Microsoft is building an 11.6-inch low-cost laptop designed for K-12 education markets

Microsoft is preparing to take its Chromebook compete strategy to the adjacent level with a new, low-cost laptop fabricated specifically for the education market place. This laptop is designed in the same vein as other low-price EDU laptops such as the Lenovo 100W or HP Stream series, congenital primarily for education establishments to buy, manage, and distribute in majority.

According to my sources, this new laptop is codenamed Tenjin and features a fully plastic outside, a 1366x768 11.6-inch display, an Intel Celeron N4120 and up to 8GB RAM. This is a no-frills laptop designed to exist as depression-price as possible, built for educatee-use in a classroom environment. I'm told the device features a full-sized keyboard and trackpad, 1 USB-A port, one USB-C port, a headphone jack, and a barrel-mode Air-conditioning port.

Tenjin marks the offset of a new M-12 education strategy for Microsoft. In addition to the new hardware, Microsoft is besides preparing to launch a new edition of Windows 11 titled "Windows xi SE" built specifically for low-price school PCs like Tenjin. I'1000 told this SKU focuses on special optimizations, tweaks, and features built for education establishments deploying depression-end hardware.

I also hear Tenjin might ship nether the Surface Laptop brand, peradventure dubbed "Laptop SE" to match the Windows 11 edition that'southward installed. I'chiliad not sure what "SE" stands for specifically, merely I'd estimate it's something along the lines of "Pupil Edition" or "School Edition." Either way, Tenjin will fall in line beneath the Surface Laptop Go, which starts at $549 and is a more premium device.

Tenjin will compete head-to-head with low-cost Chromebooks from the likes of HP, Dell, and Lenovo which have seen huge success aircraft sub $400 Chromebook devices for the education market. While I accept no concrete info on pricing, I'thou expecting Tenjin to target a sub $400 cost bracket to remain competitive against Chromebooks. I'm told the device is pretty much ready to go, and will exist announced before the stop of this year if plans don't modify.

Microsoft officials declined to comment.

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An internet connection will soon be required when setting up Windows 11 Pro

UH OH

An internet connexion will soon be required when setting up Windows xi Pro

Microsoft has appear that afterward this year, users will exist required to connect to the internet and sign-in with a Microsoft Business relationship during the out of box setup feel on Windows xi Pro. Microsoft has already been enforcing this requirement on Windows eleven Home since launch last October, and Windows 11 Pro is at present expected to follow arrange soon.