Winlator Hardware & GPU Compatibility Matrix
Because Winlator translates x86/x64 instruction sets to ARM64 while simultaneously converting Direct3D graphical draw calls into Vulkan, your device's System-on-Chip (SoC) and GPU architecture determine your frame rates and gaming stability.
Qualcomm Snapdragon (Adreno GPUs)
Qualcomm Snapdragon processors are the gold standard for Winlator emulation. The open-source Mesa Turnip driver is built specifically for Adreno hardware, allowing DXVK to translate Direct3D calls directly into low-overhead native Vulkan commands with minimal CPU interference.
Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 / 8 Gen 3
Adreno 740 / 750. Easily runs DirectX 9 and DirectX 11 games at 720p 60 FPS. Excellent sustained thermal performance.
Snapdragon 870 / 888 / 8+ Gen 1
Adreno 650 / 660 / 730. Strong performance across most classic 3D titles (Fallout 3, Skyrim, BioShock) at 720p 40–60 FPS.
Snapdragon 845 / 855 / 860
Adreno 630 / 640. Solid baseline for vintage DirectX 9 games (NFS Most Wanted, Half-Life 2) at 540p or 720p 30–50 FPS.
MediaTek Dimensity & ARM Mali GPUs
Devices powered by MediaTek Dimensity, Helio, or Samsung Exynos utilizing ARM Mali GPUs cannot run the Mesa Turnip driver, which is exclusive to Adreno hardware. Instead, these chipsets must rely on VirGL, Zink, or LLVMpipe software rasterizers.
What Works Well on Mali
2D titles, visual novels, point-and-click adventures, and vintage DirectDraw/DirectX 7 titles (e.g., Fallout 1/2, Age of Empires 2, Heroes of Might and Magic III).
Limitations to Expect
DirectX 10 and 11 3D games generally suffer from visual graphical artifacts, missing shaders, and low frame rates (10–20 FPS) due to driver translation overhead.
Tested PC Game Classes & Performance Expectations
Expected frame rate ranges on recommended Snapdragon 870 or 8 Gen 2 hardware.
| Game Category | DirectX Version | Representative Titles | Recommended Preset | Expected FPS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Classic 2D & Isometric | DirectDraw / DX7 | Fallout 2, Diablo II, Heroes III | CNC DDraw | 60 FPS (Flawless) |
| Early 2000s 3D | DirectX 8 / 9 | Half-Life 2, Max Payne 2, GTA San Andreas | Turnip + DXVK 2.2 | 50–60 FPS |
| Golden Era 3D RPGs | DirectX 9c | Fallout: New Vegas, TES IV: Oblivion, Mass Effect | Turnip + DXVK 2.4 | 40–60 FPS |
| Lightweight DX11 / Indie | DirectX 11 | Hollow Knight, Cuphead, Celeste, Dead Cells | Turnip + DXVK 2.4 | 60 FPS |
| Mid-Era Open World | DirectX 11 | Skyrim (Legendary), Tomb Raider 2013, Dark Souls II | Turnip + DXVK 2.4 (720p) | 30–45 FPS |
Tips to Maximize Frame Rates & Reduce Heat
- Cap Resolution to 720p (1280x720): Rendering at 1080p quadruples the pixel fill rate and quickly causes thermal throttling on mobile SoCs.
- Enable Shader Caching: Keep Turnip shader cache enabled so stutter caused by shader compilation diminishes as you explore in-game areas.
- Adjust Box64 Preset: Set Box64 to Fast or Performance in container settings to prioritize dynamic recompiler throughput.
- Use External Controllers: Playing with a Bluetooth gamepad frees your screen surface area for improved visibility and allows cooler finger placement away from the processor heat zone.