Laptops equipped with the Snapdragon X Elite will not ship with a dedicated graphics processor, hinting that these machines may be inadequate to run the latest games. However, Qualcomm believes otherwise because at the 2024 Game Developers Conference session titled ‘Windows on Snapdragon, a Platform Ready for your PC Games,’ a company engineer claimed that unannounced notebooks running this chipset will be able to run various titles. However, we will discuss a few unanswered questions here.
Developers will have the option to run games natively on the Snapdragon X Elite machines, as this path delivers the best possible performance
Qualcomm engineer Issam Khalil mentioned at the 2024 Game Developers Conference that unannounced laptops powered by the Snapdragon X Elite can run most games. Currently, there are three ways developers can port their games to the platform, with The Verge reporting that this can be done natively on ARM64. This option should be the obvious choice as it will deliver the best possible CPU performance while maintaining optimum efficiency. We have witnessed in the past that having an emulation layer can degrade performance, so the other alternatives might be easier but not the most optimized.
Developers can also make a hybrid ‘ARM64EC’ app where Windows, its libraries, and Qualcomm’s drivers run natively. However, the program will be emulated, delivering almost the same level of performance. The last option is that developers do not have to lift a finger, with their game working using x64 emulation, though it is not the most favorable path since it can leave a significant performance on the table. Qualcomm says that it has Adreno GPU drivers for DX11, DX12, Vulkan, and OpenCL and will also support DX9 and up to OpenGL 4.6 through mapping layers.
Khalil did not go into detail on which specific games work flawlessly with the Snapdragon X Elite or how many games Qualcomm has tested. Still, he mentions that the firm has checked out all the top games on Steam and is confident that most titles will be compatible with the platform. Assuming laptops sporting the Snapdragon X Elite support Thunderbolt 3 or Thunderbolt 4 right off the bat, there is the possibility of hooking up an eGPU solution and enjoying games too, though users will be tethered to a single spot.
Given that the Qualcomm engineer did not divulge sufficient details on the Snapdragon X Elite’s gaming capabilities, we cannot voice enough confidence in the company’s claims. Apple’s M-series of chips was introduced in 2020, and even after four years, the technology giant’s custom solution struggles to run older titles fluidly as the integrated GPU is just not capable. Without witnessing the gaming performance ourselves, we cannot verify the chipset maker’s claims, but we are still excited to see the Snapdragon X Elite in action when the first batch of portable machines arrive.
About the author: Omar Sohail is a reporter and analyst for Wccftech's mobile section, specializing in the technology and business of the mobile industry. His expertise lies in the intricate hardware supply chain, covering developments in semiconductor manufacturing, chip lithography, and camera sensor technology.
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