Microsoft’s Prism Emulator Update Boosts Gaming on Snapdragon Copilot+ PCs After Year-Long Delay

Microsoft is finally addressing one of the biggest shortcomings of its ARM-based Copilot+ PCs with a long-awaited emulator update that could significantly improve gaming and legacy app compatibility. For over a year, users of Snapdragon X-series powered devices have struggled with performance and compatibility issues, particularly when running older x86 applications and games. Now, a new Windows update—patch KB5066835—introduces a feature called Prism, which enables emulation of key x86 instruction set extensions like AVX and AVX2. These are essential for modern game engines, video encoding, and physics calculations, and their absence previously blocked many popular titles from running properly. The update marks a critical step forward, though it’s been years in the making. Qualcomm demonstrated that games like Baldur’s Gate III could run on Snapdragon X Elite chips via emulation more than a year ago, yet Microsoft’s progress has lagged. The Prism emulator isn’t a magic fix—some apps may still require manual configuration to enable emulation, and performance will vary by title. Still, early reports from Windows Latest suggest that most games now launch and run, even if not at peak efficiency. This delay has frustrated users, especially gamers who bought Copilot+ PCs expecting seamless performance. Many found their favorite games and legacy software simply wouldn’t work, leading to widespread returns—some Surface Laptop 7 units even became Amazon’s “frequently returned” items. The issue wasn’t just software; it was a lack of clear communication about the limitations of ARM-based Windows on Snapdragon. In contrast, Apple’s transition to its M-series chips in 2020 was far smoother. With Rosetta 2, Intel-based apps ran automatically and often with near-native performance. Users didn’t need to understand the underlying architecture—most things just worked. Microsoft could have taken a similar approach, offering a robust compatibility layer from day one. Instead, it opted for a more fragmented rollout, leaving users stranded. While Microsoft has since worked with major developers like Adobe to improve ARM support, the reality is that many apps still lack native ARM64 versions. The Prism update may help bridge the gap, but it’s not a complete solution. Microsoft appears to be holding back on major announcements, likely waiting for the next wave of Snapdragon X2 laptops expected early next year to showcase the full potential of the update. Meanwhile, Intel is preparing its next-generation Panther Lake chips, which are already showing strong promise for gaming and performance. As Apple phases out Rosetta 2 in macOS 28, it too will face the same challenges of legacy app support—proving that even the best transitions come with trade-offs. For now, the Prism update is a welcome sign that Microsoft is finally catching up. But for many users, it’s a reminder that the promise of ARM on Windows has been delayed, and the experience has suffered as a result.