Why Are All My Excel Files Read Only
Move over TPM 2.0: Windows 11's CPU generation requirements are fifty-fifty more than confusing. Windows 11 requires at least an 8th-generation Intel CPU or AMD Ryzen 2000 processor. Microsoft can't seem to clearly explain why, and the company is already backpedaling on this.
Which CPUs Does Windows 11 Officially Support?
Immediately after Windows 11's proclamation, Microsoft had several contradictory web pages upward listing unlike CPU requirements. However, after the offset few days, the company'due south advice had go more than clear. According to Microsoft, Windows 11 will just guarantee back up the following CPUs:
- Intel CPUs: 8th generation or newer. (Run across list of supported Intel CPUs.)
- AMD CPUs: Ryzen 2000 or newer. (Come across list of supported AMD CPUs.)
These requirements are spelled out on Microsoft's official Windows xi compatibility page. (Windows 11 on ARM volition also only support certain Qualcomm Snapdragon processors.)
Intel launched its eighth-generation fries in 2017 and AMD launched 2nd-generation Ryzen processors in 2018, and then Windows is demanding some seriously recent CPUs! Considering Windows 10 supported almost CPUs that Windows seven ran on, this is a big shift.
RELATED: Why Does Windows 11 Demand TPM 2.0?
What Nigh 7th Generation and Older CPUs?
Initially, Microsoft's compatibility documentation said some older CPUs, including 7th generation Intel CPUs, would be partially supported. Specifically, Microsoft said people with these CPUs would exist allowed to upgrade, simply the upgrade procedure would warn people that their CPUs were non properly supported and would propose against the upgrade.
That was shortly edited out of Microsoft'south web page. Afterwards, Microsoft inverse its mind still once more and put up a blog post explaining Windows 11'southward minimum arrangement requirements.
As of June 28, 2021, Microsoft says information technology volition test whether Intel 7th generation and AMD Zen 1 processors could run Windows 11 during the Insider Preview procedure. Specifically, The Windows Team writes:
As we release to Windows Insiders and partner with our OEMs, we will test to identify devices running on Intel 7th generation and AMD Zen one that may see our principles. We're committed to sharing updates with y'all on the results of our testing over time, likewise every bit sharing additional technical blogs.
Of course, this is pretty confusing on its own: Volition Microsoft only allow the upgrade for specific "devices" with these processors rather than all devices with these processors? Who knows! Microsoft hasn't decided yet.
Hither's ane more wrinkle: In the initial version of this blog post, Microsoft's Windows Team wrote that it was confident older CPUs would not exist supported:
We also know that devices running on Intel 6th generation and AMD pre-Zen will not [meet our principles around security and reliability.]
Microsoft quickly edited this line out of its blog post without whatever farther comment, and then it's unclear whether Microsoft will stick to blocking 6th-generation and earlier CPUs.
RELATED: How to Install Windows eleven on an Unsupported PC
Why Does Microsoft Say Windows eleven Is So Strict?
The real question is why Windows eleven is so strict most CPU support. Subsequently being able to upgrade computers from Windows vii to Windows 8 to Windows x, it's rather jarring. (Okay, maybe you skipped Windows viii.)
Microsoft is talking a lot well-nigh security. Like with the TPM 2.0 hardware requirement, requiring a mod CPU ensures access to the latest security features. This includes virtualization-based security and hypervisor-protected lawmaking integrity enabled always and be default on all Windows eleven PCs. Thanks to TPM 2.0, all Windows 11 PCs tin have Device Encryption to store files in an encrypted form. They will also all take Secure Boot, protecting the boot procedure from malware.
Security is the outset "principle" Microsoft says is driving its CPU requirements. The second is reliability. Microsoft writes that "CPUs that accept adopted the new Windows Driver model…are achieving a 99.8% crash free experience."
The tertiary principle is that CPUs be "uniform" with the apps you utilize with "the fundamentals of >1GHz, 2-cadre processors, 4GB memory, and 64GB of storage." Of course, that doesn't have much to practice with CPU generation.
Microsoft Won't Talk About the Spectre in the Room
There's something not quite right here. Exercise Microsoft's security requirements actually necessitate a CPU fabricated within the last few years before Windows 11 was released?
Well, maybe they do. Here's a theory:
In early on 2018, nosotros learned that modern CPUs were affected by serious design flaws that enabled the Spectre and Meltdown side-channel attacks. Microsoft had to release patches for Windows that slowed down PCs with older CPUs. This let Windows piece of work around the security problems in these CPUs.
Spectre wasn't alone. The ZombieLoad attack worked similarly and was besides discovered in 2018. After ZombieLoad was announced in 2019, we wrote that only new CPUs could truly gear up ZombieLoad, Spectre, and similar attacks. Intel (and other CPU manufacturers, to some degree) would have to rearchitect their CPU designs to truly patch these security weaknesses.
Intel said that Spectre and Meltdown were addressed with hardware-level changes starting with Intel eighth-generation CPUs.
Isn't information technology interesting that Windows eleven requires eighth-generation CPUs or newer? We imagine this is related.
Of course, Microsoft isn't screaming from the rooftops that PCs with older CPUs running Windows 10 are fundamentally insecure at a hardware level compared to new devices. That wouldn't be good for business. But it seems similar Microsoft wants to quietly move everyone to new hardware so Microsoft knows it just has to back up Windows 11 on CPUs with these security fixes.
Windows 10 Is Still Supported Until 2025
It'south worth bearing in mind that Windows 10 will still be officially supported with security updates until October 14, 2025. If you accept a PC running an older CPU that tin can't upgrade, you tin go on using Windows 10 with security updates for years to come.
Fifty-fifty if you plan on sticking with Windows ten for the adjacent few years, you'll probably want a new PC sometime before October 2025, anyway. At that betoken, y'all tin can get a newer system that supports Windows 11'due south higher requirements.
RELATED: When Will Microsoft Finish Supporting Windows 10?
Source: https://www.howtogeek.com/739029/why-doesnt-windows-11-support-my-cpu/
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