Snapdragon 8 Elite: Linux Support Means Easier PC Gaming Emulation

Just a few days ago, Qualcomm unveiled the Snapdragon 8 Elite, and the Linux kernel team has already posted patches for the chipset. While these patches mainly support the core processors, future updates will enhance the GPU, making it easier to run PC games through emulation. This means that even without native game support, you can enjoy a wide range of PC titles on devices with the Snapdragon 8 Elite. The Director of Engineering at Qualcomm shared an interesting post on X, suggesting that the Snapdragon 8 Elite can run PC-emulated games without major issues. However, there's still some performance left on the table, as many modern games aren't available on Android just yet. It might take a while for developers to port these games, so emulation remains the best option for now.A benchmark test showed that the Snapdragon 8 Elite outperforms AMD’s Radeon 780M in running AAA games, though you might need to adjust some visual settings. This powerful processor could also enable a Linux UI with touch and pen support, opening up professional PC application use on mobile devices and tablets, similar to some iPad models. It’s exciting to see Qualcomm making strides in hardware, but there’s still a lot of work to be done on the software front. Let’s hope we see more developments on getting AAA games running smoothly on this new platform.