2024 marked a significant year for Windows on Arm, and 2025 could be even more pivotal, especially with rumors about Nvidia’s potential entry into the CPU market. I still find it hard to believe I’m using an Arm-powered Windows laptop every day. After more than a decade of trying, Microsoft and Qualcomm finally succeeded in 2024 with Copilot Plus PCs. These laptops offer excellent battery life, impressive performance, and have mostly overcome the app compatibility issues that once plagued Windows on Arm—except for gaming. Microsoft’s ambition to make 2024 “the year of the AI PC” may have been overshadowed by it becoming the true year of Windows on Arm. If 2024 is anything to go by, 2025 will likely be even bigger for Windows on Arm.
The year started strong at CES, where Microsoft set the stage for Windows on Arm with promises of AI-powered PCs and major changes to Windows keyboards. Early in the year, laptop manufacturers added a dedicated Copilot key to keyboards for quick access to Microsoft’s AI assistant. While the Copilot feature went through multiple revisions and often frustrated users with accidental activations, it highlighted Microsoft’s growing confidence in its Windows on Arm efforts. By May, CEO Satya Nadella unveiled the Copilot Plus PC devices, setting the stage for a summer of Windows on Arm laptops from all major OEMs.
The key to this year’s success was Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X Elite processors, announced in April. These chips brought performance and power efficiency on par with Apple’s MacBooks, challenging Intel and AMD to step up in the x86 space. Reviews showed that Windows on Arm could compete with, and even outperform, Apple’s MacBook Air. Qualcomm’s confidence in this was clear when it hired the “I’m a Mac” guy for its promotional campaigns. Meanwhile, Microsoft and Qualcomm worked closely with developers to ensure app compatibility, and it’s now rare to encounter compatibility issues—thanks to native Arm64 versions or an improved emulator. Even Google, once a major critic of Windows Phone, released Arm64 versions of Chrome and Google Drive to support the platform.
Despite Windows on Arm’s progress, Intel and AMD didn’t sit idly by. Intel responded with the impressive Lunar Lake processors at IFA in September, focusing on performance and battery life, while AMD released its Ryzen AI chips, directly competing with Qualcomm. Both companies continue to dominate gaming, an area where Windows on Arm still lags behind.
Apple also made some moves in 2024, refreshing its cheapest MacBooks with a surprising upgrade to 16GB of RAM, months after Copilot Plus PCs launched with the same RAM at competitive prices. Apple’s new M4 chip appeared in the MacBook Pro, further challenging Qualcomm’s position. Both Apple and Microsoft emphasized AI-powered features for laptops, but the results were underwhelming on both sides. Microsoft had to delay its much-hyped Recall feature, which was intended to track everything you do on a laptop. Due to privacy concerns, it has only recently appeared in test versions of Windows.
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Despite these setbacks, Microsoft remains committed to Windows on Arm. The company’s future focus on cloud and AI promises more innovation in 2025. Expect the battle between x86 and Windows on Arm to intensify next year, as AMD and Intel work to fend off Arm-based chips from Qualcomm. Qualcomm is reportedly preparing new chips for 2025, which could drive laptop prices down, and the leaks suggest Nvidia’s upcoming GPUs might generate excitement in the x86 laptop space.
Nvidia may also lend its expertise to Windows on Arm with new Arm PC chips rumored to arrive in 2025. Its experience in AI and gaming could significantly boost the appeal of Windows on Arm. Regardless of what unfolds, 2025 is set to be a competitive year for Windows laptops, with fierce rivalry between Intel, AMD, and Qualcomm shaping the market.
