Thegarbz, a Slashdot reader, writes:
Although Windows 11 has received a lot of attention, Microsoft has updated its documentation to include a complete list. The list currently includes only Intel 8th Generation Core processors and AMD Ryzen Zen+ processing units or newer. This effectively limits Windows 11 to computers less than 4-5-year-old.
The Intel Core i7-78220HQ processor used in Microsoft’s flagship Surface Studio 2 ($3500+) is not included on the list. Reddit users are furious that their Surface PC (in some cases, very new) fails to pass the Windows 11 upgrade test. There have been many Reddit threads.
The Verge confirms this:
Windows 11 will not support 8th Gen or newer Intel Core processors. This is also to [Intel’s 2016-era] Apollo Lake processors and the newer Pentium/Celeron processors. This means that millions of Windows 10 devices cannot upgrade to Windows 11. Windows 11 will only support AMD Ryzen 2000 or newer processors and 2nd Generation or newer [AMD] EPYC chip. The full list of processors supported by Microsoft can be found on Microsoft’s website.
Microsoft originally stated that the CPU generation requirements were a “soft floor” limit for Windows 11. However, Microsoft updated the page hours after this story was published to require that the list of chips be included. This should have allowed older CPUs to install Windows 11 without warning.
Many Windows 10 users downloaded Microsoft’s PC Health App (available right here) to check if Windows 11 worked on their system. However, it failed the test… This is the first major shift in Windows hardware requirements since Windows 8 was released in 2012. Understandably, people are taken aback by the changes in CPU requirements.
Microsoft will also require a front-facing camera on all Windows 11 devices, except desktop PCs, starting in January 2023.
Microsoft’s official compatibility webpage for Windows 11 explains that “Windows 11 requires devices to meet certain hardware requirements.”
“Devices not meeting the hardware requirements can’t be upgraded to Windows 11.”
