<
https://www.windowscentral.com/software-apps/windows-11/the-latest-windows-11-update-did-not-end-support-for-older-intel-chips-heres-the-source-of-the-confusion>
Windows 11 has strict minimum requirements that prevent millions of PCs
from upgrading to the operating system. For a brief period this month,
many believed that the list of unsupported devices grew substantially,
but that turned out to not be the case, at least when it comes to which
devices can run Windows 11. At the center of the drama were Intel 8th,
9th, and 10th Gen chips, which seemingly were removed from the list of supported Intel processors.
The confusion was caused when people spotted an official Microsoft
support document titled "Windows 11 version 24H2 supported Intel
processors.". The list omitted many Intel 8th, 9th, and 10th Gen chips,
causing many to believe that those processors had lost support with the
update to Windows 11 version 24H2. But closer inspection of the document
shows why that is not the case.
The support document is not meant for general consumers. Instead, it's a
list of supported CPUs that device manufacturers should use when
creating new PCs. Specifically, the list is of processors OEMs should
use to build PCs to work with Windows 11 version 24H2. I don't know of
any PC manufacturers creating new devices with chips from before Intel's
11th Gen, so the change probably does not affect many people.
"OEMs may use the following CPUs for new Windows 11 devices. New Windows
11 devices must use modern device drivers which have passed the Windows Hardware Compatibility Program for Windows 11 or the latest available
modern device drivers based on Declarative, Componentized, Hardware
Support Apps (DCH) design principles," states Microsoft.
Even Microsoft's original Surface Studio cannot upgrade to Windows 11,
but the list of supported chips that can upgrade to the OS has not
changed. (Image credit: Future)
Even if a PC was made with a chip that did not appear on the list of
supported processors, that PC could still be upgraded to Windows 11 as
long as it met all of the operating system's minimum requirements.
"Devices with these CPUs may not be manufactured with Windows 11
pre-installed and may only be upgraded to Windows 11 by a customer,"
states a footnote in the support document.
Microsoft also has a separate page that explains the purpose of the
OEM-focused document.
While it is technically accurate that some older chips no longer appear
on Microsoft's list of supported processors, I'd argue it's inaccurate
to call them unsupported. The list of Intel 8th, 9th, and 10th Gen chips
that can upgrade to Windows 11 is the same now as it was a few weeks ago.
Regarding consumers and everyday use of Windows PCs, devices still need
to meet the minimum requirements of Windows 11 to upgrade to the OS.
That includes meeting the TPM 2.0 requirement, which some older
processors fall short of.
Unfortunately, the list was reported on without context by several
outlets or shared with misleading analysis. While it is technically true
that some older Intel chips do not appear on Microsoft's list of
supported Intel processors for Windows 11 version 24H2, there is
essentially no change for everyday users. Even OEMs, which are the
targeted audience of the support document, likely do not have to make
any changes following the list's publication.
--
God be with you,
CrudeSausage
John 14:6
--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)