Microsoft's first ever Windows 11 desktop PC costs just $349, but there is a catch
Microsoft has released a lot of hardware throughout the years. Prominent examples are the company's Surface line of Windows devices, but also peripherals and other hardware.
Today, Microsoft announced its very first desktop PC. It is special for a number of reasons. The three big reasons are the price of the device, what it offers, and who it is designed for.
Windows 365 Link from Microsoft
Microsoft says that it will sell the Windows 365 Link" PC for $349. This includes a Windows 11 license. A Windows 11 PC for that little? It must be a really barebones system then, right?
It is, but not one that is comparable to relatively cheap desktop PCS. Here is why:
Windows 365 Link is tiny. It has a size of 12 x 12 cm and is just 3 cm high. It looks like a box that you place under your TV to stream content to it. And that is pretty much what this device does.
It is a PC that streams Windows from the cloud. So, you do need Internet connectivity to boot into Windows. Microsoft describes the system as a "locked-down operating system with no local data or apps, and no local admin users".
As far as availability is concerned, Windows 365 Link is a device for Enterprise and Education customers only at this point. Means, it is only available for organizations that use Windows 365 with Microsoft Intune and Microsoft Entra ID, and that meet all other requirements of Windows 365.
Here are the details about the device that Microsoft revealed today:
- Price: $349
- Processor: Intel
- RAM: 8 gigabyte
- Storage: 64 gigabyte
- Connectivity: Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3, HDMI port, DisplayPort, Ethernet port, three USB-A and one USB-C ports, audio jack.
Microsoft claims that the device's processing power is enough for "high-performance video playback and conferencing".
It is available as a preview in select markets already. Microsoft lists United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Germany, Japan, Australia, and New Zealand. It will become generally available next year.
The Windows 365 Link is the first device of its kind, but Microsoft already hinted that it is working on additional devices with other form factors.
Closing Words
Like it or not, but cloud PCs will will be established as an option in the coming years. While Windows 365 Link is designed for Enterprise customers, it is possible that Microsoft is already working on a device for consumers.
Certain activities may not require access to a local operating system. A cloud PC optimized for gaming, web browsing, or shopping may work well for some. The tradeoff is that you give up control of the device.
Would you buy a Microsoft 365 Link PC if it would become available for $349? Or are you in the "hell needs to freeze" before I use such a device camp? Feel free to leave a comment down below.
You vill own nothing and you VILL be happy.
@Martin
Does it come with the monitor, kb, and mouse?
No, just the box.
Interesting to see that most commentators here have no idea who this device is for. And this probably will have a big market for some companies.
Yup!
“Would you buy a Microsoft 365 Link PC if it would become available for $349?”
No, but if you should wish to donate one or more of them for free, I would be more than willing to livestream me defecating on the PC just prior to smashing it into thousands of pieces.
I would never buy it but I can see the market for it. It’s basically competing with a chromebook.
64GB of storage? What a deal!
Oh, wait… No. My 11-year old PC has a 2TB hard drive. Come on.
No wonder it’s so cheap. They can’t even bother to keep up with the specs of PCs from over a decade ago. (My RAM is also twice as fast. Put that into perspective.)
You’ll be able to watch the subscription fees constantly rise, as the desktop is simultaneously more and more overtaken by advertisements like mold on a slice of bread. lol
Think logically and critically for a second here. They are already putting ads on your lock screen and in your start menu. And that’s on your fully standalone (for now) and privately owned (well not really) PC. Once they have you in a position where the entire computer is streamed to you and all you have is a dumb box that can’t do anything without a connection to their online services, things will get much, much worse.
Basically the modern television.
Imagine how much they will be able to track you and bombard you with targeted spamvertisements in your menus, on your desktop and on your lock screen now, all while charging you a monthly fee to experience the above!
Microsoft is doing Chromebook for Windows with even more restrictions. Thanks but no thanks.
Instead of the hell-freeze-over camp, I’m in the Linux runs better now than Windows camp. So, no sale.
People with a brain wouldnt use this even if MS gave it for free.
Its an locked down online-only scam with subscription payments hiding in plain sight that cant even run your steam games. No internet or someone changed the password elsewhere -> no more access to your now useless brick.
If people want minimalist, a preassembled Pi will run everything you need locally and at the highest privacy and performance standards. Otherwise, for the same price you could be getting a proper laptop that has a screen and can be used everywhere instead of this trash that requires access to a monitor and is worse than chromebooks – purge it of windows and install linux
Actually, if I can get it for free, I would be able to use it for some secondary tasks or as backup if something wrong happens to the main computer. But definitely would not buy it as every day computer.
For $350 you can buy a fairly decent mini PC or laptop that runs a real OS and won’t turn into a brick when your internet connection is on the fritz.
This is bad value for money even before factoring the monthly costs of the cloud instance.
And MS knows it, which is why they’re advertising this only to education and businesses, hoping to woo a clueless exec that doesn’t know or care because they’re not spending their own money.
Yes, not sure why even a business/educational institution would go for a computer that relies 100% on an Internet connection. If the connection goes down, which in business and education happens freqeuntly, what to do?
There are lots of mini-PCs that look like great deals to me:
Example: https://www.geekompc.com/geekom-mini-it12-mini-pc/
The Beelink brand doesn’t look awful; ZDNet has a few recommendations:
https://www.zdnet.com/article/best-mini-pc/
Black Friday deals abound, and I’ve been wanting to replace an old Optiplex 790 that I use as a Linux box with something new.
Regular Windows is dumb enough. Why would anyone want to buy an even dumber version?
It’s a glorified dumb terminal relying on a server to connect too for all of its operation. This is Microsoft dream for a perpetual Windows as a service fee platform. The only entity benefitting from this model is Microsoft. Sure, I am for off loading some stuff to the cloud if you choose to do so. But relying almost exclusively on a network connection is just asking for trouble. No thanks Microsoft.
Why would anyone fall for this subscription scam? With ThinOS, Dell and Lenovo have already taken care of this, and you are not enslaved in Microsoft’s traps. Microsoft is probably going to kill it in a few years, leaving businesses stranded.
Microsoft has completely lost touch with its customers. Instead of making a competitor to the Mac Mini, they produced a useless cloud-based thin client. This business has grown into a huge joke due to its stupidity. This new manager of Surface products needs to be fired. Even though I detest Apple products, I would rather spend a few more dollars on a Mac Mini.
Let me see… a locked down MS-only (more or less) machine, or a cheap expandable lappie like an Asus Vivobook for same budget? The ASUS – Vivobook Go 15.6″ Laptop (Celeron N4500, 4GB, 128GB) L510KA-ES04 is $230 at BestBuy, and after allowing $20 to expand the RAM it’s still $100 cheaper.