A $ 219 Windows on Arm PC is available for developers

Developers have historically had somewhat limited options when it comes to testing Windows applications on Arm. They have typically had to buy expensive Arm devices like the Surface Pro X, which starts at $ 899.99. Microsoft and Qualcomm are aiming to lower that barrier to entry with the new ECS Liva Mini Box QC710 Desktop, a small Snapdragon-based PC that is available for $ 219 on the Microsoft Store now.

Qualcomm's Snapdragon 7c powers the QC710, Compute SC7180 (the first-generation Snapdragon 7c, rather than the second-generation chip Qualcomm that was announced earlier in 2021). It also offers 4GB of memory and 64GB of storage, and various expansion ports, that includes USB 2.0 Type-A, HDMI, USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A, USB Type-C, as well as a MicroSD slot.

In other words, this is not a high-end platform that will replace a Mac Mini or another full desktop computer. It is specifically designed for developers to test Arm64 applications at an affordable price (applications that consumers could, of course, run on more sophisticated devices like Surface Pro X). It's also something you could carry and bring to the office, weighing in at just over half a pound.

Currently, there are only a handful of Arm-based Windows PCs and Chromebooks as the high-profile versions gradually seep into the consumer market. Qualcomm's second-generation Snapdragon 7c, announced in May, at present powers Lenovo's $ 429 Chromebook Duet 5 and Samsung's $ 349 Galaxy Book Go. But app compatibility is still a gamble, which is a barrier for many potential customers. Microsoft and Qualcomm are hoping that the availability of a $ 219 developer kit will help build the ecosystem of Arm64-compatible apps, though whether that will materialize remains to be seen.