diff --git a/c/.gitignore b/c/.gitignore
index 3d4b7041a..ff52a8037 100644
--- a/c/.gitignore
+++ b/c/.gitignore
@@ -2,3 +2,5 @@ blake3
 example
 build/
 *.o
+
+CMakeUserPresets.json
diff --git a/c/CMakeLists.txt b/c/CMakeLists.txt
index 3a3b232dc..0ea7eb855 100644
--- a/c/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/c/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -4,6 +4,10 @@ cmake_minimum_required(VERSION 3.9 FATAL_ERROR)
 if (POLICY CMP0128)
   cmake_policy(SET CMP0128 NEW)
 endif()
+# mark_as_advanced does not implicitly create UNINITIALIZED cache entries
+if (POLICY CMP0102)
+  cmake_policy(SET CMP0102 NEW)
+endif()
 
 project(libblake3
   VERSION 1.5.1
@@ -26,6 +30,13 @@ if(MSVC)
   set(BLAKE3_CFLAGS_AVX2 "/arch:AVX2" CACHE STRING "the compiler flags to enable AVX2")
   set(BLAKE3_CFLAGS_AVX512 "/arch:AVX512" CACHE STRING "the compiler flags to enable AVX512")
 
+  set(BLAKE3_AMD64_ASM_SOURCES
+    blake3_avx2_x86-64_windows_msvc.asm
+    blake3_avx512_x86-64_windows_msvc.asm
+    blake3_sse2_x86-64_windows_msvc.asm
+    blake3_sse41_x86-64_windows_msvc.asm
+  )
+
 elseif(CMAKE_C_COMPILER_ID STREQUAL "GNU"
        OR CMAKE_C_COMPILER_ID STREQUAL "Clang"
        OR CMAKE_C_COMPILER_ID STREQUAL "AppleClang")
@@ -34,6 +45,23 @@ elseif(CMAKE_C_COMPILER_ID STREQUAL "GNU"
   set(BLAKE3_CFLAGS_AVX2 "-mavx2" CACHE STRING "the compiler flags to enable AVX2")
   set(BLAKE3_CFLAGS_AVX512 "-mavx512f -mavx512vl" CACHE STRING "the compiler flags to enable AVX512")
 
+  if (WIN32)
+    set(BLAKE3_AMD64_ASM_SOURCES
+      blake3_avx2_x86-64_windows_gnu.S
+      blake3_avx512_x86-64_windows_gnu.S
+      blake3_sse2_x86-64_windows_gnu.S
+      blake3_sse41_x86-64_windows_gnu.S
+    )
+
+  elseif(UNIX)
+    set(BLAKE3_AMD64_ASM_SOURCES
+      blake3_avx2_x86-64_unix.S
+      blake3_avx512_x86-64_unix.S
+      blake3_sse2_x86-64_unix.S
+      blake3_sse41_x86-64_unix.S
+    )
+  endif()
+
   if (CMAKE_SYSTEM_PROCESSOR IN_LIST BLAKE3_ARMv8_NAMES
       AND NOT CMAKE_SIZEOF_VOID_P EQUAL 8)
     # 32-bit ARMv8 needs NEON to be enabled explicitly
@@ -41,6 +69,47 @@ elseif(CMAKE_C_COMPILER_ID STREQUAL "GNU"
   endif()
 endif()
 
+mark_as_advanced(BLAKE3_CFLAGS_SSE2 BLAKE3_CFLAGS_SSE4.1 BLAKE3_CFLAGS_AVX2 BLAKE3_CFLAGS_AVX512 BLAKE3_CFLAGS_NEON)
+mark_as_advanced(BLAKE3_AMD64_ASM_SOURCES)
+
+message(STATUS "BLAKE3 SIMD configuration: ${CMAKE_C_COMPILER_ARCHITECTURE_ID}")
+if(MSVC AND DEFINED CMAKE_C_COMPILER_ARCHITECTURE_ID)
+  if(CMAKE_C_COMPILER_ARCHITECTURE_ID MATCHES "[Xx]86")
+    set(BLAKE3_SIMD_TYPE "x86-intrinsics" CACHE STRING "the SIMD acceleration type to use")
+
+  elseif(CMAKE_C_COMPILER_ARCHITECTURE_ID MATCHES "[Xx]64")
+    set(BLAKE3_SIMD_TYPE "amd64-asm" CACHE STRING "the SIMD acceleration type to use")
+
+  elseif(CMAKE_C_COMPILER_ARCHITECTURE_ID MATCHES "[Aa][Rr][Mm]64")
+    set(BLAKE3_SIMD_TYPE "neon-intrinsics" CACHE STRING "the SIMD acceleration type to use")
+
+  else()
+    set(BLAKE3_SIMD_TYPE "none" CACHE STRING "the SIMD acceleration type to use")
+  endif()
+
+elseif(CMAKE_SYSTEM_PROCESSOR IN_LIST BLAKE3_AMD64_NAMES)
+  set(BLAKE3_SIMD_TYPE "amd64-asm" CACHE STRING "the SIMD acceleration type to use")
+
+elseif(CMAKE_SYSTEM_PROCESSOR IN_LIST BLAKE3_X86_NAMES
+       AND DEFINED BLAKE3_CFLAGS_SSE2
+       AND DEFINED BLAKE3_CFLAGS_SSE4.1
+       AND DEFINED BLAKE3_CFLAGS_AVX2
+       AND DEFINED BLAKE3_CFLAGS_AVX512)
+  set(BLAKE3_SIMD_TYPE "x86-intrinsics" CACHE STRING "the SIMD acceleration type to use")
+
+elseif((CMAKE_SYSTEM_PROCESSOR IN_LIST BLAKE3_ARMv8_NAMES
+          OR ANDROID_ABI STREQUAL "armeabi-v7a"
+          OR BLAKE3_USE_NEON_INTRINSICS)
+        AND (DEFINED BLAKE3_CFLAGS_NEON
+          OR CMAKE_SIZEOF_VOID_P EQUAL 8))
+  set(BLAKE3_SIMD_TYPE "neon-intrinsics" CACHE STRING "the SIMD acceleration type to use")
+
+else()
+  set(BLAKE3_SIMD_TYPE "none" CACHE STRING "the SIMD acceleration type to use")
+endif()
+
+mark_as_advanced(BLAKE3_SIMD_TYPE)
+
 # library target
 add_library(blake3
   blake3.c
@@ -76,63 +145,25 @@ if (NOT POLICY CMP0128 AND NOT DEFINED CMAKE_C_STANDARD)
 endif()
 
