Microsoft stated in mid-2015 when they released Windows 10, that they would never release another operating system as they would be “upgrading” and “improving” Windows 10 from now on. Well very nearly 6 years later Microsoft have announced a new “built from the ground up” operating system and called it Windows 11.
Windows 11 to be Released Late 2021
Windows 11 will be released officially in late 2021 so for now you can only get the Beta copy which may or may not be the final version released at the above date. Microsoft are obviously testing the waters from their June 24th announcement so small or large changes may be made, or not. Windows 11 (at the moment) will be a free upgrade from Windows 10 (Home, Professional or S Mode)
So, will your computer run Windows 11? This question has been asked of us by many people in the last week.
Below are the hardware requirements for the new Windows 11.
1GHz or faster CPU with 2 or more cores on a compatible 64-bit processor or System on a Chip (SoC)
4GB RAM
64GB or more of storage space
UEFI Secure Boot capable BIOS
Trusted Platform Module (TPM) version 2.0 (chip on your motherboard)
DirectX 12 compatible graphics card
This website shows the above info.
This website shows the Intel CPs supported.
This website shows the AMD CPUs supported:
If you don’t know what CPU processor your computer has and the above list is unfathomable an explanation is provided below.
CPU Processor for Windows 11
An Intel CPU processor has to be a Generation 8 or later or an AMD CPU processor has to be a Zen 2 based unit or a Qualcomm 7 or 8 Series CPU processor. This generally means that the computer you bought needs to be a 2018 build or later. Even so, computers built today and sold today or even tomorrow will be not able to run Windows 11 as they may contain an Intel or AMD processor which will not be supported by Windows 11.
As an example Microsoft themselves are selling the Surface Studio 2 computer with a price range between low AS5,000’s to around A$7,500 depending on specifications. This computer has a 7th Generation Intel chip which means, at the moment, Microsoft’ Windows 11 will not run on it as it’s not officially supported, as of today. This information is relevant as at 1/07/2021 but Microsoft may well change their specifications due to negative feedback, we’ll have to wait and see.
The above processor limitations are there to meet Microsoft’s stringent “security and reliability and minimum system requirements for Windows 11”.
Also, support for 32-bit software has also been dropped with Windows 11, so now only newer software or apps will run on Windows 11. Therefore, if you are running any older software then be sure to check that you acquire the newer versions, if available. If not, then do not upgrade to Windows 11 if you require these older applications or software suites.
As an aside, Windows 10 will be supported until 2025 so there is no great rush to move to Windows 11 unless there is an absolute need to.
Removal of Checker Tool/PC Health Check App
Microsoft has also removed their “Checker Tool” – named “PC Health Check app” which was available until around 29th 30th June 2021. This tool when ran would let you know if the computer you were checking was Windows 11 enabled giving indications of why not, if applicable. On their website, it now states why: “Based on the feedback so far, we acknowledge that it was not fully prepared to share the level of detail or accuracy you expected from us on why a Windows 10 PC doesn’t meet upgrade requirements”. They also state on the same web page, “We are temporarily removing the app so that our teams can address the feedback….”.
Also, a very recent fact stated by Microsoft is that starting in 2023 all Windows 11 laptops and 2-in-1s must have a working precision touchpad, a working user-facing webcam and Bluetooth. Maybe this is just a start by Microsoft but who knows?
If you are still unsure about Windows 11 and upgrading when the time comes then our advice (Affordable Computer Repairs and Service) is to wait for at least 6 months after the official release date so that any problems and bugs are sorted out before you switch.
