Gaming on Android tablets is about to get a major boost, as Xiaomi has unveiled its new WinPlay Engine, a system designed to run Windows PC games directly on its Android devices. Unlike cloud gaming services, WinPlay operates entirely on-device, eliminating the need for an internet connection. The company claims that the system achieves a remarkably low GPU performance loss of just 2.9%, a promising figure for gamers looking to enjoy PC titles on the go.
WinPlay is particularly exciting because it supports Steam, one of the largest game distribution platforms in the world. This suggests that other PC game storefronts could also work, though full compatibility is not guaranteed—some games may still experience issues, even as they do on native Windows PCs. Xiaomi has yet to provide a definitive list of supported titles, but early tests indicate that many games run smoothly.
To test the waters, Xiaomi is currently recruiting beta testers for WinPlay, but there’s a catch—the program is exclusive to China and limited to owners of the Xiaomi Pad 6S Pro 12.4. This high-end tablet is equipped with a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset and comes in 8GB, 12GB, and 16GB RAM variants. The company has not disclosed the minimum RAM requirement for WinPlay, but given the demands of modern PC games, higher configurations will likely provide a better experience.
A glimpse into the system’s performance was shared by Zhang Guoquan, Director of Xiaomi Mobile System Software Department. He revealed that Tomb Raider: Game of the Year Edition runs at an average of 45 FPS on the Pad 6S Pro, with a total power consumption of 8.3W—a surprisingly efficient result for an emulated PC game on an Android tablet.
Additionally, well-known leaker Digital Chat Station shared a short video demonstrating Need for Speed: Most Wanted (Limited Edition) running on the tablet. The game appears to be working seamlessly with an Xbox controller, and Xiaomi has confirmed that keyboard and mouse support are also included, making the experience even more PC-like.
While WinPlay is currently being tested on tablets, Xiaomi has yet to announce whether it will extend support to smartphones. The company’s HyperOS 2 already includes a Workstation Mode for tablets, enabling desktop-like multitasking with resizable windows. However, Xiaomi has not confirmed any equivalent features for phones, so for now, the focus remains on tablets.
If Xiaomi succeeds in making WinPlay a viable alternative to cloud gaming and traditional PC setups, it could significantly impact the gaming industry, particularly for those who prefer mobile devices but still want access to their Windows game library. The beta testing phase will provide critical feedback, but early signs suggest that Xiaomi is making serious strides toward bringing PC gaming to Android in a way that has never been done before.
