Robert Triggs / Android Authority
If you’ve been in the market for a new laptop, you may have noticed some of the newer Windows on Arm models that have recently hit the market. The landscape is a bit livelier than previous years. Current models such as the new Xiaomi Book S (€699) expand the existing lineup with a more mainstream price point, while the HP Elite Folio ($2942) aims to wow at the ultra-premium end of the market. The Samsung Galaxy Book Go (£399) is budget-friendly, rivaling Chromebook value. There is a Windows on Arm laptop for almost everyone these days, unlike a few years ago.
There’s no denying that the ecosystem has grown by leaps and bounds over the past few years. Application support is better than ever with fully native (ARM64 ABI), partially native (ARM64EC ABI) and full 32/64-bit emulation in Windows 11, allowing developers to more easily enter the ecosystem and support their applications at a pace that suits them. Microsoft is getting more ambitious with Project Volterra, its first Arm-based PC aimed at developers who want to use the AI processing capabilities of its Qualcomm chip. The platform finally aims to create applications that were not possible on the long-standing x86-64 architecture.
Arm vs x86: Instruction sets, architecture and all the key differences explained
Is Windows on Arm different from regular Windows?
Windows on Arm is the same as traditional Windows in terms of user application, operating system and ecosystem. The difference is that Windows is compiled and runs on Arm processors rather than x86-64 processors from AMD and Intel. Qualcomm is currently the only vendor that makes Arm chips for Windows.
Windows on Arm features a 32-bit and 64-bit emulation layer in Windows 11 that supports applications not compiled for native Arm hardware. There is a performance degradation when running emulation, but this ensures that users can continue to use legacy applications while taking advantage of Arm’s hardware for native applications.
The products are still overpriced
So what’s up with the title? Well, the platform has not yet reached its potential and is still a bit overpriced compared to competing products. The battery and connectivity benefits of Qualcomm’s Arm-based laptop platforms are great for some, but day-to-day performance still doesn’t compete with the competition at the same price points. For example, the Xiaomi Book S features the 2020 Snapdragon 8cx Gen 2 which is based on the 2018 Cortex-A76 as its powerful CPU core. That’s a lower performance point than today’s flagship smartphone chipsets. For the same £699, you can buy a 2-in-1 with an Intel 11th Gen i5, which completely matches Qualcomm’s chip in the CPU department.
Most Windows on Arm products offer slower processors than today’s flagship smartphones.
In fact, almost all of today’s Windows on Arm options are powered by older chipset technologies that, while ideal for web browsing and document-oriented workloads, don’t compete with the performance of competing mid-range products, let alone premium market. As nice as lower power heterogeneous computing is, everyday workloads still rely on a robust processor for multitasking and creative tasks like photo and video editing. Not to mention running older software under emulation.
However, Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8cx Gen 3 is a better-looking option, thanks to its slightly more advanced 2020 Cortex-X1 chipset, which offers much more competitive performance with Intel’s 11th-gen mobile processors. The recently launched Lenovo ThinkPad X13s is the first product powered by this chip, but it retails from a hefty $1,300. With better performance, up to 32GB of RAM, 5G built-in and multi-day battery life, Lenovo’s option sounds great. However, for this money, many powerful Intel i7 options are already in place. Alternatively, there’s the even more powerful Apple M1-powered MacBook Air for just $999, or pick up the M2 model for a bit more. Unfortunately, the best of Windows on Arm is still too expensive.
Read more: Qualcomm’s PC chips are good, but still no match for Apple’s M1
The good news, though, is that the performance trend is up, and we should see a few more powerful Windows on Arm products hit the shelves in the second half of 2022 and 2023. It’s worth waiting a little longer for these laptops, and 2-in-1 to come into effect where the competition should help them become a little more affordable. With best-in-class networking capabilities, they emerge as much better buys than existing models. But things look even rosier if you can hang on for another twelve months (don’t they always?).
Better Arm processors are just around the corner
Arm recently announced its powerful Cortex-X3 processor, noting that it can outperform the Intel i7-1260P by 34% in some single-core workloads. In just four years, Arm processors have gone from lagging behind to potentially ahead of some of Intel’s laptop models, which bodes well. In addition, Arm’s enhanced DSU-110 fabric also supports up to 12 cores in a single cluster, opening the door to higher core counts than competing products.
Of course, we’ll have to see what Arm’s partners announce later in the year, if at all they decide to use the latest and greatest Arm cores available. With Mediatek and Samsung rumored to be making inroads into the space, the competition could help drive much-needed differentiation in the Windows on Arm chipset market.
See also: How to run Android apps on Windows 11
The culmination of Qualcomm’s acquisition of Nuvia, however, is a safer bet for 2023. Recent reports hint that Qualcomm believes it can improve the Apple M2 silicon, giving the company a performance lead in laptop computers. Even if it doesn’t, the move to custom rather than off-the-shelf Arm core development is expected to boost the chipmaker’s CPU performance much higher than what’s currently on the market.
Qualcomm wants to improve on the Apple M2 with Nuvia, but we’ll have to wait and see.
The first laptop chip to emerge from this Arm-based CPU project will be tested with partners in August 2022, with products expected to hit store shelves in “late 2023.” We hoped to see products by -early 2023, but these laptops might just be worth the wait if Qualcomm’s ambitions to create an Apple M2 competitor come to fruition.
Even if Nuvia doesn’t quite catch up to Apple’s M2, it can still provide a huge leap over current Windows on Arm processors and really take on AMD and Intel on both the performance and power efficiency fronts.
Thinking of buying a Windows on Arm laptop?
67 votes
I already bought one. Tell us which in the comments.
6%
Yes, soon (in 2022).
3%
Perhaps. I’ll wait until 2023 and see.
55%
No, not in the foreseeable future.
36%
Today, Windows on Arm is a decent platform for lighter workloads and is already worth the investment if you need portability over power. But for mainstream consumers, current products are trying to command price points well above their performance potential. Fortunately, more powerful Arm laptops are on the way, but the game changers won’t arrive until later in 2023. If you’re looking for a Windows on Arm machine with performance and battery life advantages to rival the M1 and M2 chipsets of Apple, just wait a little longer.
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