Will your favorite game run on Microsoft’s new Copilot+ PCs? This website will give you an idea
Check before you buy
Microsoft has just announced a slate of new laptops under the Copilot+ PC moniker, and they’re paired with an Arm-based Snapdragon chip that boosts the laptops’ performance and efficiency. However, given that these chips do not use an Intel or AMD architecture, you might be wondering how compatible they are with all the best Windows games and apps.
Microsoft has said these PCs have vastly improved compatibility over their predecessors, but what if you want to check a specific game? Fortunately, a new website has launched that lets you see just that.
Called Works on Windows on Arm, the website lets you search for a game and see whether it runs on the new laptops. Each title is given a compatibility grade (‘unplayable,' ‘runs,’ ‘playable,’ or ‘perfect’) and the site lists the frame rates you can expect, what drivers the game uses, and more.
It should be a helpful resource if you’re considering buying a new Copilot+ PC but aren’t sure if you’ll be able to bring your favorite games along for the ride. Though, we'll call out that Works on Windows on Arm "does not absolutely guarantee that a game will run. The results have been tested, but may not work on your specific machine and configuration." They'd like you to contribute your findings if you get a different result.
Automatic Super Resolution
The website also notes whether a game supports Microsoft’s Automatic Super Resolution (Auto SR) feature, which works a little bit like Nvidia’s DLSS. Auto SR lowers a game’s rendering resolution and then uses artificial intelligence (AI) to scale its graphics back up. The result is smoother gameplay that is less taxing on your system and enables lower-spec PCs to play games at decent frame rates.
At its recent Surface and Copilot event, Microsoft said that most games should work on its new Arm-powered laptops since there is an emulator built-in that automatically works to translate the apps to work on the new architecture. Microsoft claims it’s as good as Apple’s Rosetta 2 translation layer.
At the time of writing, there were 1,481 games in Works on Windows on Arm’s database, which means there’s a decent chance you’ll be able to check your favorite titles on the website. That’s great news if you’re thinking of making the switch to a new Copilot+ PC.
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Alex Blake has been fooling around with computers since the early 1990s, and since that time he's learned a thing or two about tech. No more than two things, though. That's all his brain can hold. As well as TechRadar, Alex writes for iMore, Digital Trends and Creative Bloq, among others. He was previously commissioning editor at MacFormat magazine. That means he mostly covers the world of Apple and its latest products, but also Windows, computer peripherals, mobile apps, and much more beyond. When not writing, you can find him hiking the English countryside and gaming on his PC.