Microsoft is launching a $349 desktop PC that only runs Windows 11 by streaming it from the cloud — is this the future of desktop computing?

[Windows Central]

Microsoft has unveiled a $349 desktop PC, designed to exclusively run Windows 11 via the cloud with Windows 365.

Microsoft is launching a $349 desktop PC that only runs Windows 11 by streaming it from the cloud — is this the future of desktop computing? : Read more

 

[TheFerrango]

A Windows thin client 2.0. Who knows, perhaps this time around the market will welcome it

 

[fjtorres5591]

Reminds me of the Oracle NC.
And just like the NC it costs as much as a fully functional PC.
Unless the security functions are really strong and the "limited local" functionality isn't too limited it will suffer the same fate.

 

[coffee-turtle]

The Future of Terminals [re-title]

All I need to know:

1) Without an internet connection, this device becomes unusable
2) doesn’t store user data or run apps locally

 

[Kaymd]

I can see this being useful if it's a real pay-as-you-go service.

I'm certainly not interested in yet another subscription service, to add to the numerous other subscriptions we are already saddled with.

But if it works like the occasional one-time payment whenever I need it, while it preserves my documents, settings etc. even when I am not actively subscribed, it can be very useful.

 

[fjtorres5591]

I can see this being useful if it's a real pay-as-you-go service.

I'm certainly not interested in yet another subscription service, to add to the numerous other subscriptions we are already saddled with.

But if it works like the occasional one-time payment whenever I need it, while it preserves my documents, settings etc. even when I am not actively subscribed, it can be very useful.

Well, the PC-as-a-service provider doesn't have to save your data, just let you link to your cloud storage provider.

You won't get a pay per use service from MS (they're not going to undercut themselves) but some enterprising internet cafe could *theoretically* offer such a service but many already do...using their own local hardware.

 

[fjtorres5591]

There probably is a market for this, somewhere, but the form factor is suboptimal.

The preferred form factor would be a clamshell or an All-in-1 with integral keyboard and touchpad/touchscreen.

At $349 it still requires a display, a mouse, and keyboard. That raises the price to the $500+ range and increases the number of objects to be tracked by the property manager. Non-trivial problem/cost for a big org.

It is a big step up from the old NC, which couldn't run arbitrary apps, whether off the shelf or corporate, but it doesn't go far enough in simplifying local device management. Given that low-end laptops still run sub-$500, a properly configured Windows S unit with Windows 365 comes closer to corporate nirvana than this model.

Back to the drawing board: NXT might be desirable but there's still work to be done on the hardware.