HardwareProcessorsQualcomm says it’s tested 1,200 x86 Windows games on its new X Elite Arm chip but won’t say how well they actually runWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
HardwareProcessorsQualcomm says it’s tested 1,200 x86 Windows games on its new X Elite Arm chip but won’t say how well they actually runWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
(Image credit: Lenovo)
Qualcomm has been bigging up its newSnapdragon X Elitechip yet again, this time at theComputex show. In terms of technical details, little new emerged from Qualcomm’s Computex keynote, but the company did make even more bullish noises than before about the X Elite’s gaming prowess when running Windows.
Qualcomm’s President and CEO Cristiano Amontook to the show stageclaiming that the company has tested and optimised 1,200 Windows games on X Elite, including many triple-A games. “We’ve been working with Activision, Blizzard Entertainment, Remedy, Ubisoft, EA, Larian Studios and many more…and, of course, Xbox Studios,” he said.
Amon also briefly painted a picture of how AI and the X Elite’s NPU could impact gaming. He invited the audience to think about the potential of the NPU running large language models locally on the device and how that could impact NPCs or non-player characters and the gaming experience.
Essentially, he was getting at the possibility of much more realistic interactions and conversations with in-game NPCs thanks to LLMs. “We’re at the beginning of revolution of gaming for AI,” he concluded.
What Amon notably didn’t do was appeal to any specifics whatsoever. There was no impressive demo of a hot triple-A title running on the X Elite. No talk of whether the X Elite would largely have to emulate x86 titles or if Qualcomm was working with game developers to recompile various titles from their existing x86 code base to the Arm instruction set that the X Elite uses.
Nor did he have any data, no quoted frame rates, no direct comparisons of the X Elite’s Adreno GPU with any competing integrated GPU in an x86 chip from Intel or AMD.
Back when Qualcomm first took the wraps off its new chip in March, it showed offBaldur’s Gate 3 being emulated on the X Elitecourtesy of what we now assume is the new “Prism” layer in Windows for Arm.
The biggest gaming news, reviews and hardware deals
1,200 games “tested and optimised” but no actual details on performance…(Image credit: Qualcomm)
It hit around 30fps at 1080p, which is really very impressive and implies the chip and the whole emulation environment in Windows for Arm has lots of potential. But at the same time, that’s just one game.
It’s certainly a little worrisome that Qualcomm had so little substance to say or show at Computex—1,200 games tested and optimised sounds great, but what does it mean?
We’ll find out soon enough as the first Snapdragon X Elite laptops are just weeks away. But one thing is for sure. The hardest test for the new chip and for the whole idea of running legacy x86 code in emulation mode on an Arm chip in Windows is going to be gaming. Bring it on.
TOPICSHardware
TOPICS
More about processorsNvidia CEO Jen-Hsun Huang’s simple reminder that useful quantum computing is a long way off has somehow caused industry stocks to plummetNvidia seems to have just confirmed upcoming Arm and Blackwell laptop chips based on its new GB10 processor in collaboration with MediaTekLatestToday’s Wordle answer for Friday, January 10See more latest►
More about processorsNvidia CEO Jen-Hsun Huang’s simple reminder that useful quantum computing is a long way off has somehow caused industry stocks to plummetNvidia seems to have just confirmed upcoming Arm and Blackwell laptop chips based on its new GB10 processor in collaboration with MediaTekLatestToday’s Wordle answer for Friday, January 10See more latest►
More about processorsNvidia CEO Jen-Hsun Huang’s simple reminder that useful quantum computing is a long way off has somehow caused industry stocks to plummetNvidia seems to have just confirmed upcoming Arm and Blackwell laptop chips based on its new GB10 processor in collaboration with MediaTek
More about processors
Nvidia CEO Jen-Hsun Huang’s simple reminder that useful quantum computing is a long way off has somehow caused industry stocks to plummetNvidia seems to have just confirmed upcoming Arm and Blackwell laptop chips based on its new GB10 processor in collaboration with MediaTek
Nvidia CEO Jen-Hsun Huang’s simple reminder that useful quantum computing is a long way off has somehow caused industry stocks to plummet
Nvidia CEO Jen-Hsun Huang’s simple reminder that useful quantum computing is a long way off has somehow caused industry stocks to plummet
Nvidia seems to have just confirmed upcoming Arm and Blackwell laptop chips based on its new GB10 processor in collaboration with MediaTek
Nvidia seems to have just confirmed upcoming Arm and Blackwell laptop chips based on its new GB10 processor in collaboration with MediaTek