 # optional SIMD sources
-macro(BLAKE3_DISABLE_SIMD)
-  set(BLAKE3_SIMD_AMD64_ASM OFF)
-  set(BLAKE3_SIMD_X86_INTRINSICS OFF)
-  set(BLAKE3_SIMD_NEON_INTRINSICS OFF)
-  target_compile_definitions(blake3 PRIVATE
-    BLAKE3_USE_NEON=0
-    BLAKE3_NO_SSE2
-    BLAKE3_NO_SSE41
-    BLAKE3_NO_AVX2
-    BLAKE3_NO_AVX512
-  )
-endmacro()
-
-if(CMAKE_SYSTEM_PROCESSOR IN_LIST BLAKE3_AMD64_NAMES OR BLAKE3_USE_AMD64_ASM)
+if(BLAKE3_SIMD_TYPE STREQUAL "amd64-asm")
+  if (NOT DEFINED BLAKE3_AMD64_ASM_SOURCES)
+    message(FATAL_ERROR "BLAKE3_SIMD_TYPE is set to 'amd64-asm' but no assembly sources are available for the target architecture.")
+  endif()
   set(BLAKE3_SIMD_AMD64_ASM ON)
 
   if(MSVC)
     enable_language(ASM_MASM)
-    target_sources(blake3 PRIVATE
-      blake3_avx2_x86-64_windows_msvc.asm
-      blake3_avx512_x86-64_windows_msvc.asm
-      blake3_sse2_x86-64_windows_msvc.asm
-      blake3_sse41_x86-64_windows_msvc.asm
-    )
+  endif()
 
-  elseif(CMAKE_C_COMPILER_ID STREQUAL "GNU"
-         OR CMAKE_C_COMPILER_ID STREQUAL "Clang"
-         OR CMAKE_C_COMPILER_ID STREQUAL "AppleClang")
-    if (WIN32)
-      target_sources(blake3 PRIVATE
-        blake3_avx2_x86-64_windows_gnu.S
-        blake3_avx512_x86-64_windows_gnu.S
-        blake3_sse2_x86-64_windows_gnu.S
-        blake3_sse41_x86-64_windows_gnu.S
-      )
-
-    elseif(UNIX)
-      target_sources(blake3 PRIVATE
-        blake3_avx2_x86-64_unix.S
-        blake3_avx512_x86-64_unix.S
-        blake3_sse2_x86-64_unix.S
-        blake3_sse41_x86-64_unix.S
-      )
-
-    else()
-      BLAKE3_DISABLE_SIMD()
-    endif()
+  target_sources(blake3 PRIVATE ${BLAKE3_AMD64_ASM_SOURCES})
 
-  else()
-    BLAKE3_DISABLE_SIMD()
+elseif(BLAKE3_SIMD_TYPE STREQUAL "x86-intrinsics")
+  if (NOT DEFINED BLAKE3_CFLAGS_SSE2
+      OR NOT DEFINED BLAKE3_CFLAGS_SSE4.1
+      OR NOT DEFINED BLAKE3_CFLAGS_AVX2
+      OR NOT DEFINED BLAKE3_CFLAGS_AVX512)
+    message(FATAL_ERROR "BLAKE3_SIMD_TYPE is set to 'x86-intrinsics' but no compiler flags are available for the target architecture.")
   endif()
-
-elseif((CMAKE_SYSTEM_PROCESSOR IN_LIST BLAKE3_X86_NAMES OR BLAKE3_USE_X86_INTRINSICS)
-       AND DEFINED BLAKE3_CFLAGS_SSE2
-       AND DEFINED BLAKE3_CFLAGS_SSE4.1
-       AND DEFINED BLAKE3_CFLAGS_AVX2
-       AND DEFINED BLAKE3_CFLAGS_AVX512)
   set(BLAKE3_SIMD_X86_INTRINSICS ON)
 
   target_sources(blake3 PRIVATE
@@ -146,11 +177,7 @@ elseif((CMAKE_SYSTEM_PROCESSOR IN_LIST BLAKE3_X86_NAMES OR BLAKE3_USE_X86_INTRIN
   set_source_files_properties(blake3_sse2.c PROPERTIES COMPILE_FLAGS "${BLAKE3_CFLAGS_SSE2}")
   set_source_files_properties(blake3_sse41.c PROPERTIES COMPILE_FLAGS "${BLAKE3_CFLAGS_SSE4.1}")
 
