Windows 11 SE, a new Chrome OS competitor

Surface Laptop SE. © Microsoft.

With the launch of the SE version of Windows 11 for schools, Microsoft is reclaiming the playground it had left to Chrome OS. This stripped-down version of Windows 11 saves all user files (including profile information) to OneDrive student accounts. Some standard features were removed, allowing Windows 11 to perform better on low-end devices while providing a “distraction-free” learning environment. The only way to operate in Windows 11 SE is to buy a laptop that comes with it. School IT administrators, using Microsoft’s Intune for Education, have exclusive control over the applications that can be installed and run. The release of this new OS also signals the launch of an 11.6-inch (1366 × 768) Surface Laptop SE (US$ 250) that is meant to compete with similarly priced Chromebooks. The machine is equipped with an Intel Celeron N4020 dual-core or Celeron N4120 quad-core processor, an integrated graphics card, 4 or 8 GB of RAM and 64 or 128 GB of storage. It weighs 1.11 kg and includes USB-A and USB-C ports, a headphone jack, a proprietary power connector and a 720p webcam.

⇨ The Verge, Tom Warren, “Microsoft announces Windows 11 SE, a new Chrome OS competitor.”

⇨ Ars Technica, Andrew Cunningham, “The latest Surface is a $250 laptop that takes a swing at cheap Chromebooks.”

2021-11-09