Windows 10X is now Microsoft’s true answer to Chrome OS

After years of waiting, it looks like Microsoft now has a true answer to Chrome OS. A new and near-final version of Windows 10X has leaked, and it offers a first look at the changes Microsoft has made to the upcoming operating system to get it ready for laptops. Windows 10X first started off life as a variant of Windows 10 designed for dual-screen devices. It was supposed to launch alongside Microsoft's Surface Neo, a tablet-like device with two separate nine-inch displays that fold out to a full 13-inch workspace.

Microsoft revealed last year that Windows 10X is now being reworked for single-screen" devices like laptops, and Surface Neo has been delayed. While the company has spent years differentiating Windows 10X for foldable and dual-screen hardware, it now looks and feels more like Chrome OS than ever before.

This is literally Chrome OS. It looks, feels, and tastes like Chrome OS - and of course, that's the point. It also points to what we can expect from regular Windows over the coming years.