Microsoft may allow you to install Windows 11 on computers with older processors, but that doesn’t mean you get the full experience you’ll find on newer machines. The company said The Verge that computers with unsupported CPUs have no “right” to receive Windows 11 updates and that they can’t even get driver or security updates. That is, you will need to get the latest hardware just to keep your system safe, that is.
We asked the company if it could make more comments, though it didn’t want to delve into when The Verge asked for more details. Earlier he said it would allow people to install Windows ISO 11 on old CPUs to help companies test the new platform.
It would not be a totally unexpected move. Microsoft may have legal issues if it offers unsupported hardware updates; you may not want to risk fixing your PC with a patch or making you believe that you are guaranteed technical support. This approach allows enthusiasts of company courts (who can install new ISO images instead of relying on patches) without expanding their compatibility and introducing other headaches.
Still, you’ll get a lower view of Windows 11, and it’s clear that Microsoft’s core message remains intact. The company wants you to use a relatively recent computer running Windows 11, even if that means having to wait until you can justify a PC upgrade.