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What is everyone's thoughts on the Asus A16 with elite extreme processor?

KPOM said:
Out of curiosity, does the STEM software run on Windows ARM? If so, then an M5 MacBook Pro (particularly with the M5 Pro or Max) would be able to run the apps in a virtual machine. Obviously there is the added overhead of a second operating system and shared resources, but it could be done.

Since this is ostensibly a thread about an ARM-based Windows PC, it’s worth discussing how serious Microsoft is about Windows ARM. The Copilot PC experiment seems to have been a failure, at least to date, but as this ASUS PC shows, Qualcomm is capable of designing a very good chip capable of powering a premium PC. But if this or other Windows ARM PCs don’t sell, then there is little motivation for Qualcomm to continue developing consumer-focused ARM processors. With Panther Lake and access to TSMC’s advanced processes, x86-based chips have considerably closed the gap on performance per watt with newer ARM chips. Are there other compelling reasons for Windows ARM to exist?
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It used to be cost. You could get a performant system for less money, that advantage has completely evaporated now with the Ai bubble.
 
KPOM said:
Out of curiosity, does the STEM software run on Windows ARM? If so, then an M5 MacBook Pro (particularly with the M5 Pro or Max) would be able to run the apps in a virtual machine.
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In all honesty I have no idea, as my daughter doesn't really follow that issue too much - you know what I mean? She's just doing her school work. What she has said, was that the people in her classes with Macs have struggled to do certain projects because of the software incompatibilities.

I guess at the end of the day, if you're going into one of those majors and the school says you should use a PC, then use a PC. I'm sure those other kids will manage, but as I told my daughter, you really don't need any added stress or headaches
 
KPOM said:
Out of curiosity, does the STEM software run on Windows ARM? If so, then an M5 MacBook Pro (particularly with the M5 Pro or Max) would be able to run the apps in a virtual machine. Obviously there is the added overhead of a second operating system and shared resources, but it could be done.

Since this is ostensibly a thread about an ARM-based Windows PC, it’s worth discussing how serious Microsoft is about Windows ARM. The Copilot PC experiment seems to have been a failure, at least to date, but as this ASUS PC shows, Qualcomm is capable of designing a very good chip capable of powering a premium PC. But if this or other Windows ARM PCs don’t sell, then there is little motivation for Qualcomm to continue developing consumer-focused ARM processors. With Panther Lake and access to TSMC’s advanced processes, x86-based chips have considerably closed the gap on performance per watt with newer ARM chips. Are there other compelling reasons for Windows ARM to exist?
Click to expand...

I can’t comment on any specific STEM software, but virtually every regular windows app i have tried to run on Windows on ARM in Parallels has worked 100% fine.

The one thing i have encountered that DOES NOT work is the Windows remote server admin tools component. It’s part of Windows and not available in Windows on ARM, but thats a sysadmin thing students will never need. Basically microsoft stripped that part of Windows out of the ARM version of Windows.

I run windows on ARM every day for work on my mac, and Windows things like

MS office
Configuration Manager
Old versions of x86 JAVA
Windows XP era software for network device management
x86 versions of Adobe suite

all work just fine. FAST TOO.

Basically, if it runs in Windows 10 or 11 on PC, there’s a >95-98% chance it will work inside of Windows ARM in Parallels just fine. I’ve yet to encounter a non-gaming application that works on Windows 10 but does not run in Windows on ARM on my mac.
 
Last edited:
throAU said:
I’ve yet to encounter a non-gaming application that works on Windows 10 but does not run in Windows on ARM on my mac.
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I can see you work with D500 and I'm assuming it is the mighty Nikon D500. Can you please try to run DXO PhotoLab on ARM based system? You can download a free trial version from DXO website. Thank you.
 
Kriss_De_Valnor said:
I can see you work with D500 and I'm assuming it is the mighty Nikon D500. Can you please try to run DXO PhotoLab on ARM based system? You can download a free trial version from DXO website. Thank you.
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Sorry it wants an email address and I am not willing to provide, for something I will never use.
 
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throAU said:
I can’t comment on any specific STEM software, but virtually every regular windows app i have tried to run on Windows on ARM in Parallels has worked 100% fine.

The one thing i have encountered that DOES NOT work is the Windows remote server admin tools component. It’s part of Windows and not available in Windows on ARM, but thats a sysadmin thing students will never need. Basically microsoft stripped that part of Windows out of the ARM version of Windows.

I run windows on ARM every day for work on my mac, and Windows things like

MS office
Configuration Manager
Old versions of x86 JAVA
Windows XP era software for network device management
x86 versions of Adobe suite

all work just fine. FAST TOO.

Basically, if it runs in Windows 10 or 11 on PC, there’s a >95-98% chance it will work inside of Windows ARM in Parallels just fine. I’ve yet to encounter a non-gaming application that works on Windows 10 but does not run in Windows on ARM on my mac.
Click to expand...
I tried this exact thing with my last foray into Mac in 2012. At that time, our proprietary software for designing and pricing pre engineered steel buildings did not run either in parallels or boot camp via windows 7. So I sold them off again as I could not use them for work at that time.

I won't be running windows software this time around if I decide to go to macOS again.
 
Steve Adams said:
I tried this exact thing with my last foray into Mac in 2012. At that time, our proprietary software for designing and pricing pre engineered steel buildings did not run either in parallels or boot camp via windows 7. So I sold them off again as I could not use them for work at that time.

I won't be running windows software this time around if I decide to go to macOS again.
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These days you can even run stuff like Cyberpunk for PC/intel in MacOS ARM Parallels Windows 11.

It's come a long way, and it seems that in addition to the CPU in M series being a beast, the GPU is very virtualisation friendly. Back 10 years ago, you couldn't even run x86 Windows games in a VM on Windows intel.... things are different now.
 
I totally agree, but if I switch, I am switching. No windows emulation garbage. I will use onedrive, etc using the apple apps, I will have have windows on my system. It's just a gateway to say, I am going back. Ha ha. All the MS apps I use on my iPad are fine. I am on the iPad now typing this and it's a fine experience. I think I am going to wait to see if the new pro's will be touchscreen and keep all the ports. Rumor has it they are going back to the Johnny Ive mantra of the thinnest macbook pro EVAAAAAA. At the expense of heat management and ports.
 
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Steve Adams said:
Rumor has it they are going back to the Johnny Ive mantra of the thinnest macbook pro EVAAAAAA. At the expense of heat management and ports.
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I'm waiting for that new MBPro because I want a beautiful OLED screen but this "thinnest MBPro ever" rubbish may hit it in performance department. You just can't bend the laws of physics and mechanics...
 
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