A $349 tiny PC called Windows 365 Link streams Windows from the cloud

For business users, Microsoft is launching Windows 365 Link, a small cloud PC. At only 120 x 120 x 30 mm, the device is smaller than Apple’s Mac mini and costs $349. The fanless cooling architecture and the absence of local storage capabilities are responsible for the device’s small size. One USB-C connector, three USB-A ports, HDMI, DisplayPort, Ethernet, two 4K displays, Bluetooth 5.3, and Wi-Fi 6E are just a few of the many connectivity options available on this compact computer. Microsoft has not yet disclosed the precise hardware specifications.

It is compatible with 365 Frontline, Enterprise, and Business editions of Windows 365 and requires Microsoft Intune and Entra ID. “Features like Secure Boot, the dedicated Trusted Platform Module, Hypervisor Code Integrity, BitLocker encryption, and the Microsoft Defender for Endpoint detection and response sensor can’t be turned off, further helping to secure the device,” Microsoft will lock some security options, as it does with other cloud-based solutions. Early looks will be given in the US, Canada, UK, Germany, Japan, Australia, and New Zealand prior to Microsoft’s April 2025 debut. Before December 15, 2024, companies who would like to test the gadget can sign up for the preview program by contacting their Microsoft account team.

Next year, Microsoft intends to introduce a brand-new, specially designed little PC for its Windows 365 cloud service. The $349 Windows 365 Link gadget streams a version of Windows 11 and connects to the cloud like a thin client PC.

For usage with your local monitors and accessories, the Link device is made to be a small, fanless, and user-friendly cloud PC. It is designed to be the perfect partner for Microsoft’s Windows 365 service, which enables companies to move staff members to cloud-based virtual machines that can be safely streamed to numerous devices.

In an interview with The Verge, Microsoft’s president of Windows and Surface, Pavan Davuluri, states, “We want the focus of Link to be the Windows 365 part of it.” “Our goal is to make accessing your cloud PC as easy and effective as feasible for you. We want the device itself to be as transparent as possible, therefore we try to make the setup, login, handoffs, and transitions as simple as possible for you.

By using all of Microsoft’s prior efforts to secure Windows and even the Xbox console against hackers, Windows 365 Link is designed to be safe. This implies that it will only run a lightweight operating system that is intended to get you into a Windows 365 cloud PC as fast and safely as possible, without running anything locally on the device.

Link uses its own chips to handle video for Cisco Webex or Microsoft Teams, and it can wake up from sleep in a matter of seconds. Although Microsoft has not officially released the Windows 365 Link’s complete specifications, it will be powered by an unidentified Intel processor, 64GB of storage, and 8GB of RAM. However, as it is intended to serve as a gateway to a more potent cloud PC, the internals aren’t actually that important.

In addition to a single DisplayPort, HDMI, and Ethernet port, it does have two USB-A 3.2 and one USB-C 3.2 port on the back. One USB-A 3.2 connector is located in the front, and Microsoft has also added Bluetooth 5.3 and Wi-Fi 6E wireless connectivity.

Link’s tiny Windows-based operating system can be readily integrated to Microsoft Intune with minimal setup, so IT administrators won’t need to handle it like they would a dedicated PC. In an interview with The Verge, Microsoft vice president of enterprise and OS security David Weston states, “You can think of it as a really hardened version of Windows.” “Remember, less is more whether it comes to phones or Xboxes. It is extremely streamlined and hardened because we are not required to offer Windows 32, ensuring that all operating systems are signed by Microsoft and isolated in sandboxes.

As a hot desk PC that enables several users to connect to their own cloud PCs using the same device, it appears to be perfect for companies who have already implemented Windows 365.

Similar thin client PCs are available from HP, Dell, and Lenovo for comparable prices, or even less than $349. However, Microsoft believes that its Windows 365 Link gadget is a superior substitute. “Our goal with the product’s pricing is to make it affordable for commercial clients, who have a variety of workloads and scenarios that they use today, and we believe this is a more compelling alternative,” Davuluri says.

However, there will be other manufacturers of Windows 365 Link devices besides Microsoft. “We’re starting with first-party devices and working to get the product experience right, just like we did with 2in1s,” Davuluri says. “We anticipate growing our offerings and scaling with our OEM partners in 2025 as we continue to grow the Cloud PC category.”

Additionally, this Link device will be categorized as a Microsoft Copilot Plus device. To far, the company has only been associated with its line of Copilot Plus laptops. “We are in the process of introducing Copilot Plus features and capabilities to cloud-based Windows 365 instances,” Davuluri continues.

These AI experiences in conjunction with Windows 365 Link may be another feature that sets Windows 365 apart from competing cloud PC solutions from Citrix and other companies. Currently in preview, Windows 365 Link will retail for $349 in a few areas starting in April 2025.