Microsoft expands Windows 365 Cloud PC thin clients to Asus and Dell hardware

Streaming Windows from the cloud... on a monthly subscription?

by · TechSpot

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Connecting the dots: Windows 365 Cloud PC provides what Microsoft describes as a secure, fast, and readily available platform for deploying computing environments in specific enterprise scenarios. The service is now expanding to more affordable networking devices built by hardware partners.

Microsoft has announced that two new devices are joining its Cloud PC program. Asus and Dell will begin offering systems designed to deliver the cloud-based Windows 365 experience over the coming months, with purpose-built internet clients aimed at streamlining the modern workspace. Naturally, customers must pay a variable monthly subscription fee to allow users to access the cloud-based computing service – indefinitely.

The two new Cloud PC devices include Asus NUC 16 for Windows 365, and Dell Pro Desktop for Windows 365. Asus describes its thin client as a compact yet powerful device custom-built to stream Windows from the cloud. Meanwhile, the US PC maker emphasizes its system's quiet operation and broad connectivity options.

Both small PCs are scheduled to become available in the third quarter of 2026. The Asus system will first launch in Europe and the US, while Dell plans to offer its device in 58 countries. Microsoft notes that Cloud PCs are designed to boot directly into Windows 365, streaming a secure, virtualized Windows instance from Azure servers.

The devices themselves run a "simple," locked-down operating system called Windows CPC, which does not allow local user accounts or onboard storage.

Redmond began offering Windows 365 subscriptions in 2021, enabling users to access a virtualized Windows desktop through virtually any local operating system and web browser. The company later expanded the service with Windows 365 Link, currently available in 20 countries through Microsoft and authorized resellers.

The purpose-built Link device will now face competition from third-party OEM manufacturers, although Microsoft is always happy to sell new costly W365 subscriptions either way. Both Asus and Dell said they are excited to work with Redmond on expanding the market reach of Cloud PC, because a "modern" workplace is apparently better served when you stream a computer operating system from the internet.

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Microsoft adds that Windows 365, Link, and the upcoming third-party Cloud PCs are being adopted by organizations running critical workloads in manufacturing, retail, healthcare, and other industries. The company also suggests that additional Cloud PC models could arrive later this year.

Windows CPC is a stripped-down version of Windows 11 that functions primarily as a Remote Desktop client for the Windows 365 virtual machine service. Even so, Microsoft continues to issue periodic updates to the mini OS. The next patch cycle, scheduled for the second quarter of 2026, will introduce support for pairing Bluetooth devices during the out-of-box experience (OOBE), as well as tenant branding options such as custom wallpapers, logos, and organization names displayed on the sign-in screen.

Windows CPC is a stripped-down version of Windows 11 that functions primarily as a Remote Desktop client for the Windows 365 VM service. Even so, Microsoft continues to issue periodic updates to the "mini OS." The next patch cycle, which is scheduled for the second quarter of 2026, will add support for pairing Bluetooth devices during the OOBE, and "tenant branding" with custom wallpapers, logos, and organization names displayed on the sign-in screen.