Microsoft has its sights on Google’s budget Chromebook laptop line with the release of Windows 11 SE, and it debuts on the Microsoft Surface Laptop SE.
Like the Chromebook platform, Windows 11 SE is targeted at schools or those who are looking for a streamlined and affordable laptop. It’s essentially a toned-down version of Windows 11 to fit students’ needs.
This means it lacks Windows Store, but it does come with Microsoft Edge, OneDrive, Office, and support for Zoom and Google Chrome. The third-party app support is limited, but Microsoft promises to improve that soon.
The UI has been simplified, too. For one, it only has a split-screen view instead of snap grids.
Now on to the Surface Laptop SE itself. This budget notebook features an 11.6-inch screen with a 1366 x 768-pixel resolution. But since it’s affordable, it uses a TFT panel and has noticeably thick bezels. It almost looks like a toy.
Under the hood, it’s powered by either an Intel Celeron N4120 or N4020 chips, with an option between 4GB or 8GB of RAM and 64GB or 128GB of eMMC storage.
It also comes with a 1-megapixel 720p webcam. Ports selection includes one USB Type-C, one USB Type-A, headphone jack, and DC for charging.
The Microsoft Surface Laptop SE has a price of USD249 (around Php12,500) for the 4GB/64GB variant while the 8GB/128GB model is at USD329 (around Php16,500). It will be available in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, and Japan early next year. Brands like ASUS, Dell, Acer, HP, and Lenovo will also release their own Windows 11 SE machines soon.