The system requirements of Windows 11 have caused a stir and frustration since the announcement of Microsoft’s upcoming operating system. This was not only due to the system requirements themselves, but also to an inadequate update checker, which sometimes even excluded PCs with the latest high-end hardware from upgrading to Windows 11.
In addition, Microsoft’s communication with regard to security functions such as TPM 2.0 left a lot to be desired and caused confusion. In the meantime, this even led to a shortage of TMP-2.0 modules for mainboards, as scalpers sensed profits and bought them up.
Now there are new, official statements about the system requirements. We summarize everything important for you. At the same time, an exact release date is not yet known, but initial indications of this have already been found. You can find out more about this in the following article:
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Windows 11: release date already revealed?
No upgrade chance for systems that are too old
Microsoft has worked as part of a Q&A on Upgrade Paths and Deployment Services clearly stated about the relatively high system requirements and emphasized once again that and why one would not deviate from it (via Windows Latest). Specifically it says:
“We know it’s a shame for some [Systeme] not eligible for Windows 11, but the big reason we’re doing this is to keep devices more productive and make sure they’re more secure than ever so they stay safe in the new world of work. “
Windows Update plays a decisive role in this. This should independently check whether a system has the necessary basic requirements for Windows 11 and only then submit a corresponding download offer.
In addition, special attention is apparently paid to ensure that the minimum requirements for Windows 11 cannot be circumvented:
“Group Policy will not allow you to bypass hardware requirements for Windows 11. We will prevent you from updating your device to an unsupported state because we really want to make sure that your devices remain supported and secure.”
Windows 11 system requirements
According to the current status, Windows 11 requires a processor from Intel’s Core-i-8000 or AMD’s Ryzen-2000 series. Complete lists of supported CPUs from both manufacturers can be found here:
However, Microsoft has already announced that it will reconsider these lists. Exactly which hardware is considered officially supported can change until the release.
The system requirements at a glance:
- CPU: Processor with two cores and a clock frequency of one gigahertz
- RAM: 4.0 GB of RAM
- Memory (HDD / SSD): 64,0 GByte
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System Firmware:
- Security: Trusted Platform Module (TPM) Version 2.0
- GPU: DirectX-12-fähig, WDDM 2.x (Windows Display Driver Model)
What does this mean for PCs that do not meet the minimum requirements?
If your PC does not meet the minimum requirements, you will most likely not be able to use Windows 11 (or at least not without a certain amount of effort if you can find workarounds), but Windows 10 will remain with you. Microsoft will provide both systems with security updates.
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Everyone benefits from Microsoft’s new update policy
This could result in advantages for all Windows users, as Microsoft will in future no longer roll out two, but only one major function update per year. Read more about this in the article linked above.
There is also good news for all players with Windows 10: According to one, the new DirectStorage technology, which can benefit from particularly fast data carriers (for example for the elimination of loading times or for a higher level of detail in games) new blog post also come for Windows 10.