In one new publication, Microsoft apologized for the confusion it caused with the minimum system requirements of Windows 11 last week and promised to "adjust" them based on customer feedback. With the same publication, the company tried to explain the two most controversial elements of the list: the requirement for Trusted Platform Module (TPM) 2.0 but also the CPU compatibility list that excludes most processors before 2018.
Microsoft also retired the PC Health Check app, acknowledging that it “isn't as accurate as to why one computer with Windows 10 does not meet upgrade requirements”. The app will reappear before Windows 11's projected release date later this year (most likely in October).
Windows 11 raises the security bar with hardware requirements that allow protections such as Windows Hello, Device Encryption, virtualization-based security (VBS), hypervisor-protected code integrity (HVCI), and Secure Boot. The combination of these features has been shown to reduce malware by 60% on tested devices. To comply with this principle, all Windows 11-supported CPUs have a built-in TPM, support a secure boot, and specific VBS capabilities.
[...]Using the principles above, we are confident that devices running on 8th Gen Intel and AMD Zen 2 processors as well as Qualcomm 7 and 8 TV Shows θα πληρούν τις προϋποθέσεις για την ασφάλεια και την αξιοπιστία.
According to Microsoft, “OEM partners have a 99,8% experience without errors” in test builds of Windows 11. The company even says that the CPU requirement could be revised to include some older models from Intel and AMD. Today's first Insider Preview release can be installed and run on unsupported hardware. The company says it will "try to identify devices running on 7th Gen Intel and AMD Zen 1 that may meet our requirements."
Microsoft says the current requirements will allow upgrades to most computers sold in the last 18 to 24 months. That is, with 8th generation Intel processors and AMD's Zen 2 series. Intel products were released in September 2017, which means that only high quality PCs sold in 2018 are equipped with these CPUs. AMD's Zen 2 series (third generation Ryzen processors) was released in 2019.
90% of sales computers 2020 and around 60% of 2019 PC sales meet these minimum requirements, with most 2018 models (based on previous 7th Gen CPUs and AMD Zen 1 models) failing to meet the Windows 11 compatibility level. That means the population of Windows PCs that can be upgraded to Windows 11 is probably 500 million, or about 38% of the one billion+ active Windows 10 PCs reported by Microsoft.
The company's commitment to use trial versions of Windows Insider to identify older CPUs that can run Windows 11 smoothly is a good start, but we'll have to wait longer. If you have a system that runs on a very fast and high quality 7th generation Intel processor, can it be cut? The company should review immediately…
