Hey gamers, listen up! If you’ve been eyeing those sleek new Arm-powered laptops but worried about how they handle games, Microsoft has some good news for you. They’ve just revealed performance data for a bunch of popular games on these devices, and it looks promising!
Microsoft’s New Weapon: The Copilot+ PC
Image Credits: Tech Crunch
Remember how Apple’s MacBooks are known for their awesome design but not exactly great for gaming? Well, Microsoft is aiming to change that with their new Copilot+ PCs. These machines run on Windows, but with a twist – they use Arm processors instead of the traditional x86 ones found in most gaming PCs.
The big question for gamers is: can these Arm-powered PCs keep up with the fast-paced, graphics-heavy world of gaming?
To address this concern, Microsoft partnered with Qualcomm to test a whopping 1,481 games on devices powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X-series chips. These chips are the brains behind the new Arm-powered Surface Laptop and other similar devices.
So, how can you find out if your favorite game will run smoothly on these new PCs? Microsoft has you covered there too! They’ve launched a website called WorksOnWoA.com (https://www.worksonwoa.com/). This website is basically a giant library of tested games, allowing you to search for a specific title and see how it performs on these Arm-powered devices.
Understanding the Results: From Perfect to Unplayable
The WorksOnWoA website uses a simple rating system to show you how a game performs:
Perfect: This is the holy grail for gamers. The game runs flawlessly at 60+ frames per second (FPS) at 1080p resolution, with no glitches or issues to disrupt your gameplay.
Playable: This means the game runs at a decent 30+ FPS at 1080p resolution, with only minor glitches that shouldn’t ruin your experience.
Runs: This category indicates the game runs, but there might be some bugs that could affect your enjoyment.
Unplayable: If you see this rating, then it’s best to avoid the game on this platform. It might not run at all due to anti-cheat software restrictions or other technical issues.
Call of Duty on Arm? You Bet!
Let’s take a look at an example. If you search for “Call of Duty: Black Ops II” on the website, you’ll see that the game was tested on a device with a Snapdragon X Elite chip and 32GB of RAM.
The results show an impressive average frame rate of 95.5 FPS, making it a “Perfect” candidate for these Arm-powered PCs. However, the website doesn’t currently have information on whether the game supports Auto Super Resolution (AutoSR), a feature that uses AI to upscale graphics resolution and potentially improve performance.
Beyond Qualcomm: The Future of Copilot+ PCs
While the Copilot+ platform currently uses Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X-series chips, Microsoft has big plans for the future. They’ve confirmed that the platform will soon expand to include processors from Intel and AMD, specifically their upcoming Lunar Lake and Strix processors.
Even more exciting for hardcore gamers is Microsoft’s promise to pair these powerful processors with top-of-the-line graphics cards like NVIDIA GeForce RTX and AMD Radeon. This combination could make Copilot+ PCs a viable option for even the most demanding gamers.
The Final Verdict: A Promising Future for Arm-Powered Gaming
Image Credits: Microsoft
The launch of the WorksOnWoA website and the performance data revealed by Microsoft are positive signs for the future of Arm-powered gaming. With a growing library of playable games and the potential for powerful graphics card support, these new PCs could become a serious contender in the gaming world.
So, if you’re looking for a sleek, portable device that can handle both work and play, an Arm-powered Copilot+ PC might just be the perfect choice for you!
