Windows on ARM in 2025: App Compatibility, Performance and Who Should Switch
Over the last decade, ARM processors have gone from powering our smartphones to appearing in high-performance laptops. The idea is simple but game-changing: take ARM’s power-efficient architecture designed for mobile devices and scale it up for full Windows PCs.
In 2025, Windows on ARM is back in the spotlight, thanks largely to Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X Elite and X Plus chips and the rise of Copilot+ PCs. Microsoft’s marketing push, combined with real leaps in hardware performance and app compatibility, has made ARM laptops more than just a curiosity.
For years, the main question has been: Is Windows on ARM ready for everyday use? The subtext was always, Is it worth leaving the familiar x86 world of Intel and AMD behind? In 2025, that question is more relevant than ever because for the first time, the answer might be yes.
ARM vs x86: A 2025 Snapshot
Power efficiency and NPUs
ARM processors are built around efficiency-first design principles. In laptops, this translates to significantly longer battery life compared to x86 chips often without sacrificing performance. The latest Snapdragon X Elite and X Plus also integrate powerful Neural Processing Units (NPUs), delivering 45+ TOPS (trillions of operations per second) for AI tasks. That makes them the heart of Microsoft’s Copilot+ features, which handle local AI workloads without draining the CPU or battery.
x86’s legacy advantages
Intel and AMD chips still dominate the traditional Windows landscape, especially in areas like gaming and specialised software. Their decades-long history with Windows means near-universal compatibility with apps, drivers, and peripherals. High-end gaming, in particular, still leans heavily on x86 for native performance and compatibility with anti-cheat/DRM systems.
Adoption rates
While ARM laptops remain a minority in the Windows ecosystem, 2025 has seen an uptick in adoption thanks to competitive performance and better app support. Analysts estimate that Windows on ARM now holds around 10–12% of the Windows laptop market, up from just a few percent two years ago. For a platform once dismissed as “niche,” that’s significant growth.
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App Compatibility in 2025
Native ARM64 apps
The compatibility story has improved dramatically. Many major apps now offer native ARM64 versions, including Microsoft 365, Teams, Edge, and most of the Adobe Creative Cloud suite. Professional tools like Photoshop, Lightroom, Premiere Pro, and Illustrator now run natively, delivering performance close to or better than x86 laptops. Popular development tools like Visual Studio Code and JetBrains IDEs also have ARM-native builds.
Emulation improvements
For everything else, Windows now supports x86-64 emulation, a big upgrade from the early days, when only 32-bit apps worked. In Windows 11 (and its 2025 updates), Qualcomm’s latest chips and Microsoft’s optimisations make emulated apps feel nearly native for everyday use. Even heavier programs like CAD tools or DAWs can run acceptably well under emulation, though performance still depends on complexity and plugins used.
Remaining gaps
The Achilles’ heel remains in specialised enterprise software, niche creative tools, and certain PC games with strict DRM or anti-cheat systems. Some drivers for legacy peripherals are also unavailable in ARM64 form, which can be a deal-breaker for professionals tied to specific hardware.
Web and cloud apps
For many users, browser-based tools have quietly solved the compatibility problem. Platforms like Figma, Canva, Google Workspace, and Microsoft’s own web apps run identically on ARM and x86. Paired with cloud gaming services like Xbox Cloud Gaming or NVIDIA GeForce Now, even the gaming gap is shrinking—at least for casual or mid-tier titles.
Performance: Not Just About Speed
CPU performance
The Snapdragon X Elite in particular is no slouch. In multi-core benchmarks, it matches or beats the latest Intel Core Ultra and AMD Ryzen AI processors in productivity workloads, all while sipping power. For everyday computing, creative work, and light gaming, these ARM chips now go toe-to-toe with x86 flagships.
NPU advantage
The real differentiator is AI acceleration. Copilot+ PCs can process AI-driven tasks locally like live transcription, summarisation, and image generation without hitting the cloud. The Snapdragon X Elite’s NPU can handle sustained AI workloads with minimal battery drain, something x86 laptops are only beginning to match.
Battery life
ARM laptops regularly push 15–20 hours of real-world usage, sometimes more for lighter workloads. This is a step up from most x86 laptops, which often top out around 8–12 hours in similar conditions.
Thermals and noise
Thanks to ARM’s efficiency, many Snapdragon-powered laptops run fanless or with whisper-quiet cooling systems. This makes them ideal for note-taking in a lecture hall, working in a library, or recording audio without worrying about fan noise bleeding into the mic.
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Real-World Scenarios: Who Wins Where?
