Microsoft has adjusted the minimum system requirements of Windows 11 and is facing initial criticism of why Intel 7th Gen Core and AMD Zen 1 are not accepted. Now there are some exceptions for 7th Generation Core and therefore also for Surface Studio 2, but the first generation Zen is out.
At the end of June, Microsoft had already announced that it wanted to check the compatibility of the seventh generation of Intel Core and AMD Zen 1. Because the Insider Preview is also currently offered to systems whose architectures will not be suitable later for the installation of the final Windows 11 . This examination phase has now been completed, as with a new position at the Windows Insider Blog It can be found.
Intel Core X and Intel Xeon W can
Microsoft is making some minor changes to the Windows 11 system requirements today, but generally keeping most of the original requirements. This includes the selected 64 bit processors, at least 4 GB of RAM, at least 64 GB of memory, UEFI Secure Boot and TPM 2.0. However, Microsoft has identified a selection of PC systems that should be able to cope with the new operating system even with older processors. In detail, these are the following 7th Gen Intel Core CPUs:
- Generally, Intel Core X and Intel Xeon W
- And explicitly the Intel Core i7-7820HQ
Surface Studio 2 gets Windows 11
The Core i7-7820HQ only supports devices that ship with modern drivers based on the principles of “Declarative, Component, and Hardware Support (DCH) Applications”. This also includes the company’s own Surface Studio 2, which was introduced in October 2018 and has not been updated since.
AMD Zen 1 is left out
Microsoft has clearly rejected the first generation AMD Zen. This decision was made after careful analysis of the processors in cooperation with AMD. Together it was decided that there will be no further additions to the list of supported Windows 11 processors. One of the reasons for this is that only supported processors would offer OEM and IHV (Independent Hardware Vendor) DCH driver support.
Manual installation should still be possible
In the case of officially incompatible hardware for a Windows 11 update, installation should be possible by keeping Insider Preview or manually creating a new installation media and using it to install the operating system. Here’s what sites in good contact with Microsoft typically report today, like The edge, ZDNet and Thurrott. However, this option is not official yet.
A new PC health check app is planned
In the coming weeks, Microsoft plans to release a new version of the PC Health Check application that will recognize newly added Intel CPUs and mark them as compatible. A new preview version is available today, showing more details on the suitability of the system and is intended to provide assistance via links to Microsoft’s help pages. The new application is compatible with 64-bit and 32-bit versions of Windows, Windows on ARM, and Windows 10 PCs in S mode.
Windows 10 will receive support until October 14, 2025
For Windows 10 Home and Pro, Microsoft confirms that support is planned until October 14, 2025. The next feature update for the operating system will appear later in the year, before Windows 11 follows for the holiday season.
Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22000.168
If you want to try Windows 11 now, you can install Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22000.168, also released today, on Dev and the new Beta Channel. The new build brings many more supported languages for Microsoft Teams chat and a new Microsoft 365 widget. Microsoft now recommends switching to the Beta Channel for users who are currently still on the Dev Channel, but prefer to try a more stable version.
Introvert. Beer guru. Communicator. Travel fanatic. Web advocate. Certified alcohol geek. Tv buff. Subtly charming internet aficionado.
