14 DAY TRIAL // Microsoft announced recently that it plans on bringing the full version of Windows 10 on ARM processors, and the company even demonstrated such an early implementation on a Snapdragon 820 (this chip is already available on some Windows 10 Mobile devices, such as the Alcatel IDOL 4S and the HP Elite X3).
And while Microsoft explained that the first devices running Windows 10 on ARM chips would launch in 2017, it looks like some companies are already working on it, and Acer wants to be part of the first wave.
Although it’s not yet clear if this is correct or just an error, the official product page of the Acer Chromebook R13 lists Windows 10 Home as an alternative operating system available for this particular device, so customers can opt either for the Chrome OS version or for Windows 10.
It could be just an error
What’s worth knowing is that this laptop comes with a MediaTek M8173C ARM processor, so it could be one of the very first devices bringing Windows 10 on ARM. But once again, we can’t tell for sure if this is a typo or Acer indeed plans on launching a Windows 10 version of the R13 laptop.
As discussed in this reddit thread, using a chip from MediaTek can help keep the price as low as possible, even though this might not be the best choice in terms of performance. Of course, it remains to be seen how Windows 10 performs in real life on this configuration, if it ever hits the shelves.
Several manufacturers are already working on similar implementations and Microsoft itself is believed to be collaborating with Qualcomm on optimizing the Snapdragon 835 chip for running Windows 10.
Furthermore, the Redmond-based software giant could use the very same chip on its eagerly-awaited Surface Phone, which could be the company’s first mobile phone that makes the transition from Windows 10 Mobile to full Windows 10.