There are other computer markets out there besides the premium market. Chromebooks have been making gold in the education market, and Microsoft is looking to steal Google’s thunder. It just revealed its Surface Laptop SE alongside Windows 11 SE.
The Surface Laptop SE will be perfect for schools
Microsoft showed off a short video highlighting the features that come with the computer. First and foremost, it’s not going to come with any bells or whistles, as to be expected. It has the basic ports that any student would need: a USB-A port, a USB C port, a headphone jack, and an AC adapter.
As for the processor, don’t expect this computer to be a powerhouse. There are two different variants with slightly different specs. On the lower end, we have an Intel Celeron N4010 processor, and this one will most likely come with 4GB of RAM. The other has the Celeron 4120 processor with 8GB of RAM. Storage options are 64GB and 128GB.
The screen is an 11.6-inch TFT LCD display with a resolution of 1366 x 768. That’s slightly above 720p, and more than good enough for education apps. This is coupled with a 720p webcam up top.
Microsoft claims that users can get up to 16 hours of battery life from these computers on a single charge. This will vary depending on the usage, of course. Since these are for schools, they’ll most likely be plugged in most of the time.
One great feature that Microsoft mentioned is that the Surface Laptop will be easy to repair. The computers will use commonly used parts that can be easily swapped out.
Microsoft also unveiled Windows 11 SE
Alongside the Surface Laptop SE, we also got a glimpse of Windows 11 SE. This version of the software is “Cloud-first” as Microsoft puts it. This means that it might be similar to Chrome OS. This could point to a really lightweight operating system with mostly cloud-based applications.
Microsoft will be using Office 365 as the primary office suite for these computers. Kids will have access to Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and applications to handle all of their work. Since this is cloud-based, it might be easier for teachers to monitor their kids’ work. It will also make it easier for kids to turn in assignments.
Other software features like coding with STEM, Minecraft Education Edition, Microsoft Teams, and accessibility options so that kids with hearing and vision trouble can also use them. These computers will start at a low $249 for the lower-powered model.
Microsoft’s Windows 11 just released earlier this year with major changes and overhauls in features. Now, at their Reimagine event, the company has announced it’s plan to launch Windows 11 SE, which is essentially Windows 11 for schools. However, this doesn’t end here! Microsoft has also announced a new Microsoft Surface Laptop SE alongside. Again, this new laptop is a budget laptop offering for education purposes basically, schools. This moves shows Microsoft intentions to defend its market-leading Windows franchise, by launching lower-cost computers. That might help counter the threat from Google’s Chrome OS. Let’s take a look at more details on the Windows 11 SE, Laptop SE below:
Now, this OS comes with slight changes to Windows 11. Mostly, it is optimized for the Microsoft Surface Laptop SE. Features that can be unnecessary or distracting for students have been removed, like multiple Snap Layouts and Widgets. Instead, new defaults are now in place. For example: automatic data backup documents to Microsoft OneDrive. It is for easier access to data for students when they go home. Apps like Office, Teams, OneNote, Minecraft for Education, and Flipgrid will come pre-installed.
Furthermore, Windows 11 SE will also support third-party apps, including those like Zoom and Chrome. With this, schools can easily configure what all they want to install on the systems and when to upgrade these apps. Windows 11 SE also accepts Chrome extensions.
Meanwhile, Microsoft says that OEMs likes Asus, HP, Dell, Acer, and Lenovo are already working on Windows 11 SE laptops which should arrive in the coming months.