Leaked specs: Windows 10 Cloud is ready to take on Chromebook
Microsoft is due to hold an event in NYC on May 2, and it's widely expected that the company will unveil Windows 10 Cloud -- although it may not be until Build slightly later in the month. On paper, Windows 10 Cloud sounds very much like Microsoft's answer to Google's Chromebook, and leaks suggest this is precisely the market that Microsoft is targeting.
As the May event has an education focus, it's apparent that any low-cost Chromebook-like Windows devices will be aimed at the education sector -- but that's not to say that there won’t be interest from other people looking for cheap hardware. And thanks to the latest leak, we know the recommended minimum hardware spec to run Windows 10 Cloud.
An internal Microsoft document shared with Windows Central reveals the spec we can expect to see from the most basic Windows 10 Cloud devices and -- interestingly -- the document shows Microsoft drawing direct comparisons with Chromebooks. Oddly, it appears that Windows 10 Cloud actually has higher requirements than bog-standard Windows 10.
- Quad-core (Celeron or better) processor.
- 4GB of RAM.
- 32GB of storage (64GB for 64-bit).
- A battery larger than 40 WHr.
- Fast eMMC or solid state drive (SSD) for storage technology.
- Pen and touch (optional).
Image credit: Windows Central
In many regards, Windows 10 Cloud is not only a Chromebook competitor, but also a cheap version of Surface Book. It's also hard not to see this as Microsoft having a second crack at Windows RT -- but the company will clearly be hoping for greater success this time around.
Image credit: Gabriel Petrescu / Shutterstock