Yesterday, Microsoft announced the Surface Laptop, a product designed and specifically targeted at University students. The device, which is meticulously designed draws a lot of comparisons to the rather tepid Apple MacBook, itself a small form factor device coming in at around the same price. The major difference, however, is the fact that the MacBook features inferior hardware. But for comparison’s sake, they’re aimed at the same group of people.
So, yesterday Microsoft took the fight to Apple launching a superior device at a lower entry point to that of their biggest competitor in this space. However, the main sticking point for many was the fact that the device is being launched with a version of Windows 10 that severely limits what you can do with the device. I’m talking about Windows 10 S.
Why Windows 10 S?
Windows 10 S comes from the same thought process as the ill-fated Windows RT, which launched in 2012 alongside the equally disastrous Surface RT. Back then, Windows 8 was the bane of Microsoft’s existence and consumers weren’t enamored by the messaging—or lack thereof—that the tablet device could not run your classic applications. There was no way to fix that fact at that point in time as well, forcing users to adapt their usage patterns around a rather useless version of Internet Explorer and the very limited storefront.
But it seems Microsoft have learned from these mistakes. With Windows 10 S, the user is in full control over what they want to do with the device from the start. If you’re like me, and barely use anything other than a browser and a couple of apps here and there—including Office—the Windows 10 S limitation is perfect, as it keeps the system insanely secure and free from the risk of accidentally installing bloatware that may hamper your performance over time. Microsoft expressly stated that the device—running under Windows 10 S—will remain in the same state performance wise, years after you start using the device.
But, if you’re a power user—whom the device is not aimed at firstly—you can upgrade easily to Pro-Mode, in other words, upgrade to Windows 10 Pro, and all your applications would work as normal. Now, Microsoft has thrown in an additional treat, by offering this upgrade for free if you purchase the device, within the first year or so.
Now, why did they make this distinction? If you listened to Microsoft’s message during their keynote is that they want to ensure that when you do make the investment into the Surface Laptop, that you won’t have to struggle to keep the device running optimally. Moreover, limiting the device to a browser and games/apps that are vetted by Microsoft, keeps the system running optimally for years, ensuring that you do not lose any time during lectures/meetings waiting for the device to start up. In my case, I have an HP running Windows 10 Pro, and it takes a few minutes just to get to the login screen when I wake it up, so I fully understand the concept they’re going for.
If Microsoft were to offer two flavors of the said laptop to consumers, that would confuse them more than the concept that they have to upgrade to Pro if they wanted to install iTunes, the Apple malware that is the biggest security threat on Windows aside from Adobe Flash and Reader. By offering one device, they force the consumer to use the device in Windows 10 S to see if their usage patterns justify the additional upgrade to Windows 10 Pro. As someone who has seen, and worked with consumers using laptops in the past, before giving that up completely, I know full well how quickly a consumer can drag down the performance of said laptop within less than a week. Microsoft knows this, as they jokingly referred to in their keynote, Windows 10 S is there to offer these consumers a better way of working, rather than giving them unfettered access to whatever flashes on their screen at any point in time.
Now, obviously, the main drag on this concept is the Windows 10 Store at present. The store is quite limited in what it offers to the consumer, and this won’t change overnight. But as we all know, we mainly use the browser for most of our workflow, and the few apps that aren’t available in the store will be a bummer to those who do go for the Surface Laptop. But as I’ve mentioned, upgrading to Windows 10 Pro is a few clicks away, if said app is critical to your daily routine. If not, then there will be no hair off your back.
It remains to be seen how successful this concept is for Microsoft, but at least this time around, if it fails, your $999 (or more) investment won’t be relegated to the dumpster of technology. You’ll just move forward without Windows 10 S and go Pro. For some, it may be a hard sell mainly because of the Windows 10 S limitation, but to me, that is quite strange since it can be changed when you start the device. For those lamenting the fact that the device doesn’t feature gaming-level hardware, well there are other Surface devices for that, and if those do not fit your fancy, HP and Dell have got your back. Remember, it’s crucial to remember that the device, like the Apple MacBook, is aimed at people who need a daily driver for light workloads, or light gaming. Not every Surface device will be a one-size-fits-all product.
Dreyer was a regular ICXM contributor between 2016–2017, publishing 139 articles across opinion pieces, game reviews, Windows and PC, and Xbox news. Their work focused on hands-on reviews, platform commentary, and breaking-news reporting during the Xbox One X launch year and Microsoft’s wider Play Anywhere / UWP gaming initiative. They post on X as @dreyer_smit.