refining both hardware and software.
<figure id="attachment90984″ aria-describedby=”caption-attachment-90984″ class=”wp-caption aligncenter”><figcaption id="caption-attachment90984″ class=”wp-caption-text”>Product brief for the Snapdragon X2 Elite Extreme chips. Image credit: Qualcomm
To illustrate the maturity of the Windows ARM ecosystem, a selection of applications now runs natively, showcasing significant performance enhancements over their emulated x64 versions. A notable example is Adobe Illustrator, which recently debuted its ARM64 native application in beta, delivering a performance boost exceeding 30%. Regular users, myself included, have observed a marked improvement in the smoothness of manipulating large images.
Another frequently used application, Discord, now boasts a stable native ARM build, offering a vastly improved experience compared to its emulated counterpart.
Currently, the majority of applications on my system are running natively on ARM, with very few relying on emulation. For most users, 99% of applications function seamlessly without any issues. My children, for instance, now utilize X Elite-powered laptops for their coursework and gaming, and I have yet to encounter any compatibility problems—even with my son enjoying “old school Runescape.”
NVIDIA Enters the Fray
Fast forward to 2026 at Computex, where NVIDIA unveiled the RTX Spark, its own ARM-powered system on a chip aimed at competing with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X Series, as well as AMD and Intel. Developed in collaboration with MediaTek, the RTX Spark features an ARM Cortex-powered CPU, also known as NVIDIA Grace, and is equipped with a Blackwell RTX GPU boasting up to 6,144 CUDA cores for both GPU and compute processing.
This announcement echoes the hardware specifications of the DGX Spark, released the previous year for AI development. The key distinction lies in the fact that the RTX Spark operates on Windows, whereas the DGX Spark was confined to a custom-Linux OS tailored for AI workloads.
During the announcement, NVIDIA also revealed forthcoming improvements to Windows, particularly in workload scheduling optimizations that will benefit not only the RTX Spark but other CPUs as well. Several companies, including Adobe and various game developers, have also pledged enhanced support for Windows ARM, addressing issues with kernel-level anti-cheat software that has been non-functional on the platform since its inception.
The surge of competition in the ARM-based CPU arena stands to benefit all stakeholders. App developers are encouraged to create and port existing applications to ARM-native formats, while Windows users enjoy the advantages of Microsoft’s ongoing enhancements to its ARM-based OS and overall platform.
Beyond software optimization, gaming represents another significant area poised for advancement. NVIDIA is collaborating with major game developers to enable their kernel-level anti-cheat software to function on Windows ARM. Coupled with the RTX Spark’s GPU capabilities, this could present an attractive option for users seeking a versatile machine for both productivity and gaming.
This period marks an exhilarating chapter in the Windows computing landscape, with Qualcomm and Microsoft having laid the groundwork for the success of Windows ARM, paving the way for platforms like the RTX Spark to thrive.
