Will a Microsoft Surface Pro 11 with Snapdragon X-Elite chips run XYplorer coded in Visual Basic 6?
Posted: 02 Jun 2024 18:10
I was curious since I'm interested in getting a Surface Pro, mostly for travel, so I asked Copilot the above question. I knew I would get this answer. I'm sure someone will arrive at a definite answer in a few weeks.
Wait and see.The new Surface Pro 11th Edition, powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite and Plus processors, is part of the first wave of Copilot+ PCs. These devices can run newer AI features in Windows, such as Recall and more Windows Studio Effects12. However, it’s important to note that XYplorer, which is coded in Visual Basic 6, may not be directly compatible with the ARM-based architecture of the Snapdragon processors.
Here are a few considerations:
Compatibility: Visual Basic 6 applications were primarily designed for x86 (Intel/AMD) architecture. While Windows on ARM (WoA) can emulate x86 applications, performance and compatibility may vary. Some applications may work seamlessly, while others may encounter issues.
Emulation Layer: Windows on ARM uses an emulation layer called WOW64 (Windows-on-Windows 64-bit) to run x86 applications. This layer translates x86 instructions to ARM64 instructions. However, this translation process can introduce overhead and affect performance.
Performance: The Snapdragon X Elite and Plus processors offer impressive performance, but they are still ARM-based. Emulated x86 applications may not perform as well as native ARM64 applications.
Testing Required: To determine whether XYplorer will run on the Surface Pro 11th Edition, you should test it directly on the device. Install XYplorer and check for any compatibility issues or performance bottlenecks.
Alternative Solutions:
Consider using native ARM64 applications whenever possible. If there’s an ARM64 version of XYplorer available, that would be ideal.
Explore alternative file managers that are natively compatible with ARM64 architecture.