ARM Laptops Have Arrived
2026 is the year ARM laptops went mainstream. With Apple's M5 series, Qualcomm's Snapdragon X Elite Gen 2, and MediaTek's Kompanio Ultra, there's real competition in the ARM PC space.
The Contenders
Apple MacBook Air M5 — The Benchmark Leader
Apple's M5 chip continues to set the standard for ARM laptop performance. The MacBook Air delivers:
- Performance: Geekbench 6 multi-core score of 14,500+ — faster than most Intel/AMD laptops
- Battery life: 22 hours of video playback, 18 hours of web browsing
- Compatibility: Rosetta 2 handles x86 apps transparently; native ARM apps are now abundant
- Price: From $1,099
Microsoft Surface Laptop 7 (Snapdragon X Elite Gen 2)
Qualcomm's second-gen Snapdragon X Elite is a massive leap. Windows on ARM finally feels ready:
- Performance: Geekbench 6 multi-core score of 12,800+ — competitive with Apple
- Battery life: 20 hours of video playback, excellent standby efficiency
- Compatibility: Prism translation layer runs x86/x64 apps; most work seamlessly
- Price: From $1,299
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon ARM (Snapdragon X Elite)
Business users get ThinkPad durability with ARM efficiency:
- Performance: Similar to Surface Laptop 7 with slightly better sustained performance
- Battery life: 19 hours — best in the ThinkPad lineup
- Business features: vPro-like management, fingerprint reader, IR camera
- Price: From $1,599
ASUS Zenbook A15 (MediaTek Kompanio Ultra)
MediaTek enters the laptop market with an aggressive value proposition:
- Performance: Geekbench 6 multi-core of 9,500 — adequate for most tasks
- Battery life: 24 hours — longest in our testing
- Price: From $699 — the most affordable ARM laptop
Benchmark Comparison
| Laptop | CPU | GB6 Single | GB6 Multi | Battery (hrs) | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MacBook Air M5 | Apple M5 | 3,800 | 14,500 | 22 | $1,099 |
| Surface Laptop 7 | SD X Elite G2 | 3,200 | 12,800 | 20 | $1,299 |
| ThinkPad X1 ARM | SD X Elite | 3,100 | 12,200 | 19 | $1,599 |
| Zenbook A15 | Kompanio Ultra | 2,400 | 9,500 | 24 | $699 |
Windows on ARM: Is It Ready?
After years of false starts, Windows on ARM is finally viable:
- Native apps: Chrome, Firefox, VS Code, Photoshop, and most popular apps run natively
- Emulation: Prism handles x86/x64 apps well, though gaming remains problematic
- Drivers: Most peripherals work; niche hardware may have issues
- Gaming: Limited — many anti-cheat systems don't work on ARM
Who Should Buy ARM?
✅ Buy ARM if: Battery life is a priority, you do web/office work, you travel frequently ❌ Skip ARM if: You need specific x86-only software, you're a hardcore gamer, you use niche peripherals
Bottom Line
The MacBook Air M5 remains the best ARM laptop overall. For Windows users, the Surface Laptop 7 with Snapdragon X Elite Gen 2 is the best choice. Budget buyers should consider the ASUS Zenbook A15 for its incredible battery life at a low price.
