After failing to crack the Chromebook market share, Microsoft looks to hit the low-cost EDU market with a new, lighter OS and affordable laptops.

The report comes from our sister site, Windows Central. Reporter Zac Bowden reports that Microsoft is currently working on a new laptop targeting the K-12 education market. Bundled with it is Windows 11SE, an operating system for low-cost computers, and Bowden says the new laptop could be sold under the Surface brand, possibly called Surface Laptop SE. There is no information on what the SE will stand for, but it may be an abbreviation for Student Edition.

The new laptop, codenamed "Tenjin," is by no means cutting-edge; Bowden sources say the new laptop will have an all-plastic body, 1377x768 resolution, Intel Celeron N4120 processor, and up to 8GB of RAM. GB of RAM. While this configuration is not major by today's standards, it has higher specs than all the Chromebooks we found on our list of best laptops under $500, perhaps because Windows is a heavier operating system than Chrome OS. Still, teachers and students may find it easier to work with than a Chrome device.

This is not the first time Microsoft has tried to gain an advantage over Google in the low-cost affordable laptop market; Windows RT was branded Windows 8 running on an ARM processor. It was succeeded by Windows 10 S, which was phased out in March 2018. Then in 2020, Microsoft announced Windows 10X, which was eventually cancelled. However, many of the design elements of Windows 10X were integrated into Windows 11.

In any case, this new Microsoft device will require aggressive pricing; many of HP, Acer, and Dell's Chromebooks target prices under $400. And once school districts lock in a new set of machines, they will try to use them as long as possible before transitioning. Microsoft's pitch to the education market needs to be functionally robust and value-focused.