Microsoft moved Windows to the cloud after Office and Xbox.
Windows 365 services, like Netflix, let Windows devices stream directly from Microsoft's servers, but the same goes for your work PC.
Unlike server farms, these are individual instances of Windows machines, running their own customizable apps and user data, and can be streamed to any device, including smartphones and tablets.
If you have an internet connection that can stream movies, so can Windows.
What is cloud PC "Windows 365"?
With Windows 365, companies can create up to 300 user accounts, each with their own instance of Windows PC (currently Windows 10, Windows 11 upon release). I can.
Price plan
The price plan is 3260 yen/user per month with a single-core virtual CPU, 2GB of RAM, and 64GB of storage from 2,720 yen).
Dual-core virtual CPU, 4GB storage, and 64GB storage plans start at ¥4,350/user per month.
And the price goes up from here. If you install 32GB of RAM and 512GB of storage on the top 8-core virtual CPU, the monthly fee will be 22,010 yen/user.
Advantages of Windows 365
That said, Windows 365 is a pretty unique service.
There are third-party services that run Windows in the data center, but none offer a unified experience like Microsoft does.
Account admins have much less to do for user setup in Windows 365.
Simply log into your admin interface, create instances, assign them to users, and customize them based on your business needs.
Windows 365 takes care of the heavy lifting of installing and creating instances, updating software, installing OS updates, and patching security issues.
What you can do with Windows 365
4350 yen per month may seem expensive, but if you register with Windows 365, you will be able to do the following things.
Automatically and securely install software updates, including security patches.
You don't need an entire IT team to set up, monitor, and update devices. Microsoft does the configuration for each instance in the background.
The Internet connection in Microsoft's data center is really fast, reaching speeds of 10Gbps. File downloads and updates are completed in an instant.
Windows 365 works in any browser on any device. Additionally, there are dedicated Microsoft Remote Desktop apps for iPhone, iPad, Android, Mac and Windows.
And no matter which device you access Windows 365 from, your computer will be in the same state and serving the same data.
Windows 365 can grow with your company's business requirements. You can start with a base configuration and add more RAM, cores and storage as your needs change.
Should I pay more and use Windows 365?
Should I pay for Windows 365? Given that, who is Windows 365 for? The question arises.
This is not a service for general users or sole proprietorships. Microsoft only offers this service to corporate clients. Furthermore, even if it is a corporation, there are very limited cases where this service fits perfectly.
First, the service only supports 300 users, so it's not for large enterprises. If a large enterprise wants to host/control its own Windows instance, Windows 365 can't do that for the same reason.
At the end of the day, Windows 365 is a good fit for businesses with fewer employees who value a seamless experience for everything.
I run a company with dozens of people, scattered teams, and want to control the Windows experience for every user (without going through a large IT team). Windows 365 may be a good idea for those who are
It doesn't matter if you give your employees cheap laptops because the entire Windows experience runs in the cloud. However, if you don't mind spending more than 3000-4000 yen per user per month.
A cheaper "alternative" to Windows 365?
The above scenario only applies to a very narrow range of legal entities, and even then it is not very cost effective.
Assuming 3 years later, the basic plan with 2 cores will cost a total of 156,600 yen per user. A modest Dell laptop will do just fine (refurbished models are cheaper).
If you really need remote desktop capabilities for your employees, AnyDesk subscriptions are $9.99 per user per month. If you need complete control over the user experience, Microsoft's Azure Virtual Desktop lets you create and host custom Windows 10 cloud PCs.
Like any business decision, in this case it may be a matter of cost. Calculate the cost carefully before deciding whether it is the best choice for you.
Source: Microsoft(1, 2), YouTube, AnyDesk
