- Windows 10 end of life means only newer hardware can remain fully supported
- 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 its end of life and users looking to purchase a new or used computer should be careful.
Any PC without Windows 11 support will no longer receive updates, exposing it to security risks and compatibility issues. Provided you’re running a good antivirus and anti-malware program, this won’t be too much of a problem in the short term, but it will be down the line.
Windows 11 introduced stricter hardware requirements than any previous version of Microsoft’s operating system. This includes the need to support TPM 2.0, Secure Boot compatibility, and built-in security mitigations.
Check your processor
Due to these restrictions, many older processors simply cannot run Windows 11.
This includes many systems running 7th generation Intel Core processors and older, as well as early AMD Ryzen chips.
These restrictions mean that older processors lack the underlying design features needed to meet Microsoft’s new security and reliability goals.
For Intel, Windows 11 compatibility starts with the 8th generation Core series and newer, therefore including all i3, i5, i7 and i9 chips from 2017, as well as modern Xeon and Core Ultra processors.
Anything older, like 6th or 7th generation Core models, is not officially supported (except for the Core i7-7820HQ, which is found in a few 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.
First-generation Ryzen 1000 processors, as well as older FX and A-series chips, don’t do this, nor do some early Ryzen Mobiles.
If you are considering buying a used PC, check what processor it has. Desktops or laptops built before 2018 likely won’t be eligible for official Windows 11 updates, no matter how quickly.
Windows 11 can be installed manually on some unsupported systems (there are workarounds), but of course Microsoft frowns on this idea.
If you’re not sure whether the PC you’re considering purchasing has the right hardware, you can check the list of supported Intel chips here and their AMD equivalent here.
Follow TechRadar on Google News And add us as your favorite source to get our news, reviews and expert opinions in your feeds. Make sure to click the Follow button!
And of course you can too follow TechRadar on TikTok for news, reviews, unboxings in video form and receive regular updates from us on WhatsApp Also.
