Recent updates
Updated 3/25: Microsoft has declined to comment on this story.
Qualcomm and Microsoft announced a major push into the Windows-on-Arm ecosystem at Microsoft Build in May 2024.
The Surface brand laptops — outfitted with Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite processors built on Arm system architecture — were among the first wave of Copilot+ PCs, and were generally well received, thanks to their fast performance and long battery life.
However, not everyone has been pleased with their Snapdragon-powered laptop.
In news first reported by Windows Central, Amazon now applies a "frequently returned item" warning box on the listing for the Arm-based Microsoft Surface Laptop (7th Edition), telling them to check reviews before committing to the purchase.
Laptop Mag requested comment from Microsoft about the "frequently returned item" classification on Surface laptops. A representative for Microsoft tells Laptop Mag that the company has nothing to share at this time.
So, what exactly has customers returning their Surface machines in volumes high enough to warrant an Amazon disclaimer? According to Amazon reviews, it may have everything to do with apps (or a lack thereof).
Arm-based Microsoft Surface Laptop return rates spike on Amazon
In December 2024, Michelle Johnston Holthaus, interim Co-CEO of Qualcomm rival Intel, claimed that machines with the Snapdragon chip were returned to retailers at higher rates than average because "the things that we just expect do not work, right."
Qualcomm immediately fired back, denying those claims. But it seems Intel's sources may have been correct.
After all, Amazon doesn't put a "frequently returned item" warning on just any product. The "frequently returned item" policy rolled out about two years ago.
The Information quoted an Amazon spokesperson then as saying: "We’re currently showing return rate information on some product detail pages to help our customers make more informed purchase decisions."
While not explicitly a warning, Amazon sellers say a "frequently returned item" badge makes their sales "plummet."
"After the product was marked with the 'frequently returned item' label, the sales volume plummeted," commented a seller in a forum last year.
Despite the Amazon flagging, there are plenty of Windows-on-Arm systems available on Amazon.
Qualcomm's computer processor lineup includes the Snapdragon X Elite, Snapdragon X Plus, X Plus 8-core, and Snapdragon X chipsets. Most major manufacturers like Acer, Asus, Dell, HP, and Lenovo offer laptops powered by Snapdragon processors.
Possible reasons for the returns
Other Snapdragon PCs, including the Microsoft Surface Pro 11, don't have the same Amazon warning for frequent returns.
The Surface Pro (7th Edition) may be the most popular laptop of the Snapdragon cohort, and that could be the reason it's the first Arm-powered Windows PC to receive the Amazon warning flag.
Or, users could be returning the Surface Laptop (7th Edition) in higher numbers thanks to additional issues with the laptop. Our review indicated the device suffered from a lackluster display with severe ghosting, a shallow keyboard, and disappointing graphics.
Microsoft also offers an Intel version of the Surface Laptop and Surface Pro, so this could also be a case of mistaken identity, where users wanted the Intel version of the Surface and instead purchased the Qualcomm edition by mistake.
Windows-on-Arm is better — but a big switch
To Qualcomm and Microsoft's credit, both companies have worked with application developers to bring more and more software support to the Windows-on-Arm ecosystem.
DaVinci Resolve was available on the Snapdragon X Elite systems at launch, and Adobe has already ported over Photoshop. Games like Control and Baldur's Gate III do run on Snapdragon, though gaming performance is underwhelming compared to what was seen in previews.
Music applications like Moises and Cubase have Windows-on-Arm native support, as do photo editing suites like Capture One.
Qualcomm recently partnered with Epic Games to make the Easy Anti-Cheat system available on Arm-powered Windows devices, bringing Fortnite to Snapdragon laptops.
In October 2024, software developer Jeff Geerling posted on his blog that Qualcomm was canceling its Snapdragon Developer Kit for Windows and refunding all orders.
On Monday, Google announced that it had opened for general use Google Drive on Arm-compatible Windows PCs.
Adobe has also promised to bring more Creative Cloud applications to native Snapdragon support, but only Photoshop and Photoshop Lightroom run natively.
Other programs like Adobe After Effects and AutoCAD have no plans for Windows-on-Arm support.
So while some can make the switch to Snapdragon X-powered systems without issue, others may need to look for alternative applications to fill in some of the gaps.
And for those with highly specialized app needs, sticking with the standard x86 version of Windows is perhaps the best bet.
Qualcomm is expected to unveil the second generation of Snapdragon X processors this year, possibly in May at Computex in Taiwan, or at the Snapdragon Summit in the fall of 2025.
More from Laptop Mag
You must confirm your public display name before commenting
Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.
