In an unsigned blog post[1], Microsoft today apologized for creating confusion over the minimum system requirements for Windows 11[2] in its launch event last week and pledged to "learn and adjust," based on customer feedback. The post also offered a much-needed explanation for the two most controversial items on the list: the requirement for a Trusted Platform Module (TPM) 2.0, and a CPU compatibility list that cuts off most pre-2018 processors.
Microsoft is also pulling its PC Health Check app, acknowledging this it was "not fully prepared to share the level of detail or accuracy you expected from us on why a Windows 10 PC doesn't meet upgrade requirements." The app will reappear before the projected general availability of Windows 11 later this year. (That release date is likely to be in October.)
The biggest driver for the new requirements, Microsoft says, is security:
Windows 11 raises the bar for security by requiring hardware that can enable protections like Windows Hello, Device Encryption, virtualization-based security (VBS), hypervisor-protected code integrity (HVCI) and Secure Boot. The combination of these features has been shown to reduce malware by 60%[3] on tested devices. To meet the principle, all Windows 11 supported CPUs have an embedded TPM, support secure boot, and support VBS and specific VBS capabilities[4].
[...]
Using the principles above, we are confident that devices running on Intel 8th generation processors and AMD Zen 2 as well as Qualcomm 7 and 8 Series will meet our principles around security and reliability and minimum system requirements for Windows 11.
According to Microsoft, its "OEM and silicon partners ... are achieving a 99.8% crash free experience" on test builds of Windows 11. They also offered hope that the CPU requirement might