Microsoft Announces Windows 10 S To Take On The Likes Of Chrome OS

Microsoft has today unveiled its third consumer version of Windows 10, and it’s probably not quite what you’re expecting. Called Windows 10 S, this version of Microsoft’s latest (and greatest?) OS caters to the same crowd that mulls Chrome OS as a potential choice. It’s whittled-down in comparison to the full-blown Windows 10 or Windows 10 Pro, but the price, which will be tied to OEM devices, will complement that.

The company believes that computers sporting Windows 10 S will start out at around the $189 mark, which is downright impressive. It also sounds outlandish, to a certain degree, but Acer helps prove that a lot of computer can be packed into a modest price. The company has just announced a $299 convertible laptop that supports four different modes (laptop, stand, tent, tablet), includes a stylus, and comes with the promise of 13 hours of battery-life. That sounds like an incredible value, despite the caveats.

Speaking of caveats, Windows 10 S has a handful of them. With its design, Windows 10 S is similar in theory to Windows RT, except that because these new devices will have an x86 processor – not ARM – software support won’t be that poor. But that leads us to another potential problem: the only applications that can be downloaded to a Windows 10 S device must come from the Windows Store. That means that while your x86 software could run without issue, it’s not going to be installable unless the developer produces a special version for the Windows Store (note: this does not mean it needs to be a UWP application).

Interestingly, despite all that this Windows 10 S version lacks, it manages to introduce a couple of features that would be great to see on the bigger versions. The initial setup process after installation, for example, doesn’t take minutes, but instead seconds, and further, plugging in a special USB key after installation can configure the OS based on the data found on the drive. This feature is really targeted at IT managers who must set up every single notebook on their own (or as a team), reducing the tedium quite a bit.

Acer’s TravelMate Spin B1 includes Windows 10 S

Other perks Windows 10 S brings to the table include a free Office 365 education subscription for students and teachers, and for a bit of fun or experimentation, a free subscription to Minecraft: Education Edition.

Because Windows 10 S is such a focused release, it’s not going to become available to the regular consumer. Instead, it’ll become exclusive to devices which are sold for the purpose of education. That’s somewhat unfortunate, as Acer’s TravelMate Spin B1, at $300, sounds like an awesome deal for its featureset.