Microsoft’s decision to draw the "supported" line at Intel 8th Gen, leaving 7th Gen behind, is technically grounded in security architecture but remains a hard sell for consumers. While it pushes the industry toward a more secure future, it artificially obsoletes hardware that is still perfectly capable of modern computing, creating the most divisive hardware requirement in Windows history.
When Microsoft announced Windows 11, the processor compatibility list shocked the enthusiast community. For Intel, the support list begins at the and newer. The 7th Generation (Kaby Lake), released just a year prior in 2016 and powering millions of laptops and desktops in 2017, was left off the list. Microsoft’s decision to draw the "supported" line at
Microsoft has created a confusing environment for users with perfectly good hardware. For Intel, the support list begins at the and newer
(Specifically those found in devices like the Surface Studio 2 that shipped with modern drivers) (Specifically those found in devices like the Surface