Creative work – ARM laptops in 2025 can handle photo and video editing surprisingly well, especially in tools like Adobe Lightroom, Photoshop, and Premiere Pro, now optimised for ARM. AI-assisted design apps benefit from integrated NPUs, speeding up tasks like object removal, background generation, and noise reduction. However, for heavy 3D rendering in Blender or CAD, x86 workstations with discrete GPUs still offer raw performance advantages.
Office productivity – Everyday productivity is a strong suit for ARM. Word processing, spreadsheets, presentations, and cloud collaboration tools like Microsoft 365, Google Workspace, and Zoom run smoothly. ARM systems excel at multitasking thanks to efficient resource management and long battery life, which keeps remote and hybrid workers online all day without scrambling for a charger.
Gaming – The picture here is mixed. Native ARM games run well, with lower power draw and smooth performance. However, most Windows-only AAA titles still require x86 emulation, which can bring frame rate drops or input lag. Cloud gaming services such as Xbox Cloud Gaming, GeForce NOW, and Boosteroid sidestep these issues entirely, offering a good experience for casual or non-competitive play.
Developers – For coding, ARM-based systems are becoming viable. Many development environments—Visual Studio Code, JetBrains IDEs, Docker—now offer ARM-native versions or smooth emulation. ARM also shines in containerised workflows, especially for targeting ARM-based cloud servers. Still, developers working with legacy x86-only SDKs or specialised build pipelines may find sticking with x86 more practical.
Students and mobile workers – This is arguably ARM’s sweet spot. Portability, exceptional battery life, and optional always-connected 5G make these devices perfect for note-taking, research, streaming lectures, and light creative work. The reduced heat and fan noise also make them comfortable for long library or café sessions.
Who Should Switch to Windows on ARM?
Ideal candidates
- Frequent travellers who need all-day battery life and lightweight devices.
- Office and creative professionals who rely mainly on modern, cross-platform apps.
- Early adopters eager to explore Windows 11’s AI features, from real-time captions to intelligent search.
Who should wait
- Gamers reliant on Windows-only x86 titles and performance-critical mods.
- Businesses running mission-critical legacy software that isn’t ARM-compatible.
- Power users who demand maximum upgrade flexibility in terms of GPUs, RAM, and storage.
Transition Tips for Switchers
- Check app compatibility – Use Microsoft’s official compatibility listings and software vendor pages before buying.
- Consider hybrid setups – If you’re unsure, keep an x86 desktop or laptop alongside your ARM device, or run x86 Windows in a VM.
- Embrace the cloud – Services like OneDrive, Google Drive, and Figma reduce reliance on local installs, making the transition smoother.
A Major Milestone & the Future of Windows on ARM
2025 marks a turning point for Windows on ARM. The app ecosystem is mature, performance is competitive, and AI acceleration is now built into the hardware. For many users—especially mobile professionals and students—the switch is not only feasible but attractive.
Windows on ARM is no longer an experimental niche — it’s a credible alternative to traditional x86 laptops. But looking ahead, several trends are set to shape its trajectory.
Growing Ecosystem of Native Apps
The biggest bottleneck for ARM adoption has always been software availability. That gap is closing fast. More developers are releasing ARM-native versions of their apps, often motivated by performance gains and better battery efficiency. As developer toolchains like Visual Studio and cross-platform frameworks fully embrace ARM, the number of optimised applications will continue to grow.
Stronger Hardware Competition
Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X Elite has shown what’s possible for high-performance ARM laptops, and rivals are expected to respond. Other chipmakers including Apple with its influence on industry expectations are pushing the broader market toward ARM efficiency and AI acceleration. Intel and AMD are also working on hybrid architectures that borrow ARM-like efficiency cores, which could further narrow the gap in certain workloads.
AI as a Differentiator
The inclusion of powerful NPUs in ARM devices is more than a gimmick. On-device AI processing enables instant language translation, real-time video enhancements, and creative workflows without hitting the battery as hard as traditional CPUs or GPUs. Expect future Windows updates to lean heavily on these AI capabilities, giving ARM systems a natural advantage.
Enterprise Adoption and IT Support
Historically, businesses have been cautious about ARM because of app compatibility concerns. However, with better virtualisation, cloud-first workflows, and Microsoft’s investment in management tools, enterprise deployment is becoming more practical. Once IT departments are confident about app support, ARM could see rapid adoption in corporate fleets.
ARM Beyond Laptops
Windows on ARM isn’t just about ultrabooks. Expect to see ARM-based Windows in mini-PCs, compact workstations, and always-connected tablets, expanding the form factors available to consumers and businesses alike.
The next few years will likely see ARM become a mainstream choice for Windows users, not just a specialist option. For many, the question will shift from “Can I use Windows on ARM?” to “Why am I not using it yet?”
Still, compatibility checks remain essential. Your choice between ARM and x86 will increasingly be less about “can it run?” and more about “which runs it best for my workload?”
