All the frenzy around Windows 11 has caused a feeling of confusion for Microsoft and customers alike, with doubts about minimum requirements for running the new OS at the center of the puzzle.
In a blog post published today, Microsoft attempted to explain the minimal requirements for Windows 11.
Off the bat, Microsoft explains the need to have a minimum system requirement, saying, “Windows 11 is designed and built as a complete set of experiences, unlocking the full power of the PC our customers have come to rely on, including in areas like security, reliability, compatibility, video conferencing, multitasking, playing, creating, building, learning and more.”
The post makes it clear that the “principles around security and reliability, as well as minimum system requirements for Windows 11” will not be met by Intel 6th Gen Skylake and older CPUs, as well as non-Zen AMD processors. That matches the company’s initial assertion that Windows 11 will require Intel 8th Gen Coffee Lake or Zen 2 CPUs or above, but there’s still hope for Intel 7th Gen Kaby Lake and Zen 1 users.
To gather more data, and potentially reduce the minimum requirements in the future, Microsoft has released its first Insider Build of Windows 11 today, which doesn’t have any minimum requirement or specific CPU needs. The data and feedback received from the Insider Build will aid Microsoft in making necessary changes to the minimum requirements for the new OS. Users with Intel 7th Gen CPUs and AMD Zen 1 CPUs will be given special attention by Microsoft to check if they’re receiving the performance that Microsoft requires in terms of dependability and security with the new OS.
Additionally, a major part of the confusion was onset by Microsoft’s PC Health Check app telling users that their PC is not compatible with Windows 11. Read more about that here. Microsoft is also temporarily removing the PC Health Check app, saying that the app “was not fully prepared to share the level of detail or accuracy” that was expected.
Source: Microsoft
