Microsoft has adjusted the minimum system requirements of Windows 11 and is facing the initial criticism why the Intel 7th Gen Core and AMD Zen 1 are not accepted. There are now a few exceptions for the 7th Core generation and thus also the Surface Studio 2, but the first Zen generation is left out.
At the end of June, Microsoft announced that it would still want to check the compatibility of the 7th generation Intel Core and AMD Zen 1. Because the Insider Preview is currently also offered to systems whose architectures will not later be suitable for the installation of the final Windows 11. This examination phase has now been completed, as can be seen in a new post on the Windows Insider Blog.
Intel Core X and Intel Xeon W are allowed but
Microsoft is making a few minor changes to the Windows 11 system requirements today, but broadly keeping most of the original requirements. This includes the selected 64-bit processors, at least 4 GB RAM, at least 64 GB 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 CPUs from the 7th generation Intel Core:
- Generally the Intel Core X and Intel Xeon W
- And explicitly the Intel Core i7-7820HQ
The Surface Studio 2 gets Windows 11
With the Core i7-7820HQ, only such devices are explicitly used that were delivered with modern drivers based on the principles of “Declarative, Componentized, Hardware Support Apps (DCH)”. This also includes our own Surface Studio 2, which was presented with it in October 2018 and has not been updated since.
AMD Zen 1 is left out
Microsoft has given the 1st generation AMD Zen a clear rejection. 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 Windows 11 compatible processors. One of the reasons for this is that only the supported processors would offer DCH driver support from the OEM and IHV (Independent Hardware Vendor).
Manual installation should still be possible
In the case of officially incompatible hardware for an update to Windows 11, an installation should still be possible by keeping the Insider Preview or manually creating a new installation medium and using it to install the operating system. This is usually reported today by sites that are in good contact with Microsoft, such as The Verge, ZDNet and Thurrott. This option is not officially yet.
New PC health check app planned
In the coming weeks Microsoft plans to publish a new version of the PC Health Check app that will recognize the newly added Intel CPUs and mark them as compatible. A new preview version is already available today, which shows 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 the 64- and 32-bit versions of Windows, Windows on ARM and PCs with Windows 10 in S mode.
Windows 10 receives support until October 14, 2025
Microsoft confirms that for Windows 10 Home and Pro 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 will follow for the holiday season.
Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22000.168
If you want to test Windows 11 now, you can install the Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22000.168, also published today, in the Dev and in the new Beta Channel. The new build brings significantly more supported languages for Microsoft Teams chat and a new Microsoft 365 widget. For users who are currently still in the Dev Channel, but who would rather try a more stable version, Microsoft now recommends switching to the Beta Channel.