Microsoft has unveiled a new type of laptop, the Surface Laptop. What’s the latest? This machine is running Windows 10 S, the latest version of Windows.
What is the new Windows 10 version? It’s designed to compete with Google’s Chromebooks. These are relatively weak machines that run Chrome OS. This operating system is unique but not unrecognizable.
It is familiar because it includes Google-made software and web services that many of us are already used to: Gmail and Google Docs and Google Sheets. The popularity of Chromebooks in education is mainly due to three factors: the laptops can handle any task that students might need, the software is easy to use, and the most important — the Chromebooks are affordable, sometimes even dirt cheap.
While some Chromebooks cost more than Windows 10, they are usually less expensive than the Windows 10 models. If someone is looking for a laptop that does not require any significant computing power, such as editing or gaming, then they would choose to buy a new Windows 10 laptop over the more affordable Chromebooks. The answer is probably obvious.
The new Surface Laptop comes with Windows 10 S and is designed to compete against Chromebooks. The problem is that Microsoft’s new machine costs $999.
The majority of Chromebooks, 90 percent, are priced below $300. Chromebooks are already the winners in this regard. Who does Microsoft think the new machine is for, then?
It’s not for power users. Windows 10 S is very similar to Windows 10, but it isn’t Windows 10. It can’t run desktop apps from the Windows Store. Although third-party developers can convert desktop apps using the Universal Windows Platform to run on Windows 10 S due to the difficulty of porting them, it’s unlikely that many will bother.
Windows 10 S doesn’t allow you to run Adobe Photoshop, WhatsApp or OpenVPN software. This is a major dealbreaker for some. This is a $999 phone. It can’t run Photoshop desktop version.
Microsoft claims that the Surface Laptop is only for students. The Surface Laptop is for students who are looking to buy a durable laptop to withstand the rigors of higher education. It’s intended to be a companion for a lifetime, not something you can just replace every few months.
The Surface Laptop has some advantages, despite Microsoft’s bizarre decision to target college students using a $999 machine. The Surface Laptop comes with a 13.5-inch PixelSense Touch display and Intel’s seventh-generation processors. It also has 14.5 hours of battery-life. Base model includes 4GB RAM and a 128GB SSD. It is compatible with Surface Dial for offscreen control.
These specs will be more than sufficient for an average college student. It’s not difficult to imagine them looking elsewhere at this price.