Ever since I had the opportunity to experience the impressive capabilities of Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X Elite and X Plus chips in Copilot+ PCs, a thought has lingered in my mind: these processors would be a game-changer for handheld gaming devices. The performance potential is evident, and when combined with the battery efficiency expected from these chips, the concept becomes increasingly appealing.
While I won’t claim that the Snapdragon X is currently the ideal solution for handheld gaming in February 2025, my recent testing of gaming performance on the Snapdragon X Plus—thanks to the Acer Swift 14 AI—has provided me with valuable insights. This marks my first experience with the lower-tier chip, and I’ve been able to compare it directly with my Steam Deck, allowing for a clearer understanding of how a Snapdragon-powered handheld might perform.
Exploring Auto SR and Gaming Performance
If you’re not yet acquainted with Auto SR, consider it a collaborative effort between Microsoft and Qualcomm, akin to FSR, designed as an AI-driven upscaling solution integrated into Windows 11. Auto SR leverages the Neural Processing Unit (NPU) to offload tasks from the CPU and GPU, thereby freeing up resources for gaming. While it shows great promise, its support for titles remains limited. Among the games that do benefit from this technology are 7 Days To Die, Kingdom Come Deliverance, and Shadow of the Tomb Raider, all of which I tested on the Snapdragon X Plus in comparison to my Steam Deck.
In my experiments with these titles, utilizing Auto SR on Windows 11 alongside FSR/XeSS upscaling methods on the Steam Deck, I found their performance to be quite comparable. Frame rates across the board were similar, whether assessed through built-in benchmarks or casual gameplay. My analysis was more observational than scientific, aiming to provide a general overview of where these two systems stand against each other.
Interestingly, this trend extends to older titles as well. For instance, Bioshock Infinite runs smoothly on both the Snapdragon and the Steam Deck, demonstrating that the Snapdragon X Plus can deliver solid performance even while operating on battery power. This is a significant advantage, as very few Windows laptops can boast such gaming capabilities without being plugged in. Qualcomm’s chips manage to maintain impressive performance levels, whether on battery or AC power, which is crucial for handheld devices.
Challenges Ahead for Qualcomm and Microsoft
Despite my enthusiasm for the gaming performance of Qualcomm’s latest laptop chips, there remains considerable work to be done. My concerns do not extend to anti-cheat measures; rather, they center around Qualcomm’s drivers, Microsoft’s Auto SR, and the frustrating limitations surrounding game installations from Xbox Game Pass and the Microsoft Store.
Before I downloaded the beta Qualcomm graphics drivers, performance was merely satisfactory, and in some cases, it struggled significantly. For example, the beta drivers boosted frame rates in Shadow of the Tomb Raider by nearly 20 FPS, a remarkable enhancement. Similarly, they rendered Kingdom Come Deliverance and 7 Days To Die much more playable. This experience underscores the importance of software optimization, regardless of the underlying hardware capabilities.
While Auto SR is an impressive tool, its current limitations are disappointing. Presently, it officially supports only 14 games, all of which must utilize DX11 or DX12, leaving out earlier titles and those using Vulkan. The lack of support for a broader range of games is a missed opportunity, especially given the technology’s potential to enhance gaming experiences.
Perhaps the most significant hurdle is the almost complete restriction on installing games from Xbox Game Pass and the Microsoft Store on Snapdragon devices. The Xbox app lacks a Game Pass section, only offering cloud gaming, and direct access to the Store permits installation of only a select few older or casual games. This situation is frankly embarrassing, as many titles could likely perform well on these devices, yet we are unable to test them.
The Potential for a Snapdragon-Powered Handheld
The Steam Deck has undeniably propelled the handheld gaming category forward, prompting developers to take notice. Linux gaming existed prior to the Steam Deck, but its success has spurred ongoing development. Major titles, such as Stellar Blade, are now being optimized for handhelds on both Windows and Linux platforms. Valve’s Proton simplifies the process for developers, allowing them to focus on a single game on Steam without the need for native Linux ports, which historically lagged behind.
Microsoft could replicate this success with a Snapdragon-powered handheld, leveraging the platform’s advantages, including exceptional battery life and a Windows-native upscaling method that utilizes the NPU for enhanced gaming performance. However, the current landscape lacks urgency for such a device. Copilot+ PCs are not marketed as gaming machines, despite their gaming capabilities, and Auto SR remains underappreciated.
To catalyze this shift, a pioneering handheld device is essential, much like the role the Steam Deck played in its inception. Without such a device, the market may not fully realize the potential of Snapdragon technology. If Microsoft and Qualcomm continue their partnership, a Microsoft/Xbox handheld powered by Snapdragon could be a reality worth pursuing.
While I remain skeptical about the immediate prioritization of this initiative, the benefits are clear. My experience with the ROG Ally highlighted its poor battery life, suggesting that simply integrating a Snapdragon X could enhance performance without necessitating a larger battery. The components are in place, yet the puzzle remains incomplete. As the handheld gaming market continues to expand, the focus should shift from Copilot-related products to innovative solutions that harness the excitement surrounding AI advancements.
