Here are the first images of Windows CPC, a new OS that is lighter and smoother than Windows 11

Microsoft recently announced Windows 365 Link, a mini PC designed for cloud computing. This computer is not running Windows 11, but Windows CPC, a new version of the operating system. A leak gives us a first glimpse.

Credit: Windows Latest

A few days ago, we reported that Microsoft had presented a new product during its Ignite 2024 conference: Windows 365 Link. It is a mini-PC, a compact, lightweight and portable alternative to traditional towers, which can be easily transported and which takes up little space in a workspace.

Designed as a competitor to Apple’s Mac mini, its operation is however very different. This device does not offer a complete local experience like any computer can, but works as its name suggests with the Windows 365 platform. It does not ship Windows 11, but a new version of Microsoft operating system. And this notably allows access to a more complete system remotely via the cloud.

Windows CPC, an OS for computers that only provide access to cloud computing

While Microsoft has shared several important information about technical characteristics of this Windows 365 Link (dimensions of 120 x 120 x 30 mm, Intel processor, 8 GB of RAM, 64 GB of storage space, connectivity consisting of an HDMI port, a DisplayPort, four USB ports, including a USB-C , an Ethernet port and a mini-jack port, compatibility with two 4K screens), the editor, however, remained silent on the software part of the machine.

But that was without counting on the leaks. A version of this new OS has been published online. This one is given the code name Windows NXT internally, but should be launched under the name Windows CPC (for Cloud PC). Windows Latest media was able to get their hands on it and try it out to offer us some screenshots revealing the interface of this very particular OS.

The publication states that it was unable to thoroughly test Windows CPC because it was quickly blocked in its progress. To connect and go further, the system requires you to enter a Microsoft account and requires internet access, but the leaked version does not allow you to complete these first steps. You also need a subscription to Windows 365 to use it.

A lightweight OS with a warm interface

Since the idea of ​​Windows CPC is to provide access to a more complete system through a cloud experience, it does not need to be a gas factory itself, like Windows 11 can be A simple interface and basic functionalities are sufficient since most of the user’s activity will take place in streaming, and not locally.

From the outset, Windows Latest notes that the OBBE interface (out-of-the-box experience, a term used by Microsoft to describe the user experience following installation of the operating system, i.e. the first contact with the software) is “more modern and more user-friendly than Windows 11”. The configuration is necessarily simpler, since there are fewer parameters to take into account.

Credit: Windows Latest

The UI is cleaner, making the menus easier to understand than on Windows 11. There are fewer elements on the screen, so the user can concentrate on what really matters and is not distracted by unnecessary options or messages. The rounded corners everywhere, which have also started to be implemented in Windows 11, bring a certain freshness to the interface.

“Instead of plain text instructions like in Windows 11, Windows CPC NXT uses colorful, lively visual elements, such as icons and folders, to guide you through the steps. The overall design seems fluid”écrit Windows Latest. The consistency of user interface elements is also highlighted, while Windows 11 still has many archaic menus and elements dating back to Methuselah.

Windows CPC should have AI-based features, but we don’t know what they are yet. A priori, we should not expect it to become a Windows Light, operational by itself. It is designed for the user to connect to Windows 11 and future versions through the cloud via Windows 365.

Source : Windows Latest