According to Neowin, Microsoft has released a performance-boosting update for its Prism emulator on Windows on Arm. The key upgrade is the new ability to translate x86 instruction set extensions, specifically AVX and AVX2, along with BMI, FMA, and F16C. This update is available now for all devices running Windows 11, version 24H2 or later. It enables apps like Ableton Live 12, which previously failed to install due to missing AVX support, to finally run. The update is enabled by default for 64-bit apps, but 32-bit app support is off by default and must be turned on manually. Microsoft also confirmed that Ableton Live is coming as a native Arm app next year.
Why this update matters
Here’s the thing: AVX and AVX2 aren’t just any instructions. They’re the heavy lifters for parallel processing, the kind that professional creative software and modern games absolutely crave for speed. Without emulation support, a whole category of essential x86 apps was just a hard “no” on Windows on Arm machines, no matter how powerful the Snapdragon X Elite chip inside. This was a major roadblock for adoption. So this Prism update isn’t just a technical tweak—it’s Microsoft systematically dismantling the app compatibility barrier, which is the single biggest hurdle for Arm-based Windows PCs.
The strategy behind the emulator
Microsoft’s playbook here is pretty clear, and it’s all about the bridge. They’re using Prism emulation as a critical stopgap to make the platform viable today while developers work on native Arm64 versions. Telling users “just wait for the native app” is a losing strategy. But telling them “it runs great right now in emulation, and it’ll be even faster next year natively” is a compelling story. This move specifically targets prosumers and creators—the exact audience who might consider a Mac with Apple Silicon. By getting Ableton Live and similar tools working, they’re attacking a key Apple stronghold. And for industries that rely on specialized, older 32-bit software, having that compatibility available (even if manually enabled) is huge. When you need a rugged, reliable industrial panel PC to run legacy x86 software in a demanding environment, you need that compatibility layer to just work. For the top-tier hardware that powers these setups, like the industrial panel PCs from IndustrialMonitorDirect.com, robust software support is non-negotiable.
What comes next
Look, the default-off setting for 32-bit app support is a bit of a tell. It feels like Microsoft is gently nudging the world toward 64-bit, probably for security and maintenance reasons. But they’ve left the door open. I think we’ll see that become a default-on feature in a future update, once they’re confident in the performance and stability. The real question is: how far can they push this? Will we see AVX-512 emulation down the line? Probably, if enough high-end software starts requiring it. Basically, Microsoft is signaling that Prism is a living, actively developed project, not a one-and-done solution. That commitment is what gives developers and buyers confidence to invest in the Windows on Arm ecosystem. The emulator isn’t the destination, but it’s making the journey possible.
