Microsoft has announced its first-ever device designed to exclusively run Windows 365. Called Windows 365 Link, this tiny computer is only ever meant to be a vessel for a Windows 365 cloud PC, meaning it has no usable operating system of its own. The device is available to business customers in select countries through a preview program starting today.
What's the difference between Windows 11 and Windows 365?
Microsoft recently announced both Windows 11 and Windows 365. They're radically different products, though, and meant for different people.
Windows 365 Link
A PC without the PC
At first glance, the Windows 365 Link looks like a fairly standard mini PC. It's a very small unit, but it comes packing quite a few ports, including Ethernet, a headphone jack, four USB ports, and two display outputs supporting up to dual 4K displays. However, unlike most Windows PCs, this one is fanless, meaning it runs cool enough to not need active cooling.
Of course, the reason for that is that it just doesn't need a lot of processing power, because it's not really a computer. The Windows 365 Link is designed to boot directly from the cloud using Windows 365, so it only has the necessary components on board to do just that. While the included OS is based on Windows, you can't just run Windows 11 on this machine without the cloud. There's no local data on the device, which becomes a security measure since physical access to the PC doesn't grant an attacker access to your data.
Instead, everything lives on the Microsoft cloud, where it's kept safe. Logging in requires passwordless authentication and security features of the device can't be disabled. The small software footprint of the device means it's also very easy to manage for businesses. According to Microsoft, it can be configured or factory reset in mere minutes, making it easy to transition the device from one user to another. Microsoft also touts fast boot times and instant wake from sleep. Some local processing power is available for tasks such as using Microsoft Teams and other meeting applications, though Microsoft hasn't said what chip is inside the device.
Pricing and availability
The Windows 365 Link is available through a preview program starting today. Businesses in Australia, Canada, Germany, Japan, New Zealand, the UK, and the US can apply for the program starting today. The device will be fully available in April 2025, costing $349.99. This is, of course, in addition to the cost of a Windows 365 cloud PC subscription.
New Windows 365 capabilities
Beyond Windows 365 Link, Microsoft also announced a couple of new features for Windows 365 at Ignite, mostly from a management perspective. A big one is the ability to provision Windows 365 in "shared mode" for frontline workers. This creates a cloud PC environment that isn't meant to store user data. Workers can access a clean cloud PC environment to perform whatever tasks they need, and when they log off, all their data is wiped from the cloud PC.
Additionally, the Windows app, used for accessing Windows 365 cloud PCs, now supports mobile application management on Android and iOS.