New Surface Pro X - No ARM64 4 U!

Avast SecureLine VPN Avast SecureLine VPN for Windows
1

I’ve recently upgraded my mobile work device to a Surface Pro X and didn’t think that I’d miss running a lot of the applications compiled for the Intel CPUs, but whoops! I forgot about VPN!

And sure enough, Avast! doesn’t seem to have a version that installs on this platform.

As a subscriber though, I was wondering/hoping for some kind of solution. Either in the form a utilizing Windows 10 or 11’s native VPN settings with SecureLine, some ARM64 friendly version, such as a Win32 compiled version that works via emulation, or what not.

Failing that, I’ll setting for another VPN solution that is ARM64 friendly.

Help!

Thank you.

2

I’ve done some more digging, and found that NordVPN has a nice article on how to do what I thought was possible, which is to configure the native Windows 10 (and 11) VPN features to utilize their service.

https://support.nordvpn.com/Connectivity/Windows/1047410092/How-to-connect-to-NordVPN-with-IKEv2-IPSec-on-Windows-10.htm

Hopefully something like this is available for Avast?

3

I have tried to draw some attention to your topic.

Though I don’t know if Avast have any plans in this direction.

That said it would appear that the Surface Pro supports win10 and 11 so I would have thought they would be no different to windows 10 or 11 system and the Avast VPN should work on them.
See https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/surface/surface-os-choice however that talks about Commercial customers.

So if you chose something other than win10 or win11 and aren’t a Commercial customers, that said, this link says otherwise:
https://www.microsoft.com/en-gb/surface/devices/surface-pro-x/tech-specs

[4] Surface Pro X for consumers comes with Windows 10 Home to bring you the powerful Windows features you use most at exceptional value.
4

While the Surface Pro X does support (and comes with) Windows 10 as well as Windows 11, Windows does not run on an Intel processor (x64), rather it runs on a Qualcomm ARM64 based processor they made for Microsoft called SQ2 (SQ1 is also available). Since it does not run on x64 hardware architecture, it apparently does not support Windows TAP drivers, which most VPN software is dependent on.

I’m okay with not having a nice, shiny, compiled VPN application to clicky-clicky on. I have an IT background, and while a bit rusty, am willing to sludge through the Windows settings to manually configure a VPN, or even multiple VPNs as needed. So while it would be great if Avast gets around to supporting Windows ARM-based devices, a native Windows VPN walk-through would be fine for me.

I just need to run on a secure network connection. The extra hassle to set it up is totally worth it for me. I suspect it would be for others as well.

5

I have a short IT background, but that was more software than hardware.

I think the problem would be numbers, would it be worth Avast’s development costs to run on Arm64 based systems.

Lets see if we get a response to my nudge.

6

I’ve also alerted Avast via a different channel. :slight_smile:

7

Hi,

Avast SecureLine VPN is currently not compatible with ARM64, and there is, unfortunately, no workaround.
We are sorry for any inconvenience caused.