Dell and Asus are expanding Microsoft’s Windows 365 Cloud PC lineup with new desktop devices, including the Dell Pro Desktop and Asus NUC 16, launching in Q3 2026.
Microsoft is adding to the portfolio of “cloud PC” devices that leverage Windows in the cloud with the Dell Pro Desktop for Windows 365 and Asus Next Unit of Computing (NUC) 16 for Windows 365 mini-PC.
Round Rock, Texas-based Dell plans to make its cloud PC generally available in 58 countries in the third quarter of 2026, the vendor revealed in a statement Thursday. That is also when Taipei, Taiwan-based Asus is aiming for general availability starting in the U.S. and Europe.
The benefits of cloud PC devices include streamlined IT management, reduced attack surfaces, security features on by default that cannot be disabled plus no local data, applications or administrative users, Stefan Kinnestrand, vice president of Windows commercial marketing at Redmond, Wash.-based Microsoft, said in a statement. Users can also restart work where they left off on a replacement device.
“As more Cloud PC devices become available later this year, we look forward to seeing how more organizations benefit from the power, simplicity and security of Windows 365,” Kinnestrand said.
Microsoft Windows Cloud PCs
CRN has reached out to Microsoft, Dell and Asus for comment.
Michael Goldstein, president of the Southeast Florida market at Fort Myers, Fla.-based Microsoft partner Entech–a member of CRN’s 2026 MSP 500–told CRN in an interview that growing memory prices are hitting hardware prices in a variety of places.
But for Entech, the Microsoft AI and security portfolio continue to present plenty of revenue opportunities, with customer interest in AI assistant Copilot plus sensitive content tagging and digital loss prevention (DLP) tools, he said. Those demands have leant themselves to more license upselling in some cases.
“We are going further up the stack,” Goldstein said. “Standardizing people, getting away from the lower end Microsoft SKUs (stock-keeping units), trying to get to the higher SKUs so that we can build this stuff.”
Microsoft’s first cloud PC device, Windows 365 Link, is now available in 20 countries through Microsoft and authorized resellers. The vendor will continue to expand into new markets.
Authorized Link resellers include CRN 2025 Solution Provider 500 members e360, Abacus Group, GHA Technologies, SHI and Insight, according to Microsoft.
The Dell device is a fanless desktop designed for durability and quiet operation, according to the PC maker. It supports up to three displays and is powered by Intel N-series processors. Users can sign in with passwordless authentication through Microsoft Entra using Microsoft Authenticator or Fast Identity Online 2 (FIDO2) security keys.
Dell positions the desktops as well-suited for regulated industries and organizations with constantly changing staff sizes.
“As adoption of Windows 365 grows, designing solutions with simplicity and security as foundational principles becomes critical,” Harsh Singh, Dell’s senior director of product management for the Client Solutions Group (CSG), said in a statement. “The Dell Cloud PC device represents our commitment to delivering technologies that protect valuable data while empowering productivity across diverse work environments.”
The Asus model, meanwhile, has Microsoft Intune integration and the ability for efficient hot-desking and simplified IT management, according to the vendor. It is powered by the latest Intel processor with Double Data Rate 5 (DDR5) memory, Wi-Fi 6E and 2.5 gigabit ethernet local area network (LAN) with integrated Bluetooth 5.3, High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI), USB Type-C and USB Type-A ports.
Cloud PC devices boot directly to Windows 365 and come preinstalled with small, locked-down operating systems, Windows CPC, with automatic updates.
In the second quarter of 2026, Microsoft plans to add support for pairing Bluetooth devices during the out-of-box experience and for custom wallpaper, logo and name on the sign-in screen along with other tenant branding options, according to the vendor.
In November, Microsoft launched a private preview for Windows 365 for Agents, which allows for enterprise-grade agent creation and deployment of AI agents in secure, policy-controlled cloud PCs.This capability allows for powering Microsoft Copilot Studio in a full Windows environment and Microsoft Researcher in a Linux environment among other scenarios, according to the vendor.
The vendor has also made GA Windows 365 Cloud Apps and User Experience Sync for Windows 365 Frontline for delivering line-of-business applications without streaming the full desktop plus W365 Reserve, which gives users temporary cloud PCs if their primary device isn’t working or is lost, stolen or compromised.
