WORLDTECHIntel's APX Extensions Now Supported in Windows 11 Before Nova Lake Chips Arrive
According to a report by TechPowerUp, Intel's Advanced Performance Extensions (APX) are now officially supported on Windows 11 PCs, even though no consumer PC can yet use the technology. The groundwork is being laid ahead of the Nova Lake processors, which are set to debut in early 2027.
Insider build adds an APX switch
TechPowerUp reports that Windows 11 build 29695, available to Insiders, includes a toggle that lets users switch on APX for better performance.
The report reads the toggle as evidence that Microsoft has readied APX optimisations across Windows. Those optimisations are meant to make everyday tasks run more smoothly and to give heavier workloads more processing power to draw on.
What APX is and when hardware follows
APX is an extension to the x86-64 instruction set architecture. It adds further registers and new features designed to lift performance across a range of use cases.
Intel is expected to bring APX to market with its Nova Lake processors in early 2027. Software work has been running in advance so that the new features are in place before those processors reach retailers.
For now, no consumer PCs are capable of making use of APX.
Open questions
- Will the APX toggle reach the general release of Windows 11, or stay limited to Insider builds?
- What performance gains will APX deliver on Nova Lake hardware?