Microsoft has announced a significant upgrade, codenamed 24H2, for Windows 11. This upgrade aims to improve application performance and compatibility between x86 and Arm architectures. The highlight of the update is the Prism technology, a potent x86-compatible application emulator. With Prism, applications meant for Windows can now run on Arm chips with 10% to 20% better efficiency than the current emulator.
Microsoft’s effort to adapt Windows for Arm architecture is not new, but this time the software giant promises substantial improvements. Prism is not a simple rebadging of the old emulator; rather, it’s an entirely new solution aimed to significantly extend the compatibility of x86 applications with Arm systems. In terms of efficiency, Prism stands on par with Apple’s Rosetta 2, which facilitates a seamless transition from Intel to Arm chips, according to Techspot.
The Windows 11 24H2 upgrade will be optimized for new Arm-based PCs, particularly those running on the Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite processor. The new emulator aims to unlock these chips’ Neural Processing Units (NPU) for Artificial Intelligence tasks to their full potential.
Microsoft also noted that many popular user applications are already converted to Arm64 or have cross-platform versions. The recent updates include comprehensive Arm support in widely used products such as Adobe Photoshop, DaVinci Resolve, Blender, and many more. Moreover, all major browsers are now also available on Arm. All these factors make the prospects for Windows on the Arm architecture highly promising.
