Please consider a native ARM64 version for Windows

[MagnusJohansson]

Please confirm these before moving forward.

• I have searched for my feature proposal and have not found a work-in-progress/duplicate/resolved/discarded issue.
• This proposal is a completely new feature. If you want to suggest an improvement or an enhancement, please use this template.

Describe the new feature

I would love to have a native ARM64 build, instead of running on the x64 emulator.
This would improve performance, and more importantly save battery.
Screenshot from UniGetUI v3.1.0:

Describe how this new feature could help users

It would improve the end user experience:

• Better performance du to not have to be run via the emulation layer
• Improved energy consumption
• Improved responsiveness
• Align with trends; I would assume that many WinGetUI/UniGetUI users are technical and more likely to be running a ARM64 based device than any other audience
• Hopefully a much lower memory consumption

EDIT: Just noticed the high memory consumption. On a x64 based device, the memory consumption is about half.

[marticliment]

I don't have an arm64 machine (yet), and I don't want to build arm64 with my x64 computer and release it without testing.

However, I will see what I can do

[Vascro]

I don't have an arm64 machine (yet), and I don't want to build arm64 with my x64 computer and release it without testing.

However, I will see what I can do

If you'd like someone to test, I own an Arm64 snapdragon x elite laptop and I'd be happy to assist. I also own a SQ3 surface pro 9 so we'd have coverage with multiple arm based cpu's.

[christian-bendiksen]

Would like to see this as well. Running Surface Laptop 7 x elite. Could probably test a build as well.

[JaronrH]

I have a Surface Pro X and can test it out for you too!

[CanePlayz]

I can test it too. :P Jokes aside, I'd also love to see this.

[hmartinez82]

I can get it to build, the trick part will be the following when running on ARM64:
Given that UniGetUI can detect the architecture of the installing application:
If the installed app is x64, should we upgrade to a newer x64 or try to install the ARM64 version if available?

[AndrewCLion]

I have a 32GB Snapdragon X Elite laptop and Visual Studio Professional, I had a quick look at compiling but there were a number of libraries "missing". So, a tip of the hat to hmartinez82 who must have put more effort in than I did. I agree, it's not just a case of getting it to compile and run, there's all the "which architecture" questions to be answered or decided.

[Vascro]

I can get it to build, the trick part will be the following when running on ARM64: Given that UniGetUI can detect the architecture of the installing application: If the installed app is x64, should we upgrade to a newer x64 or try to install the ARM64 version if available?

Would it be possible to make it either a checkbox before installing updates, or have unigetui prompt yes/no to replace with arm64 native build if it detects one?

[marticliment]

I appreciate your efforts, but there won't be an arm64 version in the near future.

The problem here is that while UniGetUI may build under arm64 systems, (in fact, it has no theoretical reason for it to not build) I cannot publish a version I have not tested, and I can't either rely on a third-party to do the builds for me. It would be too unreliable, and I would be taking a very high risk.

Thanks for the testing, and sorry.

[flanter21]

I appreciate your efforts, but there won't be an arm64 version in the near future.

The problem here is that while UniGetUI may build under arm64 systems, (in fact, it has no theoretical reason for it to not build) I cannot publish a version I have not tested, and I can't either rely on a third-party to do the builds for me. It would be too unreliable, and I would be taking a very high risk.

Thanks for the testing, and sorry.

Could you use GitHub actions or something? UniGetUI slows my entire system down.

[marticliment]

Could you use GitHub actions or something?

The issue is the same. I could build UniGetUI, but I wouldn't be able to test it

[flanter21]

Could you use GitHub actions or something?

The issue is the same. I could build UniGetUI, but I wouldn't be able to test it

Ah I see now sorry. I guess you could use qemu to run arm64 windows (w11 iot enterprise ltsc 2024 would be lightweight) but I can see that would probably be a lot of effort for not a lot of users so fair enough.