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Microsoft’s new enterprise-grade mini PC, the Windows 365 Link, is made exclusively for running Windows from the cloud.
Microsoft just gave us a glimpse of an upcoming mini PC built solely to run Windows 365, a streamable version of Windows that runs off the cloud. The box costs $349 and is designed to “improve user productivity, enhance security, increase IT efficiency, and advance sustainability,” according to Microsoft.
The Windows 365 Link is compact and lightweight and optimized to boot or wake from sleep within seconds. It’s small at just 4.72in x 4.72in x 1.18in, which makes it an unobtrusive addition to any work desk. It can run up to two 4K monitors (one through HDMI and another through DisplayPort), and features Wi-Fi 6e and Bluetooth 5.3 alongside wired connectivity options such as Ethernet and four USB (three Type-A and one Type-C) ports.
Since the performance of your virtual machine powered by Windows 365 depends on your enterprise plan, the PC’s hardware won’t matter much. However, Microsoft says the local processor enables “high-performance video playback and conferencing,” especially when using Teams or Cisco’s Webex app.
The Windows 365 Link runs a bare bones operating system, but without any local data or local admin access. This prevents any local code injections and eliminates backdoor entries. Microsoft adds the PC will be easier for IT admins to connect and manage, so long as Microsoft Intune and Microsoft Entra ID are set up. The mini PC also updates automatically in the background, eliminating the need for special attention from admins.
The Windows 365 Link is an interesting proposition, but mostly for its form factor and not its price. Asking $349 for a device that simply loads Windows from a remote server might be too much to ask from some customers, especially since other companies already sell PCs with local Windows in similar form factors at comparable prices. It also pales in front of the new Apple’s $599 Mac Mini M4, which has been lauded for its exceptional value—a felicitation Apple products don’t always get.
However, Microsoft has a different end goal in mind. While the Windows 365 Link is the first device of its kind, the tech giant is partnering with more OEMs to build different “endpoints and form factors.” Microsoft could eventually also be looking to upsell AI services to enterprise clients without them having to upgrade hardware.
The Windows 365 Link is currently available in the form of a limited preview for enterprise clients in the US, Australia, Canada, Germany, Japan, New Zealand, and the UK. It will be more widely available starting April 2025, though a comparable consumer-grade solution may be off the cards for now.
