Qualcomm X2 and NVIDIA N1 oriented Windows 11 26H1 release
Microsoft is preparing a new Windows 11 release called version 26H1 , a special build based on the Bromine platform that will ship only with next-generation Arm PCs in the first half of 2026. Unlike version 25H2, which continues on the Germanium platform, 26H1 is a full OS upgrade designed specifically for upcoming Qualcomm Snapdragon X2 and NVIDIA N1X devices, or so it is claimed by media outlets like Windows Central.
Microsoft is expected to finalize Bromine with an RTM build in the 28000 range around November 2025, with OEMs then polishing firmware and drivers ahead of launch.
26H1 is not a feature update for version 25H2 and only includes platform changes to support specific silicon. There is no action required from customers.
— Microsoft
As we can see, officially Microsoft isn’t confirming the exact silicon this version is intended for, but we already know that Snapdragon X2 series is expected to debut next year. The situation around NVIDIA N1 is a bit different.
Officially, NVIDIA never mentioned the N1 series for desktops or laptops. However NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang recently confirmed that the N1-series already appears in the DGX Spark, which is a mini-workstation system with the GB10 Blackwell SuperChip , and leaks suggest desktop N1 may share the same core configuration or something close to it. The DGX Spark, however, does not support Windows, only DGX OS, which does support gaming in some way through emulation .
Windows 11 version 26H1 is a special version of Windows 11 that is designed to bring up next-gen silicon from Qualcomm and NVIDIA. Microsoft says it’s a release that “only includes platform changes to support specific silicon” and therefore won’t ship to existing Windows 11 customers.
— Windows Central
On the Qualcomm side, Snapdragon X2 Elite and X2 Elite Extreme were announced on September 25, 2025, with the first devices planned for launch in the first half of 2026. Windows 11 version 26H1 is timed to meet that window, giving OEMs a ready platform for next-gen Arm laptops and potentially small form factor PCs built around X2 and NVIDIA’s N1X.
For now, though, 26H1 is not something existing Windows 11 users can target through Windows Update; it is a dedicated build for new hardware that will effectively debut alongside the next wave of Arm-based “AI PC” designs. Microsoft should merge support with 26H2 release in the second half of 2026, is expected.
Source: Microsoft via Windows Central
