Gaming on Snapdragon Windows PCs is getting a Fortnite-sized upgrade
Now, those who want to play video games on ARM-based PCs will have a far more enjoyable time
đť Qualcomm is releasing its new Snapdragon Control Panel for Snapdragon-powered PCs
đŽ This will help optimize gaming on Windows with Snapdragon chips
âď¸ The extra optimizations enable Fortnite and Epic Gamesâ required services
âŹď¸ You can download the control panel to your PC starting now
The new age of Snapdragon-powered Windows PCs is here, and itâs finally adapting to the lifestyles of many Shortcut readers: gaming. Qualcomm, the maker of Snapdragon chips that power many popular Windows laptops and desktops, has started rolling out a new Snapdragon Control Panel that optimizes how games perform on your ARM-based PC to help them run as smoothly as they would with an Intel chip and traditional graphics card.
For those who have a Snapdragon X-powered PC, the new Snapdragon Control Panel will work similarly to how apps from Nvidia and AMD work for their GPUs. Itâll look at the apps you have installed on your device, optimize them, and give you greater control over things like frame rates, anti-aliasing, and more. In other words, gaming on Snapdragon chips is ready for prime time, after many users complained that the experience wasnât up to snuff with what they were used to.
You can also use the latest drivers to further optimize gameplay, according to Qualcomm, and youâll be alerted when new ones are released so youâre always up to date.
The control panel also enables one really neat perk: you can finally play Fortnite. Thanks to the right optimizations being in place, Fortnite can now run on Snapdragon X PCs, marking the first time itâs available through the Xbox PC store. This was made possible thanks to Epic Online Servicesâ Easy Anti-Cheat, which is now supported as well. Other anti-cheat providers like Tencentâs Anti-Cheat Expert (ACE), Robloxâs Hyperion, and Denuvo by Irdeto are also working with Microsoft and Qualcomm to bring their services to Snapdragon PCs and make more multi-player games available.
The news comes as Microsoft improves its own Prism Emulator to bring X86 Advanced Vector Extensions (AVX) to Snapdragon PCs, which is mission-critical for a lot of games on the market. All in all, gamers will have a far more enjoyable time progressing through their favorite titles on their shiny new Snapdragon X PCs moving forward.
If you have a Snapdragon Windows PC, you can download the Snapdragon Control Panel here.
Max Buondonno is an editor at The Shortcut. Heâs been reporting on the latest consumer technology since 2015, with his work featured on CNN Underscored, ZDNET, How-To Geek, XDA, TheStreet, and more. Follow him on X @LegendaryScoop and Instagram @LegendaryScoop.
The anti-cheat support is realy what was holding ARM gaming back. Seeing Epic's Easy Anti-Cheat come to Snapdragon chips could open the floodgates for a lot more multiplayer games beyond just Fortnite. Hopefully Riot and Valve follow suit soon becaus those are huge player bases that would benifit from better ARM support.