Microsoft unveiled its counterpart Mac Mini on an ARM processor for $599

By: Dmitro Koval | 25.10.2022, 00:07
Microsoft unveiled its counterpart Mac Mini on an ARM processor for $599

Microsoft is launching its new device, a $599 counterpart to Apple's Mac Mini, which is designed for developers who will create their own ARM programs for Windows 11. Japan, the UK, Germany and the US. And it is available not only to developers, but also to all those who want to buy a portable PC with Windows on board.

Here's What We Know

Windows Dev Kit 2023 (and this is its official name) runs on a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8cx Gen 3 platform with 32 GB of RAM and a 512 GB NVMe drive. Of the ports, the novelty has two USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 ports on the side and three USB-A 3.2 Gen 2 ports on the back, as well as Ethernet and Mini Display Port. The PC also has a built-in neural processor, similar to that found in the 5G Surface Pro 9, that will allow developers to perform hardware-accelerated artificial intelligence tasks and machine-learning workloads.

The software component is an important part. Microsoft is working to offer developers a full toolkit of their own programs for ARM. Visual Studio 2022 version 17.4 now runs on ARM and has improved performance, as does .NET 7 thereafter. Previous versions of the ARM Visual C++ and Windows App SDK are also available.


"More programs, tools, frameworks and packages are already being ported for ARM and will become available within a few months," explains Pavan Davuluri. "You, with Windows 11's powerful simulation technology, developers will be able to run a lot of unmodified x64 and x86 programs and tools on their Windows Dev Kit."

Source: The Verge