Microsoft have just unveiled their competitor to Google’s Chrome OS: Windows 10 S. The lightweight OS is designed to run on slower, low-end hardware without putting a strain on weaker PCs.
Introducing Windows 10 S. It’s a familiar, productive Windows experience, streamlined for security & performance. #Windows10 #MicrosoftEDU pic.twitter.com/sLNi2DHOlt
— Windows (@Windows) May 2, 2017
Much like with Chrome OS on Google’s Chromebooks, everything that runs on Windows 10 S laptops—which will release this summer with a starting price tag of $189—will have to be downloaded from the systems built-in store, in this case the Windows Store. Acer, Asus, Dell, Fujitsu, HP, Toshiba and Samsung will be working on different Windows 10 S devices for consumers this year.
Windows 10 S devices come with Office 365 apps for students and teachers as well as a free subscription of Minecraft: Education Edition for free. Schools will also be able to upgrade existing Windows devices—of older OS—to Windows 10 S for free.
Lewis is a games journalist, freelance gaming and consumer-tech journalist. They contributed 344 articles to ICXM between 2015–2017, focused on opinion pieces, game reviews, Windows and PC, and Xbox news: has since served as Editor-in-Chief at StealthOptional and Gaming Editor at MSPoweruser, with bylines at Gfinity Esports and FRVR.