Microsoft has just unveiled the Windows 365 Link, a mini PC designed to run Windows and 365 services from the cloud. This small PC, which technically resembles a thin client, is scheduled for release in April 2025 at a price of $349, and promises to transform the way businesses approach traditional PCs. Windows is offering what it calls a “boot to cloud” system, designed to run Windows 11 solely by streaming it via Windows 365.
If the photos fail to capture the details, note that the dimensions of this PC are tiny, at just 120 x 120 x 30 mm. It’s clearly smaller than the new Mac mini. This tiny chassis houses an Intel processor with 8GB of RAM and 64GB of storage. Microsoft has yet to detail the specific Intel processor it is using, but given the nature of the device, it is likely to be a low-power processor. Indeed, the software giant is keen to stress the device’s fanless design.
We want you to be able to access your cloud PC as simply and efficiently as possible. Our aim is really for the device itself to be as transparent as possible, which is why we’re keeping the steps from configuration to connection, transfers and transitions to a minimum. (Pavan Davuluri, Head of Windows and Surface).
A ‘thin client’ that perhaps foreshadows Microsoft’s future direction
When you read the specifications for this machine, you’ll have realised that it won’t be running anything locally apart from a thin operating system designed to allow you to access a Windows 365 cloud PC as quickly and securely as possible. Obviously, without an Internet connection, this device becomes unusable. But a certain amount of vagueness remains. Microsoft mentions that the device will offer local processing for high-fidelity experiences such as Microsoft Teams and Cisco Webex meetings. There are also local settings pages for configuring peripherals such as webcams and microphones. The Windows 365 Link has two USB-A 3.2 ports and one USB-C 3.2 port at the rear, as well as a single DisplayPort and HDMI port and Ethernet connectivity. On the front, there is a single USB-A 3.2 port, and Microsoft has also included Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3 wireless connectivity.
Another argument put forward is that this device will be considered a Microsoft Copilot Plus product, a label that previously required the presence of an NPU.
We are in the process of bringing the capabilities of Copilot Plus and the features that defined Copilot Plus PC to Windows 365 instances in the cloud (Pavan Davuluri, Head of Windows and Surface).
This move by Microsoft is perhaps the first step towards a wider project combining “local” hardware and massive use of the cloud. A hybrid system supported by Windows NXT…
Launch scheduled for April 2025 at $349 (no small price), plus a subscription to Windows 365 services.
