It should be noted from the outset that this is not a classic Windows 11, but the ARM edition of Microsoft's system.
Launched in March 2017 - yes, more than seven years ago - the Switch is still a huge success, and even though Nintendo is currently preparing the ground for its replacement, the little machine still has plenty to surprise us. So, what's the latest feat? A certain PatRyk presented on X.com (formerly Twitter) a Switch console running Microsoft's Windows 11 operating system. As we said at the outset, this is not standard Windows, but the ARM edition of the OS, which makes sense since the Switch is equipped with an NVIDIA Tegra chip. In other news, PatRyk has enabled KVM technology so that this version of Windows 11 can be installed on the Switch.
- PatRyk (@Patrosi73) May 12, 2024
The feat remains to be seen, however, and we're pretty sure that very few of us would have imagined it possible. Inevitably, the Tegra X1 developed by NVIDIA to power the Switch is struggling a little on Windows 11, even in ARM version. Logically, you won't be able to run even the smallest, heaviest application, and as PatRyk points out, slowdowns are perceptible even when simply running a game like Peggle... so imagine Cyberpunk 2077! As Neowin explains, it's all about showing that it's possible and so... it is!
Barely pic.twitter.com/WWrXmYRXAb
- PatRyk (@Patrosi73) May 13, 2024
Through virtual machines, PatRyk has managed to install Linux and Steam on his Nintendo Switch, and the most interesting thing about all this is obviously the horizons it opens up as a company like Qualcomm works hard to develop ARM PCs that are at least as powerful and far more autonomous than AMD or Intel-powered PCs. It will be interesting to see, after the release of the Nintendo Switch 2, whether such feats are possible again. While the Switch 2 won't be comparable to the PlayStation 5, for example, it could be more powerful than the PlayStation 4.
