The Windows on ARM (WoA) platform was introduced in 2017 alongside Windows 10. After nearly seven years, ahead of the Snapdragon X Elite’s debut, Google has launched a stable, native version of Chrome designed to run on ARM-powered Windows devices. Microsoft had previously adapted Edge to run on WoA, but users had been eagerly awaiting the arrival of Google’s popular Chrome browser on the ARM platform.
In a blog post, Google announced the rollout of a full version of Chrome for ARM-compatible Windows devices this week. Chrome has been fully optimized for the Snapdragon X Elite platform, promising a faster and smoother web browsing experience. Google also mentioned that Chrome on WoA will offer access to all its top features, including extensions, themes, generative AI features, built-in security, and more.
Christiano Amon, President and CEO of Qualcomm, remarked:
“The new version of Google Chrome will help cement Snapdragon X Elite’s role as the premier platform for Windows computing starting in mid 2024.”
Additionally, Google has announced that Chrome will soon receive a “bigger boost in performance” with the upcoming Snapdragon X Elite chipset. Some Snapdragon Insiders had the opportunity to test the stable version of Chrome on Snapdragon X Elite and compared it with Chrome on an Intel Core Ultra 7 155H.
In the Speedometer 2.0 browser benchmark test, the latest stable version of Chrome for WoA scored 457, surpassing the Intel system’s score of 413 points. Similarly, in the JetStream 2 test, which assesses JavaScript and WebAssembly performance, Chrome for WoA scored 316.765, outperforming Chrome on Intel’s processor, which scored 295.098.
Interestingly, even the ARM version of Microsoft Edge performs similarly to Chrome and outperforms Intel’s new Core Ultra-powered system. Recent reports indicate that Windows games on Snapdragon X Elite should run smoothly with x64 emulation, a fact Qualcomm is confident about. A Snapdragon Insider tested Baldur’s Gate 3 on Snapdragon X Elite and achieved a stable 30 FPS at 1080p resolution.
With the official Chrome support coming to the WoA platform, it is increasingly becoming a compelling option for users, especially as the Snapdragon X Elite is set to debut in June 2024. Microsoft is scheduled to host an event in May, where it is expected to launch new Surface devices featuring the Qualcomm processor. A recent leak also suggests that Samsung is preparing to launch the Galaxy Book4 “Edge” with the Snapdragon X Elite processor.
