How to install Qualcomm beta graphics drivers on a Snapdragon X PC — and why you should

Copilot+ PCs powered by Qualcomm's Snapdragon X platform aren't marketed as gaming machines. But there are more uses for graphics horsepower than just gaming.

For the best performance, you also need drivers. In the case of Snapdragon X, the best drivers aren't pre-installed by default, and they aren't delivered through Windows Update right now.

What you need to get is the Qualcomm beta graphics driver. The performance gains are night and day, and whether you want to play a game or run Blender, it's the smart move to get this driver installed.

Here's how you go about it.

Why you NEED the Qualcomm beta driver

For gamers, getting the latest drivers is second nature. That's also true of Snapdragon X-powered Copilot+ PCs.

The simple truth is that without the beta Qualcomm graphics driver, you're leaving performance on the table.

In a recent test of gaming performance on a Snapdragon X Plus laptop, I saw gains of up to 20 FPS and better overall stability just by installing this driver.

The same is true of non-gaming applications such as Blender. With a more tailored driver, you're getting better performance.

There is one caveat, though. Not all Snapdragon X series chips and PCs are always compatible with the latest drivers.

For example, at the time of writing, the current release isn't compatible with the Lenovo Yoga Slim 7x. So always check the release notes first.

How to download and install the Qualcomm beta graphics driver

The graphics driver from Qualcomm is currently a beta product, as such there are some small hoops to jump through.

The first is that you have to sign up to use Qualcomm Software Center, which takes nothing more than an email address and a password.

Once you're registered, hit this link to get to the latest version of the Windows Graphics Driver. Check the release notes first, to ensure there are no deal breaking issues or compatibility woes. Remember, as good as this driver is, it's still a beta product.

Once you're happy, download the file. It'll come as a zip archive, so you'll need to extract it to run the installer.

Running the installer is the final step, just as with any Intel, AMD, or NVIDIA graphics driver. It'll be installed on your system, recognize the hardware, and then start to do its magic.

Regular graphics driver updates are something Qualcomm will have to start ramping up as it continues to compete against the long-standing trio. Eventually you'd assume it won't be a beta, but for now, if you're serious about graphics on your Snapdragon X PC, follow these steps and reap the rewards.