LatestToday’s Wordle answer for Friday, January 10See more latest►
Latest
Today’s Wordle answer for Friday, January 10
Today’s Wordle answer for Friday, January 10
Today’s Wordle answer for Friday, January 10
See more latest►
Most PopularTrack down a missing person in this ‘Geoguessr-inspired detective game’ set on an alien planetOld meets new as classic MMO players worship a famous Vtuber via gifts of bones so she can max out the Prayer skillHyper Light Breaker will cost $30 and for a limited time come with a free copy of DrifterFallout season 2 filming delayed due to massive LA firesAssassin’s Creed Shadows is delayed again ‘to better incorporate player feedback gathered over the past three months’The Freewrite Wordrunner with a built-in word counter might be the keyboard to look out for if you want to improve your writing process’I created it, let me move on’: Ex-Cloud 9 player, the Overwatch team whose blunder inspired the infamous ‘C9’ slang, watches in horror as the term moves onto Marvel RivalsLenovo’s rollable laptop screen isn’t just a CES party trick—you’ll be able to pick one up yourself in JuneNvidia CEO Jen-Hsun Huang’s simple reminder that useful quantum computing is a long way off has somehow caused industry stocks to plummetAfter 15 years, Minecraft has finally added two new pig variations: The warm pig and the cold pig, meaning I can delete one mod off my listIf you love a big laptop without a big price tag, this RTX 4070 17.3-incher is an ideal pick at $1,300
Most PopularTrack down a missing person in this ‘Geoguessr-inspired detective game’ set on an alien planetOld meets new as classic MMO players worship a famous Vtuber via gifts of bones so she can max out the Prayer skillHyper Light Breaker will cost $30 and for a limited time come with a free copy of DrifterFallout season 2 filming delayed due to massive LA firesAssassin’s Creed Shadows is delayed again ‘to better incorporate player feedback gathered over the past three months’The Freewrite Wordrunner with a built-in word counter might be the keyboard to look out for if you want to improve your writing process’I created it, let me move on’: Ex-Cloud 9 player, the Overwatch team whose blunder inspired the infamous ‘C9’ slang, watches in horror as the term moves onto Marvel RivalsLenovo’s rollable laptop screen isn’t just a CES party trick—you’ll be able to pick one up yourself in JuneNvidia CEO Jen-Hsun Huang’s simple reminder that useful quantum computing is a long way off has somehow caused industry stocks to plummetAfter 15 years, Minecraft has finally added two new pig variations: The warm pig and the cold pig, meaning I can delete one mod off my listIf you love a big laptop without a big price tag, this RTX 4070 17.3-incher is an ideal pick at $1,300
Most PopularTrack down a missing person in this ‘Geoguessr-inspired detective game’ set on an alien planetOld meets new as classic MMO players worship a famous Vtuber via gifts of bones so she can max out the Prayer skillHyper Light Breaker will cost $30 and for a limited time come with a free copy of DrifterFallout season 2 filming delayed due to massive LA firesAssassin’s Creed Shadows is delayed again ‘to better incorporate player feedback gathered over the past three months’The Freewrite Wordrunner with a built-in word counter might be the keyboard to look out for if you want to improve your writing process’I created it, let me move on’: Ex-Cloud 9 player, the Overwatch team whose blunder inspired the infamous ‘C9’ slang, watches in horror as the term moves onto Marvel RivalsLenovo’s rollable laptop screen isn’t just a CES party trick—you’ll be able to pick one up yourself in JuneNvidia CEO Jen-Hsun Huang’s simple reminder that useful quantum computing is a long way off has somehow caused industry stocks to plummetAfter 15 years, Minecraft has finally added two new pig variations: The warm pig and the cold pig, meaning I can delete one mod off my listIf you love a big laptop without a big price tag, this RTX 4070 17.3-incher is an ideal pick at $1,300
Most Popular
Track down a missing person in this ‘Geoguessr-inspired detective game’ set on an alien planet
Old meets new as classic MMO players worship a famous Vtuber via gifts of bones so she can max out the Prayer skill
Hyper Light Breaker will cost $30 and for a limited time come with a free copy of Drifter
Fallout season 2 filming delayed due to massive LA fires
Assassin’s Creed Shadows is delayed again ‘to better incorporate player feedback gathered over the past three months’
The Freewrite Wordrunner with a built-in word counter might be the keyboard to look out for if you want to improve your writing process
‘I created it, let me move on’: Ex-Cloud 9 player, the Overwatch team whose blunder inspired the infamous ‘C9’ slang, watches in horror as the term moves onto Marvel Rivals
Lenovo’s rollable laptop screen isn’t just a CES party trick—you’ll be able to pick one up yourself in June
