Microsoft’s Developer-Focused, Arm-Powered Mini Desktop For $599

(CTN News) – Microsoft is trying to breathe some life into the Windows on Arm concept with a $599 Arm-based desktop device available on sale today.

As for the product itself, it comes in a compact, 2.1-pound case that can easily be stored on a desk. From a first glance, it appears to be a competitor to Apple’s Mac mini, which starts at $699 and comes with an Arm-powered M1 processor.

It is pertinent to note, however, that the Microsoft product is not designed for consumers.

Rather, it is marketing the device, dubbed “Windows Dev Kit 2023,” to software developers as a way for them to develop native Arm applications for Windows.

As a result of Windows Dev Kit 2023, developers will be able to bring their entire app development process onto one compact device, giving them everything they need to build Windows apps for Arm, on Arm,” Microsoft stated in a blog post.

According to Microsoft in a FAQ, developers generally write their code and build the binaries on a Windows x64 PC. Then, they copy the binaries over to an Arm device to run or test the app.

It is necessary for them to establish a remote debugging session from their x64 PC in order to debug the app.

This problem is addressed by the Windows Dev Kit 2023, a fully functional Arm-based PC that can also run a variety of software tools.

Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8cx Gen 3 processor is used in the hardware, which is designed to power thin and light laptops.

Also included in the package are 32GB of LPDDR4x RAM, 512GB of NVME storage, Wi-Fi 6, five USB ports, and the Windows 11 Pro operating system.

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