-elseif((CMAKE_SYSTEM_PROCESSOR IN_LIST BLAKE3_ARMv8_NAMES
-          OR ANDROID_ABI STREQUAL "armeabi-v7a"
-          OR BLAKE3_USE_NEON_INTRINSICS)
-        AND (DEFINED BLAKE3_CFLAGS_NEON
-          OR CMAKE_SIZEOF_VOID_P EQUAL 8))
+elseif(BLAKE3_SIMD_TYPE STREQUAL "neon-intrinsics")
   set(BLAKE3_SIMD_NEON_INTRINSICS ON)
 
   target_sources(blake3 PRIVATE
@@ -164,8 +191,17 @@ elseif((CMAKE_SYSTEM_PROCESSOR IN_LIST BLAKE3_ARMv8_NAMES
     set_source_files_properties(blake3_neon.c PROPERTIES COMPILE_FLAGS "${BLAKE3_CFLAGS_NEON}")
   endif()
 
+elseif(BLAKE3_SIMD_TYPE STREQUAL "none")
+  target_compile_definitions(blake3 PRIVATE
+    BLAKE3_USE_NEON=0
+    BLAKE3_NO_SSE2
+    BLAKE3_NO_SSE41
+    BLAKE3_NO_AVX2
+    BLAKE3_NO_AVX512
+  )
+
 else()
-  BLAKE3_DISABLE_SIMD()
+  message(FATAL_ERROR "BLAKE3_SIMD_TYPE is set to an unknown value: '${BLAKE3_SIMD_TYPE}'")
 endif()
 
 # cmake install support
@@ -198,6 +234,7 @@ install(FILES "${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}/libblake3.pc"
   DESTINATION "${CMAKE_INSTALL_LIBDIR}/pkgconfig")
 
 # print feature summary
+# add_feature_info cannot directly use the BLAKE3_SIMD_TYPE :(
 add_feature_info("AMD64 assembly" BLAKE3_SIMD_AMD64_ASM "The library uses hand written amd64 SIMD assembly.")
 add_feature_info("x86 SIMD intrinsics" BLAKE3_SIMD_X86_INTRINSICS "The library uses x86 SIMD intrinsics.")
 add_feature_info("NEON SIMD intrinsics" BLAKE3_SIMD_NEON_INTRINSICS "The library uses NEON SIMD intrinsics.")
diff --git a/c/CMakePresets.json b/c/CMakePresets.json
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..ffb35db0b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/c/CMakePresets.json
@@ -0,0 +1,73 @@
+{
+    "version": 3,
+    "cmakeMinimumRequired": {
+        "major": 3,
+        "minor": 22,
+        "patch": 0
+    },
+    "configurePresets": [
+        {
+            "name": "base",
+            "hidden": true,
+            "binaryDir": "${sourceDir}/build/${presetName}"
+        },
+        {
+            "name": "msvc",
+            "hidden": true,
+            "generator": "Visual Studio 17 2022",
+            "vendor": {
+                "microsoft.com/VisualStudioSettings/CMake/1.0": {
+                    "hostOS": [
+                        "Windows"
+                    ]
+                }
+            }
+        },
+        {
+            "name": "x64-windows-msvc",
+            "inherits": [
+                "msvc",
+                "base"
+            ],
+            "architecture": "x64"
+        },
+        {
+            "name": "x86-windows-msvc",
+            "inherits": [
+                "msvc",
+                "base"
+            ],
+            "architecture": "Win32"
+        },
+        {
+            "name": "arm64-windows-msvc",
+            "inherits": [
+                "msvc",
+                "base"
+            ],
+            "architecture": "ARM64"
+        }
+    ],
+    "buildPresets": [
+        {
+            "name": "x64-windows-msvc-debug",
+            "configurePreset": "x64-windows-msvc",
+            "configuration": "Debug"
+        },
+        {
+            "name": "x64-windows-msvc-release",
+            "configurePreset": "x64-windows-msvc",
+            "configuration": "RelWithDebInfo"
+        },
+        {
+            "name": "x86-windows-msvc-debug",
+            "configurePreset": "x86-windows-msvc",
+            "configuration": "Debug"
+        },
+        {
+            "name": "x86-windows-msvc-release",
+            "configurePreset": "x86-windows-msvc",
+            "configuration": "RelWithDebInfo"
+        }
+    ]
+}
\ No newline at end of file