Snapdragon X finally brings MIDI 2.0 and native ASIO to Windows 11!
Steinberg, Focusrite, Yamaha and many more are already involved.
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Snapdragon X finally brings MIDI 2.0 and native ASIO to Windows 11! · Source: Snapdragon / YouTube
The newly introduced Snapdragon X platform combined with Windows 11 brings great advances for musicians and audio professionals. Native support for ASIO and MIDI 2.0 greatly enhances creative applications on ARM64 systems. The new chip enables lower latency and better audio performance, which is especially important when working with DAWs such as Cubase, Nuendo and Reaper. These DAWs are already available as ARM64 preview versions, so musicians can continue to work with older plug-ins while taking advantage of the new Snapdragon architecture. Finally!
Snapdragon X: low latency and native ASIO support
The new Snapdragon X-based Co-Pilot PCs are a serious alternative to Apple’s silicon and optimised for the creative sector. The laptops, which start at around €899, enable a perfect workflow for professional musicians. Microsoft is working with Qualcomm and Yamaha to develop native drivers specifically designed for musicians, which are expected to be fully integrated in the second half of 2025.
In addition, companies such as Focusrite and Steinberg/Yamaha will release optimised ARM64 drivers for their audio hardware specifically designed for the Snapdragon X platform starting in 2025. These drivers will offer significantly improved performance with low latency, making them particularly attractive for professional applications. With the introduction of these drivers and native support for ASIO and MIDI 2.0 in Windows 11, you can get your projects done faster and more efficiently.
Perfect Windows performance for musicians and producers
This makes music production on Windows systems even more accessible to musicians. This is particularly beneficial for the growing number of musicians and producers who want to extend their work to mobile devices without sacrificing performance. These drivers will be supported not only on ARM64, but later on x64 systems as well, ensuring wider compatibility. Very cool!
Native ASIO support on the Snapdragon X means musicians can use their audio hardware and software without complicated workarounds or additional drivers. This not only provides a smoother plug-and-play experience, but also more flexibility for creative applications. The optimisations that Qualcomm and Microsoft have built into the ARM64 platform will ensure that Snapdragon X is the future for all musicians working on Windows.
We will of course keep you up to date with the first test results and news.
Learn more about Snapdragon X and Windows 11
- Read Microsoft’s DevBlog
- More about Microsoft
- More about Windows
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2 responses to “Snapdragon X finally brings MIDI 2.0 and native ASIO to Windows 11!”
Brilliant – And it only took 25 years
Just on arm64 though, that is probably less than 1% of the computers worldwide (basically just certain versions of the Surface tablet: I can’t think of any other mainstream ARM Windows device). And there’s no mention of Bluetooth MIDI either. Mac OS’ still unbeatable for audio work: the only alternative one might want to explore is Ubuntu Studio, but you’d still be faced with an utter lack of VST/Audio Units.