Windows Dev Kit 2023

In this article

Windows Dev Kit 2023 (code name “Project Volterra”) is the latest Arm device built for Windows developers with a Neural Processing Unit (NPU) that provides best-in-class AI computing capacity, multiple ports, and a stackable design for desktops and rack deployment. Purpose-built with everything you need to develop, debug, and test native Windows apps for Arm.

Device specifics

• 32GB LPDDR4x RAM and 512GB fast NVMe storage
• Snapdragon® 8cx Gen 3 compute platform
• Ports: 3x USB-A, 2x USB-C, Mini-Display (HBR2 support), Ethernet (RJ45)
• Made with 20% recycled ocean plastic
• Available in the Microsoft Store

Device set up

When the device is turned on and connects to the Internet for the first time, follow the getting started prompts and configuration for Windows Update to ensure the latest software is running on the device.

Identify buttons and external ports

With the device flat on the table, the 3 buttons on the left side of the device, from left to right, are:

• Boot to USB button: Hold the Power button + the Boot to USB button to boot to the USB thumb drive. This method can be used to re-image the device with latest operating system build.
• UEFI button: Hold the Power button + the UEFI button to boot into UEFI menu.
• Power button

All external ports will be available after the device boots into Windows 11 including:

• RJ45 for ethernet
• 3 x USB-A ports
• 2 x USB-C ports
• Bluetooth & WiFi

The device supports up to three displays by using the mDP port and the two USB-C ports.

Set up power

The dev kit includes a 90W power supply. Attach the power supply to the back on the far left of the device.

• The device will default into "Connected Standby Mode" when not in use. You can choose to hibernate the device using OS controls.
• Fan control is supported and controlled by firmware. The Fan will come on as needed to manage thermal load.
• There is no battery on the device, hence the system will only run on AC. There is no DC mode to test against.

Set up display

Use the mDP port as your main display for setting up this device. The UEFI output defaults to mDP port.

• If the display is connected to USB-C only, you won't see the UEFI startup screen output when you turn on the device. It takes ~25 seconds for the display to light up after power button is pressed.
• If connecting an HDMI monitor to the mDP port, an active mini-DP to HDMI adapter is required. Use the Surface Mini DisplayPort to HDMI 2.0 Adapter provided with your device.
• When connecting an external keyboard or mouse, use the USB-A ports, not USB-C. Using USB-C to connect a keyboard or mouse will only work intermittently.

Install Arm-native developer tools

A fully Arm-native suite of developer tools are available for installing on Windows 11, including:

• Visual Studio 2022 17.4 Preview 2 for Arm64

  This is the first native Arm64 version of Visual Studio available with workloads enabled for desktop development with C++ (for MSBuild-based projects), .NET desktop development, and web development. Additionally our latest preview includes support for Windows SDK and Win App SDK components (Win UI).

• .NET 7 Preview Arm64 SDK

  Native support for Arm64 is available in .NET 6, along with the .NET Framework 4.8.1 runtime and SDK, but that support has been extended in .NET 7. Read more about Arm64 performance improvements in .NET 7.

• Visual Studio Code for Arm

  VS Code has supported an Arm64 architecture since the September 2020 version 1.50 release, including extensions for Remote Development.

Bringing together local compute on the CPU, GPU, and NPU and cloud compute with Azure, including:

• ONNX Runtime + Windows Dev Kit 2023 = NPU powered AI

  Unlock the NPU power to accelerate AI/ML workloads using ONNX Runtime with frameworks like PyTorch or TensorFlow - get started with these instructions and tutorials.

• Qualcomm Neural Processing SDK for AI

  Formerly known as the Snapdragon Neural Processing Engine (SNPE), this software accelerated, inference-only runtime engine supports the execution of deep neural networks. Build apps that unlock the power of integrated NPU hardware to accelerate AI/ML workloads without compromising app performance.

• SNPE Execution Provider for ONNX Runtime

  This execution provider makes use of the Qualcomm Snapdragon Neural Processing Engine SDK to enable hardware accelerated execution of deep neural networks.

• Azure Virtual Machines with Ampere Altra Arm-based processors

  Engineered to efficiently run scale-out workloads, web servers, application servers, open-source databases, cloud-native as well as rich .NET applications, Java applications, gaming servers, media servers, and more.

Support for building Arm-native apps and porting existing x64 apps is also available, including:

• Arm64EC

  Arm64EC (“Emulation Compatible”) is a new application binary interface (ABI) enabling you to build new native apps or incrementally transition existing x64 apps to take advantage of the native speed and performance possible with Arm-powered devices, including better power consumption, battery life, and accelerated AI & ML workloads.

• Arm64X

  Arm64X is a new type of binary that can contain both the classic Arm64 code and Arm64EC code together, making it a particularly good fit for middleware or plugins that may be used by both ABIs.

Additional developer tools supported by Windows 11 on Arm, include:

• Windows Subsystem for Linux

  Enabling Linux distributions to be installed on Windows without the overhead of a traditional virtual machine or dual-boot setup.

• Windows Terminal

  A modern way to run multiple command lines side-by-side in tabs or panes, fully customizable with a GPU-accelerated text rendering engine and command palette.

• Windows Package Manager

  Offering a comprehensive package manager solution that consists of a command line tool (winget) and set of services for installing applications that will choose the best available package based on your hardware architecture.

• Microsoft PowerToys

  A set of utilities for power users to tune and streamline their Windows experience for greater productivity, including the FancyZones window manager, a keyboard manager, mouse utilities, PowerRename, and more.

• Windows Subsystem for Android

  Enabling Windows 11 to run Android applications that are available in the Amazon Appstore.

Support

For hardware or warranty support with your Windows on Arm developer kit, open a support request on the Support for business services hub page.

• How do I set up a recovery drive?

  To create a USB recovery drive in order to capture the default device state to return to as needed, you will need an empty 16gb USB drive. (This process will erase any data already stored on the drive.)

  1. In the search box on the task bar, search for Create a recovery drive. After selecting, you may be asked to enter an admin password or confirm your choice.

  2. When the tool opens, ensure Back up system files to the recovery drive is selected. Select Next.

  3. Connect a USB drive, select it, select Next, and then Create. Many files will be copied to the recovery drive, so this will take some time.

  To boot your dev kit device from a recovery drive:

  1. Connect your USB drive and then hold the Power button + the UEFI button to boot into UEFI menu.

  2. Once in UEFI, use the external USB-A keyboard or mouse to navigate to the Boot Configuration menu.

  3. Double-click on USB Storage to boot to the USB key.

• How do I update a driver to work on a Windows 11 Arm-based PC?

  Drivers for hardware, games, and apps may only work if they're designed for a Windows 11 Arm-based PC. Check directly with the organization that developed the driver to find relevant Arm64 updates.

• Does this device support assistive technology?

  Windows 11 provides built-in accessibility features that help you do more on your device, in addition to assistive technology apps in the Microsoft Store, such as the OneStep Reader or the Read &Write extension for Microsoft Edge. NVDA also offers a Windows 11 Arm-based screen reader (see the NV Access download site). Check the Microsoft Store or contact your assistive software vendor to see if your preferred apps are available for a Windows 11 Arm-based PC.

To learn more, see FAQs for Windows Arm-based PCs.