Microsoft made a 45-minute online event, titled “what’s next for Windows” held on June 24 2021. Days later the company previewed the first look of the new operating system for members of the windows insider preview program. Starting from October 5, the company will begin a phased approach to the free upgrades, meaning new devices will be given priority over older devices. All eligible users will receive the free upgrade by mid-2022.
Windows 11
Windows 11 is the next-in-line to windows 10. It’s built on the same architecture as Windows 10, it is said to provide a more calm and creative space. There is a new user experience, with refreshed colours and icons, with major changes to the start menu and the taskbar, a rework to the settings app, a widgets panel design to deliver news and reminders, and weather.
Hardware security has been an optional part of windows 10 but now it is mandatory, which means secure boot and device encryption is available by default to protect against sophisticated online attacks.
Windows 11 will include a new system for Android, allowing Android apps to run on the Windows desktop, that feature will not come with the initial release of Windows 11
Gamers are also said to benefit, as Windows 11 comes with directx12 ultimate, Direct Storage for faster load time and auto HDR.
Minimum system requirements for windows 11
Windows 11 requires new hardware and will not install as an upgrade on older PCs. most PCs that fall short of the minimum requirements may still be able to install windows 11, but Mircosoft warns that those installations will be unsupported.
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Older hardware is less likely to pass windows 11’s stringent compatibility checks. intel 7th generation core processors and PCs built using AMD Zen 1 processors are not on the list of compatible CPUs. PCs purchased in 2016 or earlier are almost certain to be unsupported.
Windows 11 requires a hardware security component called a Trusted Platform module, along with UEFI firmware and secure BOOT. all PCs designed and built since 2015 include TPM 2.0 support, although you might have to go into the firmware settings to enable it.
The system requirements for Windows 11 are as follows:
● Processor: 1 GHz or faster with two or more cores on a compatible 64-bit processor or system on a chip (SoC)
● RAM: at least 4 GB
● Storage: at least 64 GB of available storage
● Security: TPM version 2.0, UEFI firmware, Secure Boot capable
● Graphics card: Compatible with DirectX 12 or later, with a WDDM 2.0 driver
● Display: High definition (720p) display, 9″ or greater monitor, 8 bits per colour channel
You’ll need an internet connection to keep windows 11 up-to-date and to download and use some features. Windows 11 home edition requires an internet connection and a Microsoft Account to complete the out-of-box device setup.
And this might be a good place to raise a farewell toast to 32-bit windows, which is now officially going to be obsolete. Windows 11 is available only as a 64-bit os for 64-bit CPUs. 32-bit windows app will continue to be supported, however.
What if my system doesn’t meet the minimum system requirements?
In advance of the official release of windows 11, windows insider preview can be installed on devices that don’t meet the minimum hardware requirements. When windows 11 is generally available in october, PCs that fail to meet the minimum system requirements will not be eligible to upgrade to Windows 11 using Windows update. Their owners will be required to reinstall Windows 10.
Those who are not running preview releases will be able to download an ISO file and perform a manual upgrade or a clean install, although Microsoft warns that machines running Windows 11 that fail to meet minimum hardware requirements will not be officially supported. Older PCs should be able to continue receiving updates alongside supported hardware, but that’s not guaranteed.
