What is Windows 10X and how is it different?

Windows 10X is a new edition of Windows 10 designed for dual-screen devices such as the upcoming Microsoft Surface Neo, which will be available during the 2020 holiday season next year. It offers a customized interface for these devices.

Windows 10X is Windows

At its Surface event, Microsoft said that Windows 10X «supports a wide range of Windows apps,» meaning all traditional Windows desktop apps will work just like they do in Windows 10 Home or Professional. This is not a completely new operating system — it seems to be just a customized version of Windows 10 with an interface designed for these devices.

Update : Microsoft told The Verge that Windows 10X will run these traditional Windows desktop apps in a container to improve battery life. It looks like Windows 10X is based on Windows Core OS.

Optimized for dual screen devices

According to Microsoft, Windows 10X has an interface «designed and optimized for dual-screen devices like the Surface Neo.»

The Surface Neo is a dual-screen device with a hinge—like a laptop, but with part of the keyboard replaced by a screen. Alternatively, it’s like two pills connected by a hinge. If you remember the canceled Microsoft Courier concept device, it looks a lot like this.

No more live tiles

Looks like part of optimizing the operating system for dual screen devices is removing Live Tiles. There’s a new Start menu with a simplified icon-based app and website launcher. It appears to be the start menu leak earlier this year.

Dual Screen Settings

A Microsoft Surface Neo device with a keyboard attached and the Wunderbar visible.

When you launch an app, it launches on one side of the device. It’s a bit like Windows 10’s Snap feature — apps will open on one screen (or one side of the device) rather than both displays. You can drag the app window to the middle edge of the screen and release it to «wrap» the app on both screens. Microsoft says that not only does this extend the app to both screens, it also «optimizes» the app’s interface so that the app can intelligently take advantage of both screens.

Microsoft also showed off Windows «recognizing the keyboard» located on one side of the screen and revealing the «Wunderbar», a sort of super-charged version of Apple’s MacBook Touch Bar that offers buttons, a trackpad, and even more of the screen. you can play video. Microsoft says this is what «Neo» does, but it’s most likely part of Windows 10X and one of the many new interface tricks being added for these devices.

Devices with Windows 10X and dual screens are not connected yet. Microsoft is announcing Windows 10X a year before the release of the Surface Neo, so developers will have time to try it out and optimize their apps for the new software.

Microsoft published a blog post about Windows 10X, but didn’t share much of the technical details. Most likely still up in the air. We will update this article when we know more.