Windows 11 Elevated System Requirements
15Update: Microsoft have released the first Dev Insider Preview Build of Windows 11. It looks like they have a traffic light system with:
Green: Meeting Windows 11 Hardware Requirements
Amber: Not Meeting Windows 11 Hardware Requirements but Meeting Minimum Requirements for the Windows Insider Program
Red: Not Meeting Requirements for the Windows Insider Program
With the amber category, installation is allowed but there is a warning about a possible degraded experience and some features not working properly. It seems to install without issue on a 6th Generation and 7th Generation unsupported processor which otherwise have all the other required features.
https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2021/06/24/preparing-for-insider-preview-builds-of-windows-11/
Preparing for Insider Preview Builds of Windows 11 | Windows Insider Blog
I had a look at Windows 11 System Requirements. They are elevated to require a baseline security level (UEFI + Secure Boot with 2020 GRUB2 Security Exploit Addressed) and a TPM Version 2.0 or later. This will increase the boot performance and base security of the system and the TPM requirement suggests the TPM will become more import for licensing of third party commercial software from the Microsoft Store and Windows 11 command line based installation of software. This will also mean that Windows 11 will be 64 Bit only as 32 Bit cannot boot using a UEFI and Secure Boot. I discuss how to to turn these Security features on in the Dell UEFI BIOS Setup.
The system requirements also require a Windows Display Driver Model of 2.0 or later. 4 GB of RAM and a large enough drive (greater than 64 GB). I personally would have suggested making 8 GB of RAM and a 250 GB SSD minimum requirements here as users with mechanical HDDs and less RAM have typically had an inferior Windows 10 Experience due to the hardware.
The final system requirement is the processor which seems to be an 8th Generation Intel Processor or AMD Equivalent i.e. Q2 2018 or later...
The Windows 11 PC Check is available from here:
https://aka.ms/GetPCHealthCheckApp
I personally would have suspected 6th generation and 7th generation Processors to work as they are less than 5 years olds and meet all the other system requirements. 5th generation and earlier are definitely out as they don't have a TPM of 2.0 or a 2020 GRUB2 Security Exploit patched UEFI with Secure Boot.
Note that the Windows Client Edition Processors for Windows 10 Version 21H1 only lists 5th Generation Processors and newer although 4th and 2nd Generation Intel Processors work with Windows 10. I hope the system requirements are just lazily written and processors which otherwise have all the security technologies required i.e. 6th Generation and 7th Generation will work:
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-hardware/design/minimum/windows-processor-requirements
We will have to see if it is actually physically possible to install Windows 11 on these when the Windows 11 Insider Preview ISO has been realised.
Windows 10 reaches end of life in 2025 so Microsoft have effectively told you they won't support any Windows version on your 2017 or older device come 5 years time.
Microsoft have replied to my feedback on the Windows Feedback. Press [Windows] and [f] and sign in with a Microsoft Account to leave feedback or comment on existing feedback.
Support 6th Generation (Skylake) and 7th generation (Kabylake) Processors for Windows 11
The Windows 11 PC Check reports the OptiPlex 7040 (6th Generation Intel Processor) and OptiPlex 7050 (7th Generation Intel Processor) systems to be incompatible. The system requirements are a bit more elevated than I would have expected. I personally would expect Windows 11 to work on 6th (Skylake) and 7th (Kabylake) Generation Intel Processors which are from around 2016-2017. Moreover i5-6xxx, i7-6xxx, i5-7xxx and i7-7xxx have a marginal difference in system performance and technologies available compared to i3-8xxx and are superior to the supported Atom and Celeron products. These processors also meet all of Windows 11 other system requirements and Dell have stated that all Skylake Systems have regarding a Trusted Platform Module (TPM Version 2.0) c.f. Dell Article Number: 000103639 and a UEFI BIOS with Secure Boot patched to address the GRUB2 Security Exploit c.f Dell Article Number: 000177589.
Microsoft Response:
Steve Dispensa @dispensa [VP of PM, Microsoft Endpoint Manager and Windows Commercial] https://twitter.com/dispensa/status/1408577130946994176?s=20 "The chipset requirement is based on a bunch of factors, including supportability, capabilities, quality, and reliability so we can ensure everyone has a great experience. We're working on a blog post with more info, coming soon."
#windows11 #dell #systemrequirements
For older models, luckily Zorin OS Linux 16 is shaping up pretty nicely:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m52UW830ftw