Forget the Surface Laptop and Surface Pro, Microsoft is launching a new kind of PC.
A few months after launching a new range of PCs - the Copilot+ - Microsoft is back with an even more unusual machine. This machine follows on from the August 2021 launch of Windows 365 Cloud PC. The idea then was to take advantage of cloud computing to change the way we work with a set of "cloud services", as opposed to the perpetual licenses previously used by Microsoft. To further simplify access to its cloud services, Microsoft has come up with a new machine, the Windows 365 Link.
Taking the form of a small box with a minimalist design reminiscent of Apple products in general, and the Mac mini in particular, the Windows 365 Link presents itself as the perfect gateway between a Windows 11 PC hosted via Windows 365 and users. The little machine boasts simple connectivity, but perfect for the business environment for which it is primarily intended: USB-A and USB-C, DisplayPort and HDMI as well as Ethernet for the indispensable network connectivity. Of course, wireless is also on the agenda, with WiFi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3. Microsoft also stresses the minimalist aspect of the software: there's no question of offering cheap applications, but rather of limiting programs to solutions validated by Microsoft in order to secure the workspace as much as possible. Microsoft makes no secret of the fact: " Windows 365 Link puts security first ".
Microsoft Windows 365 Link © Microsoft
As the firm explains in its presentation, " the device features a locked-down operating system with no local data or applications, and no local administrator users. By eliminating local data and applications, as well as administrator rights, Windows 365 Link significantly reduces the attack surface, making it harder for malicious actors to compromise the device. Windows 365 Link also provides password-free authentication using Microsoft Entra ID. This allows users to log in with multi-factor authentication using the Microsoft Authenticator application, a multi-device access key using a QR code, or a FIDO USB security key." Another advantage: IT management is greatly simplified via the Microsoft Intune application, which perfectly combines Windows 365 Link and "normal" PCs.
Finally, Microsoft highlights another advantage, explaining that " the compact, lightweight design of Windows 365 Link makes it easy to ship directly to users, reducing logistical challenges and costs ". For these users, the advantage is obviously that they have a ready-to-use machine that is easy to configure, and can be up and running in a matter of seconds. Windows 365 Link is designed to be very affordable: it sells for $349 and is already available in Australia, Canada, Germany, Japan, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the United States. Other markets (France?) should be covered by the product in April 2025.
Finally, it's quite possible that Windows 365 Link will be the occasion of a more profound change for Microsoft. According to the American company, quoted by Windows Central, the device would run a minimalist version of its operating system. A lighter version of Windows CorePC, codenamed NXT. It would not be able to run the Windows applications we know and would be Web-centric.
