Microsoft is gearing up to introduce its latest challenge to Google's Chromebook as US schools increasingly incorporate laptops in daily classroom tasks. A Microsoft event on May 2nd is set to debut a tweaked version of Windows 10 and a potential low-cost Surface laptop designed to beat the increasingly popular Google Chromebook platform in the educational market. Specifically, the newest Microsoft Surface is set to be more affordable and equipped with a decently powerful Windows 10 Cloud OS, which could seriously crush the competitor.
With Microsoft's ambition to use low-cost hardware, it opens up the great potential to be combined with Windows' Cloud-based OS. This practical direction will prove to be the better option for students in the US. It might also be Google's greatest setback come May 2nd.
The leaked details of Microsoft's latest offering to the educational market do not only include the real world targets that a Windows 10 Cloud machine should be looking to achieve. It also includes the recommended minimum specifications: a quad-core processor using Celeron, 4GB of RAM, 32GB of storage, a battery in excess of 40Whr, and a ‘fast’ eMMC or SSD. According to Forbes, Google's current benchmark includes ten hours of battery life for all-day use, twenty seconds from cold boot to login, and under two seconds time resume to log in.
The use of a pen or touch-enabled screen is also specifically noted as being optional in the student-friendly Surface. A combo of advanced hardware and improvements to the OS allow Microsoft to clearly conveyed what it wants to achieve with Windows 10 Cloud. According to the Windows Central, Microsoft is also focusing heavily on all-day battery life.
Microsoft has made its upcoming Surface more equipped with battery life through its new "Power Throttling" initiative. The Windows 10 Cloud would fix Windows laptops which always have poor battery life, and risk management due to viruses and installing .exe software. After its debut this year, Microsoft will be an even fiercer rival for Google as it further drives down hardware costs, improves battery efficiency, and make thinner and lighter devices.
