While Windows 11 primarily requires 8th Gen Intel Core processors or newer, a limited selection of high-end 7th Gen chips, such as the Core i7-7820HQ and certain X-series processors, are officially supported due to specific security and performance requirements. Most consumer 7th Gen processors (Kaby Lake) are excluded, though Microsoft provides a registry workaround for installation on unsupported hardware, and users may opt to remain on Windows 10 until October 2025. For the full list of supported devices, visit Microsoft Learn .
(Select models from the 7th Gen era used in high-end workstations) While Windows 11 primarily requires 8th Gen Intel
By cutting off 7th Gen, Microsoft encouraged users to buy new PCs from HP, Dell, Lenovo, etc. – a business decision as much as a technical one. (Select models from the 7th Gen era used
This decision directly contradicts the growing push for "Right to Repair" and sustainability. visit Microsoft Learn .