Microsoft reveals Windows 11 SE and Surface Laptop SE for students

Microsoft has today unveiled a new version of Windows 11, aslope a make new laptop, in order to compete with Chromebooks in the classroom.

Windows xi SE will exclusively be bachelor on low-toll laptops that are designed for the classroom, so don't await to be able to install information technology onto your Surface Laptop 4 or Dell XPS xiii.

Windows 11 SE will characteristic a more than streamlined design of the full-fat version, removing distractions such as widgets, simplifying the Snap Layouts feature and coming with all the primal Microsoft 365 apps pre-installed.

It won't just support Microsoft apps either, with Microsoft confirming tertiary-party software such as Zoom and Chrome will also exist supported. With all this in mind, it looks similar Microsoft is attempting to replicate the user-friendly experience offered by ChromeOS, which is widely used in education.

Microsoft has also confirmed that a number of companies are already working on low-price laptops that volition be optimised for Windows 11 SE and sold exclusively to schools. These brands include Acer, Asus, Dell, Dynabook, Fujitsu, HP, JK-IP, Lenovo, and Positivo.

Microsoft has also announced its very ain Surface Laptop SE, which will cost just $249 and volition characteristic the new Windows eleven SE operating system.

This new laptop will pack an Intel Celeron processor, 4GB of RAM and 64GB of eMMC storage. Those are very much entry-level specs, which are normally merely plant inside Chromebooks. But the optimisations made with the Windows 11 SE operating system should hopefully allow for a smooth (admitting limited) performance.

The Surface Laptop SE will besides take a 11.6-inch display with a 1366 ten 768 resolution. Again, that'south nil too impressive since it misses the standard Full Hd resolution, but Microsoft is clearly prioritising value over quality hither, which makes sense for a laptop designed for education purposes.

Microsoft says it expects Windows 11 SE laptops to start rolling out towards the end of the year, continuing into 2022. Information technology doesn't seem like there are any plans for these devices to become available to the wider public just all the same, but we've got our fingers crossed as it will be great to see Microsoft offering a upkeep-friendly alternative to Chromebooks.