Nvidia CEO Jen-Hsun Huang’s simple reminder that useful quantum computing is a long way off has somehow caused industry stocks to plummet
After 15 years, Minecraft has finally added two new pig variations: The warm pig and the cold pig, meaning I can delete one mod off my list
If you love a big laptop without a big price tag, this RTX 4070 17.3-incher is an ideal pick at $1,300
HARDWARE BUYING GUIDESLATEST GAME REVIEWS1Best Steam Deck accessories in Australia for 2025: Our favorite docks, powerbanks and gamepads2Best graphics card for laptops: the mobile GPUs I’d want in my next gaming laptop3Best mini PCs in 2025: The compact computers I love the most4Best 14-inch gaming laptop: The top compact gaming laptops I’ve held in these hands5Best Mini-ITX motherboards in 2025: My pick from all the mini mobo marvels I’ve tested1Thank Goodness You’re Here! review2Shiren the Wanderer: The Mystery Dungeon of Serpentcoil Island review3WD Black SN850X 8 TB NVMe SSD review4Ikea Utespelare desk review5Asus ROG Harpe Ace Mini wireless mouse review
HARDWARE BUYING GUIDESLATEST GAME REVIEWS1Best Steam Deck accessories in Australia for 2025: Our favorite docks, powerbanks and gamepads2Best graphics card for laptops: the mobile GPUs I’d want in my next gaming laptop3Best mini PCs in 2025: The compact computers I love the most4Best 14-inch gaming laptop: The top compact gaming laptops I’ve held in these hands5Best Mini-ITX motherboards in 2025: My pick from all the mini mobo marvels I’ve tested1Thank Goodness You’re Here! review2Shiren the Wanderer: The Mystery Dungeon of Serpentcoil Island review3WD Black SN850X 8 TB NVMe SSD review4Ikea Utespelare desk review5Asus ROG Harpe Ace Mini wireless mouse review
HARDWARE BUYING GUIDESLATEST GAME REVIEWS1Best Steam Deck accessories in Australia for 2025: Our favorite docks, powerbanks and gamepads2Best graphics card for laptops: the mobile GPUs I’d want in my next gaming laptop3Best mini PCs in 2025: The compact computers I love the most4Best 14-inch gaming laptop: The top compact gaming laptops I’ve held in these hands5Best Mini-ITX motherboards in 2025: My pick from all the mini mobo marvels I’ve tested1Thank Goodness You’re Here! review2Shiren the Wanderer: The Mystery Dungeon of Serpentcoil Island review3WD Black SN850X 8 TB NVMe SSD review4Ikea Utespelare desk review5Asus ROG Harpe Ace Mini wireless mouse review
HARDWARE BUYING GUIDESLATEST GAME REVIEWS1Best Steam Deck accessories in Australia for 2025: Our favorite docks, powerbanks and gamepads2Best graphics card for laptops: the mobile GPUs I’d want in my next gaming laptop3Best mini PCs in 2025: The compact computers I love the most4Best 14-inch gaming laptop: The top compact gaming laptops I’ve held in these hands5Best Mini-ITX motherboards in 2025: My pick from all the mini mobo marvels I’ve tested1Thank Goodness You’re Here! review2Shiren the Wanderer: The Mystery Dungeon of Serpentcoil Island review3WD Black SN850X 8 TB NVMe SSD review4Ikea Utespelare desk review5Asus ROG Harpe Ace Mini wireless mouse review
HARDWARE BUYING GUIDESLATEST GAME REVIEWS
1Best Steam Deck accessories in Australia for 2025: Our favorite docks, powerbanks and gamepads
1Best Steam Deck accessories in Australia for 2025: Our favorite docks, powerbanks and gamepads
1
Best Steam Deck accessories in Australia for 2025: Our favorite docks, powerbanks and gamepads
2Best graphics card for laptops: the mobile GPUs I’d want in my next gaming laptop
2Best graphics card for laptops: the mobile GPUs I’d want in my next gaming laptop
2
Best graphics card for laptops: the mobile GPUs I’d want in my next gaming laptop
3Best mini PCs in 2025: The compact computers I love the most
3Best mini PCs in 2025: The compact computers I love the most
3
Best mini PCs in 2025: The compact computers I love the most
4Best 14-inch gaming laptop: The top compact gaming laptops I’ve held in these hands
4Best 14-inch gaming laptop: The top compact gaming laptops I’ve held in these hands
4
Best 14-inch gaming laptop: The top compact gaming laptops I’ve held in these hands
5Best Mini-ITX motherboards in 2025: My pick from all the mini mobo marvels I’ve tested
5Best Mini-ITX motherboards in 2025: My pick from all the mini mobo marvels I’ve tested
5
Best Mini-ITX motherboards in 2025: My pick from all the mini mobo marvels I’ve tested
1Thank Goodness You’re Here! review
1Thank Goodness You’re Here! review
1
Thank Goodness You’re Here! review
2Shiren the Wanderer: The Mystery Dungeon of Serpentcoil Island review
2Shiren the Wanderer: The Mystery Dungeon of Serpentcoil Island review
2
Shiren the Wanderer: The Mystery Dungeon of Serpentcoil Island review
3WD Black SN850X 8 TB NVMe SSD review
3WD Black SN850X 8 TB NVMe SSD review
3
WD Black SN850X 8 TB NVMe SSD review
4Ikea Utespelare desk review
4Ikea Utespelare desk review
4
Ikea Utespelare desk review
5Asus ROG Harpe Ace Mini wireless mouse review
5Asus ROG Harpe Ace Mini wireless mouse review
5
Asus ROG Harpe Ace Mini wireless mouse review
