- Windows 10 End of Life Means Only Newer Hardware May Remain Fully Compatible
- Older Intel and AMD chips will lose security and compatibility updates
- Check the processor generation before purchasing new or used computers
Windows 10 has finally reached the end of its life and users who want to buy a new or second-hand computer should be careful.
Any PC without Windows 11 support will no longer receive updates, leaving it exposed to security risks and compatibility issues. As long as you’re running a good antivirus and antimalware program, that won’t be a big problem in the short term, but it will be in the future.
Windows 11 introduced stricter hardware requirements than any previous version of Microsoft’s operating system. This includes the need for TPM 2.0 support, secure boot support, and built-in security mitigations.
Check your processor
Due to these restrictions, many older CPUs simply cannot run Windows 11.
This includes many systems running 7th generation and earlier Intel Core processors, as well as the first AMD Ryzen chips.
These restrictions mean that older processors lack the underlying design features to meet Microsoft’s new security and reliability goals.
For Intel, Windows 11 support starts with the 8th generation Core series and later, so it includes all i3, i5, i7, and i9 chips from 2017 onwards, as well as the modern Xeon and Core Ultra processors.
Older models, such as 6th or 7th generation Core models, are not officially supported (the exception is the Core i7-7820HQ, which is found in some laptops that ship with newer driver frameworks).
The same goes for older AMD chips. Only Ryzen 2000 series processors and later meet the Windows 11 baseline.
The first-generation Ryzen 1000 processors, as well as older FX and A-series chips, do not, nor do some of the early Ryzen Mobiles.
If you are thinking of purchasing a second-hand PC, check what processor it has. Desktops or laptops built before 2018 likely won’t qualify for official Windows 11 updates, no matter how fast they seem.
Windows 11 can be installed manually on some unsupported systems (workarounds exist), but of course Microsoft frowns on the idea.
If you’re not sure if the PC you’re considering buying has the right hardware, you can check the list of compatible Intel chips here and the AMD equivalent here.
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