According to ZDNet, after more than a year of testing multiple Arm-based Windows PCs including Surface Pro 11, Surface Laptop, and Dell XPS 13 with Snapdragon X Elite chips, three significant compatibility issues remain unresolved. The testing revealed that system image backup restoration fails completely on Arm devices due to Windows Recovery Environment limitations, Linux installation requires bleeding-edge Ubuntu 25.10 versions with limited support, and gaming performance struggles with integrated GPUs that can’t compete with dedicated Nvidia and AMD options. While Office productivity and web-based work function well with excellent battery life and thermal performance, these three areas represent critical limitations that may deter specific user groups from adopting Arm-based Windows systems.
Table of Contents
The System Recovery Conundrum
The backup and recovery limitations highlighted in the testing point to a deeper architectural challenge with Windows 11 on Arm platforms. Unlike traditional x86 systems where the Windows Recovery Environment can access external storage devices seamlessly, Arm-based systems appear to have driver compatibility issues at the firmware level. This isn’t just a software problem—it’s a fundamental gap in the hardware abstraction layer that Microsoft and its partners need to address.
What makes this particularly concerning for enterprise adoption is that reliable system imaging is non-negotiable for business continuity. While workarounds involving network storage or cloud services exist, they add complexity and potential points of failure to what should be a straightforward recovery process. The absence of major backup solutions like Acronis TrueImage in Arm-native versions further compounds the problem, creating a ecosystem gap that could take years to fill.
The Linux Ecosystem Gap
The Linux installation challenges reveal a broader ecosystem maturity issue. While Ubuntu 25.10 offers Arm support, the fact that it’s considered “bleeding-edge” with limited community support creates significant barriers for practical use. This isn’t just about having an installation image—it’s about driver compatibility, hardware acceleration, and long-term maintenance that the Linux community hasn’t yet prioritized for these new Arm platforms.
Compare this to the Apple Silicon situation, where the Linux community has made substantial progress despite Apple’s closed ecosystem. The relative difficulty with Windows on Arm systems suggests either insufficient documentation from manufacturers or architectural complexities that make driver development challenging. For developers, researchers, and IT professionals who rely on Linux compatibility, this represents a legitimate reason to stick with traditional x86 personal computer architectures for the foreseeable future.
Gaming Hardware Limitations
The gaming performance issues stem from a fundamental architectural decision—integrated versus discrete graphics. While the Snapdragon X Elite’s integrated GPU might be sufficient for mobile devices, it faces an uphill battle against dedicated gaming hardware. As PC Gamer’s analysis indicates, these systems can handle gaming at the level of smartphones and tablets, but they’re not competing with traditional gaming laptops.
What’s missing from the conversation is the long-term roadmap. Integrated graphics have made tremendous strides in recent years, and if Qualcomm and Microsoft continue investing in this architecture, we could see meaningful improvements in future generations. However, as PCMag’s testing shows, current performance is strictly for casual gamers willing to compromise on settings and expectations.
Enterprise Adoption Considerations
For business users, these limitations create a complex calculation. The excellent battery life and thermal performance are compelling advantages for mobile workers, but the backup and recovery limitations represent significant operational risk. Many enterprises rely on standardized system images for deployment and disaster recovery, and the current Arm implementation breaks established workflows.
The Linux compatibility issue also affects specific enterprise use cases, particularly in development, research, and education environments where dual-boot configurations are common. Until these fundamental compatibility issues are resolved, widespread enterprise adoption will likely remain cautious, despite the clear advantages in power efficiency and form factor.
The Road Ahead for Windows on Arm
These challenges aren’t necessarily permanent, but they highlight the growing pains of any architectural transition. Microsoft’s previous attempts with Windows RT failed precisely because of compatibility limitations, and while the current generation is far more capable, these remaining gaps could slow adoption momentum.
The solution will require coordinated effort across multiple fronts: Microsoft needs to address the recovery environment limitations, Qualcomm must improve GPU performance, and the broader software ecosystem—including backup providers like Macrium Reflect and MSP360 Backup—needs to prioritize Arm-native development. Until these pieces fall into place, Arm-based Windows PCs will remain a compelling but niche option rather than a mainstream replacement for traditional x86 systems.
