What is Windows Core OS – a comprehensive guide

The different flavors of Windows Core OS

Now we know all about Windows Core OS and what it is — let’s take a look at all the different configurations of Windows Core OS we know about so far. Officially, there are two devices that Microsoft is shipping with Windows Core OS: HoloLens 2 and Surface Neo.

There are a whole bunch of different codenames and words used to describe the different versions of WCOS. So we’ve tried to include all the names Microsoft uses for these editions of Windows Core OS.

Windows 10X, Windows Holographic, GameCore, Windows Core OS for laptops and foldable PCs, Windows 10X Shell

Windows 10x

Windows 10X is a flavor of Windows Core OS that appears to be for both foldable PCs and traditional laptops and tablets.

Microsoft is building out Windows 10X as the version of Windows Core OS that runs on consumer and education-oriented foldable PCs, laptops, and 2-in-1 tablets. It’s a new take on what Windows can be, introducing a brand new user experience that’s a little more like Chrome OS and less like old-school Windows. It has deep ties with web experiences and puts universal Windows apps front and center, but can also run traditional desktop apps from outside the Microsoft Store too.

Windows Core OS Updates and Performance

Now this would be cool.

Allegedly, Windows Core OS will feature an improved Windows Update system that installs updates in the background and requires less than a minute to restart once those updates are ready to do so.

It would work using mirrored partitions.

Basically, the OS would run always using one of two separate mirrored (aka identical) partitions. When an update is ready to install, the update would be downloaded and installed to the offline partition that is not in use.

Once complete, the OS would ask you to restart, and would actually boot you into the alternate partition that just installed an update in the background. Once you’ve booted into the partition where the update is installed, the partition you were just in becomes the offline partition for newer updates to be installed to down the line.

This is major.

This would eliminate the Windows 10 Update pain in the ass download and install process and the inconvenience to users would be kept to a minute or less. Obviously if you had problems with one partition you would be able to boot back to the other and technically even that would be much faster.