What happened? For the first time, a discrete graphics card running Windows on ARM was publicly demonstrated. As first reported by ITHomeThe GPU in question is the Lisuan 7G106, a Chinese-made dGPU that recently ran a 3DMark benchmark on an ARM-based Windows system. Even though it’s still a very early product and far from a consumer-ready product, the demo itself is a milestone for the ARM Windows ecosystem.
- The Lisuan 7G106 ran 3DMark Time Spy on Windows on ARM, confirming support for real dGPU drivers.
- This makes it the first known discrete GPU to publicly demonstrate Windows on ARM compatibility.
- Performance details are limited for now, but the demo confirms that basic rendering, driver and API support are already functional.
Why this is important: Windows on ARM has always struggled with one massive bottleneck: graphics. Although Qualcomm’s integrated GPUs have improved, they still fall far short of what even entry-level discrete GPUs can do for gaming, 3D work, and creative workloads. To date, no company has managed to demonstrate a true dGPU on the ARM version of Windows in a public benchmark environment.
This changes the tone of the entire discussion surrounding ARM PCs. This suggests that Windows on ARM is no longer limited to ultra-thin laptops and productivity machines. For the first time, it looks like the platform could realistically target gaming laptops, workstations and performance-oriented desktops. Even if Lisuan itself never becomes a mainstream name, what really matters here is the technical proof of concept.
Why should I care? If you’ve ever been curious about Windows on ARM but held off because “it’s not really playable,” this is the first real sign that the rules may be changing at some point. A future where ARM laptops offer both great battery life and true GPU performance would finally eliminate the platform’s biggest compromise. No more choosing between efficiency and performance.
It also puts subtle pressure on the big players. NVIDIA, AMD and Intel have all stayed away from discrete Windows-on-ARM GPUs so far. Now that a smaller company has proven that this is technically possible, the question is when and not if the major GPU providers will follow suit. For you as a buyer, this could ultimately mean thinner gaming laptops, cooler running Creator PCs and better battery life without sacrificing graphics performance.
Okay, what’s next? Don’t expect to connect a Lisuan GPU to your ARM PC any time soon. This was essentially a proof of concept and not a product on the store shelf. Since this is a desktop-class card, a laptop version will take even longer. Yet the true story is the signal it sends. Now that a separate GPU has been shown to run Windows on ARM, all eyes are on NVIDIA, AMD and Intel. If one of them decides to step in, things could happen quickly. For now, consider this the first domino, not the finish line.
