Microsoft may be looking to break into the K-12 market with a brand new Chromebook
It appears that Microsoft plans on competing with the likes of HP, Dell, and Lenovo with a cutting-edge Chromebook. A low-fee eleven.6-inch model, to be specific, that objectives the K-12 training marketplace, in line with Windows Central.
The rumored pc is code-named Tenjin, has a completely plastic exterior, and could characteristic a 1366×768 display, an Intel Celeron N4120, and as much as 8GB of RAM. In order to hold in useless with its no-frills opposition to hold prices down, it’ll handiest include a full-sized keyboard and trackpad, one USB-A port, one USB-C port, a headphone jack, and a barrel-fashion AC port.
Though no real rate became named, Tenjin will maximum probable be priced around $400 (about £290, AU$532) with the intention to compete with different Chromebooks together with the Lenovo 100W or HP Stream series. The tool will seemingly release via way of means of the give up of this year, pending any last-minute delays.
Analysis: Is a Windows eleven model possible?
According to the ones identical sources, Microsoft additionally has plans to launch a new edition of Windows eleven called “Windows eleven SE,” which might be evolved specially for low-fee academic PCs together with Tenjin. There appear to be talks that Tenjin may deliver below the Surface Pro emblem with a probable call of “Laptop SE,” with the intention to in shape the OS emblem.
f that’s the case, then it’d make experience for the tech massive to create a 2-in-1 Chromebook. The Windows 10 model has visible fulfillment withinside the academic marketplace over the years, way to the convenience wherein college students can transfer among the pill for school room note-taking, whilst the use of the keyboard for different assignments and reports.
Not to say that focused on this kind of high-density marketplace might be remarkable as advertising, and likely push college students to put money into a greater traditional — and greater expensive — Windows eleven pc withinside the future.
Of course, truly none of this has formally been confirmed. In fact, Microsoft officers denied to touch upon the rumors while asked, so take all of this with a grain of salt.
A Microsoft Chromebook?
It might additionally be noticeably bizarre of Microsoft to launch a Chromebook, particularly after seeking to push the Surface Go and Surface Laptop Go as options to Google’s price range laptops for thus long. But, it’s now no longer like there wouldn’t be a motive to move on this direction.
When we reviewed the Surface Go three in October 2021, one in every of our largest lawsuits became that it wasn’t a Chromebook. The low-powered hardware in Microsoft’s most inexpensive tool simply might had been some distance greater at domestic on Chrome OS, because it makes tons higher use of low-powered hardware just like the Intel Celeron chip referred to here.
It wouldn’t be the primary time Microsoft made a tool that runs on Google’s software program either. Since, after years of failing to make Windows Phone a thing, Microsoft launched the Surface Duo 2 walking on Android eleven. So, perhaps Microsoft is studying that its personal running gadget simply isn’t always intended for this sort of low-strength and low priced hardware.