Microsoft has fulfilled its Project Volterra promise to provide developers with a low-cost piece of Arm-supported hardware that can run AI-accelerated workloads for Windows by unveiling the Windows Dev Kit 2023 and making it available for $599.
Microsoft said: “Windows Dev Kit 2023 enables developers to build apps that unlock the power of the NPU hardware to speed up AI/ML workloads delivering AI-enhanced features and experiences without compromising app performance.”
The device, which is aimed at developers who want to build, test and run native Windows on Arm apps, will be available from October 24. Microsoft expects the new device to entice more developers to develop native Windows on Arm apps, particularly AI apps that take advantage of the integrated neural processing unit of the Qualcomm platform.
The new mini-PC, known as the Windows Dev Kit 2023, is powered by the Snapdragon 8cx Gen 3 CPU and includes 32 GB of RAM, 512 GB of storage, Wi-Fi 6, physical Ethernet, three USB-A, two USB-C and a mini display port. Users can control up to three external monitors simultaneously, including two at 4K 60Hz. More importantly, there is a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8cx Gen 3 Compute Platform on board, as well as the chipmaker’s Neural Processing (NPU) SDK.
The device is now available in eight countries, including Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
As an additional incentive, Microsoft provides developers with access to its App Assure app compatibility service. Developers who encounter compatibility issues or technical obstacles when porting their apps to the Windows Dev Kit 2023 will receive support from Microsoft engineers to help them solve the problems.
The sources for this piece include an article in TheRegister.