Microsoft reassures users of 8th, 9th, and 10th gen Intel CPUs

According to Windows Latest, On February 13, Microsoft updated its support documentation for original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), adding Windows 11 24H2 and modifying the list of supported processors. The new list now includes only newer CPU models, with 11th-generation Rocket Lake processors (released in 2021) being the oldest officially supported CPUs.

However, Microsoft clarified that the claim about Windows 11 24H2 dropping support for Intel CPUs older than the 11th generation is inaccurate. According to the company, while these Intel CPUs are no longer listed in the support documentation, this change only affects OEMs and does not impact consumers.

Microsoft emphasized that the CPUs mentioned in the list simply meet the security, reliability, and minimum system requirements for Windows 11. The company also noted that OEMs can still use these processors in new Windows 11 devices, as long as they utilize modern drivers that have passed Microsoft’s hardware compatibility program.

Additionally, the support documentation explicitly states that changes in the processor list do not affect Windows 11 24H2 support for customers. The list is intended solely for OEMs to determine which CPUs can be used in new devices. Most new PCs from OEMs like Dell already feature the latest hardware, so these changes are unsurprising. In practice, users with 8th, 9th, and 10th-generation Intel CPUs can still run Windows 11 24H2 without any issues.

That said, while this change only applies to OEMs, Microsoft has faced significant controversy regarding Windows 11's hardware requirements for consumers. Earlier this month, the company updated its official support article, removing any references to bypassing hardware checks for installing the OS on unsupported PCs.

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