supported processors Archives

Winsage

April 26, 2025

Microsoft rolls Windows Recall out to the public nearly a year after announcing it

Microsoft is rolling out enhancements for Copilot+ PCs, including the Recall feature and a revamped Search function that understands contextual meanings for a more intuitive experience. The new "Click to Do" feature allows users to copy text from images, search on-screen content, and summarize or rewrite text by pressing the Windows key and clicking. To use Copilot+, PCs must have specific hardware requirements, including a neural processing unit (NPU) capable of over 40 trillion operations per second. Supported processors for Copilot+ include Qualcomm's Snapdragon X Elite and Plus chips, Intel's Core Ultra 200V-series laptop chips, and AMD's Ryzen AI 300 series. The Recall feature and enhanced Search are available for both Arm and x86 PCs, while some Click to Do features are exclusive to Arm systems.

Winsage

February 19, 2025

The latest Windows 11 update did not end support for older Intel chips. Here’s the source of the confusion.

Windows 11 has stringent minimum requirements, leaving many PCs unable to upgrade. A Microsoft support document caused confusion by excluding several Intel 8th, 9th, and 10th Gen processors, leading to speculation about their support status. However, there are no new devices being produced with processors older than Intel's 11th Generation, so the changes are unlikely to affect many users. Even if a PC has an unsupported processor, it may still upgrade to Windows 11 if it meets other minimum requirements. The document is intended for OEMs to determine which processors can be used in new devices and does not impact existing Windows support for consumers. The list of Intel 8th, 9th, and 10th Gen chips eligible for upgrading remains unchanged, and devices must comply with all minimum requirements, including TPM 2.0. Recent updates were misreported, primarily affecting OEMs without requiring significant changes to their strategies.

Winsage

February 16, 2025

Microsoft Drops Support For Intel’s 10th Gen Processors On Windows 11 24H2, Marking An End To The Iconic “Comet Lake” Lineup

Microsoft has announced that the latest version of Windows 11, 24H2, will not support Intel's 8th, 9th, and 10th generation Core processors on OEM systems. New machines with these processors will not be eligible for the update, although existing users can still receive updates. Microsoft will only support Intel's 12th generation processors and newer for this version. The decision affects OEM purchases and is notable given that the 10th generation processors were released recently and can run Windows 11. Microsoft has expanded its list of supported processors to include various new models from Intel and AMD, recommending at least a 12th generation Core processor for new OEM systems. The 24H2 version will also support several AMD 8000 series processors.

Winsage

December 27, 2024

Mythbusters: Windows IoT Enterprise LTSC for Arm

Advantech's infographic addresses myths about Microsoft Windows IoT Enterprise LTSC for Arm, distinguishing it from Windows Home or Professional editions. Myths about the operating system include: 1. Windows on Arm consumes significant power and resources, leading to poor performance. 2. The image size of Windows on Arm is greater than or equal to that of Windows on x86. 3. Desktop mode is unavailable on Windows on Arm. 4. Windows on Arm is a stripped-down version of Windows. 5. Arm architecture may face limitations with complex tasks. 6. All Windows devices are power-hungry, and switching to Arm offers no improvement. Key facts include: - Windows IoT Enterprise LTSC typically occupies about 6GB of storage, with a minimum requirement of 16GB. - Desktop mode is available on Windows on Arm. - Windows on Arm retains core functionalities, though some hardware drivers may have compatibility issues. - Arm processors are generally more efficient than x86 counterparts. Myths regarding applications and workload include: 7. Windows on Arm exclusively supports Arm64 applications. 8. Multimedia applications perform poorly on Windows on Arm devices. 9. Windows Copilot can be extended to all versions of Windows running on Arm. Key facts include: - An emulation system allows x86 applications to run on Arm hardware. - Multimedia performance depends on hardware acceleration, which is supported by major SoC manufacturers. - Cloud-based services like Windows Copilot operate effectively on Windows IoT Enterprise LTSC for Arm, but on-device Copilot+ requires specific hardware capabilities. Myths about licensing and development include: 10. The Windows license fee for x86 is expensive, and the fee for Windows on Arm is similarly high. 11. Windows on Arm has limited support for certain Windows frameworks. 12. Development and debugging on Windows for Arm architecture present challenges requiring extended transition periods. Key facts include: - Windows IoT Enterprise LTSC is priced between 0 and 0, offering a decade of security updates. - Transitioning from x86 to Arm for application development is streamlined, with common programming languages and frameworks remaining compatible. Tools like Visual Studio facilitate the development process.

Winsage

November 22, 2024

Can your old PC even handle the Windows 11 upgrade? Here’s how to tell

As of October 2025, Windows 10 will no longer receive monthly security updates, prompting users to consider upgrading to Windows 11 or exploring alternatives. The ability to upgrade depends on the age and specifications of the PC, particularly the CPU. PCs designed from 2019 onward generally meet the requirements for Windows 11, including the necessary Trusted Platform Module (TPM) version 2.0. PCs from 2016 to 2019 may still be capable of upgrading but may require a registry edit if their CPUs are not officially supported. PCs designed between 2010 and 2015 may have some potential for upgrade, depending on the presence of a TPM and the CPU manufacturer. Older PCs from 2009 and earlier typically lack the necessary TPMs and CPU support for Windows 11, making upgrades unlikely. Users with these older machines might consider alternative operating systems like Linux.

Winsage

November 15, 2024

November delivers a heap of Microsoft patches for admins

Microsoft released updates addressing 89 CVE-listed security vulnerabilities, including two actively exploited flaws: CVE-2024-49039 (Windows Task Scheduler, CVSS 8.8) allowing privilege escalation, and CVE-2024-43451 (NTLM spoofing, CVSS 6.5) enabling account impersonation. Other critical vulnerabilities include CVE-2024-43602 (Azure CycleCloud, CVSS 9.9) allowing remote code execution, CVE-2024-43498 (.NET and Visual Studio, CVSS 9.8) exploitable via malicious requests, and CVE-2024-43639 (Windows Kerberos, CVSS 9.8) leading to remote code execution. CISA added the Windows Task Scheduler and NTLMv2 vulnerabilities to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities Catalog and reported an increase in zero-day exploitations in 2023 compared to 2022. Citrix, Intel, AMD, and Adobe also released patches for various vulnerabilities.

Winsage

November 3, 2024

Windows Server 2025 supports CPUs packing two to 192 cores — CPU support list spans Pentium chips to Xeon and EPYC parts

Microsoft has unveiled the CPU support list for Windows Server 2025, which includes a range of processors. The Intel CPU support features second through fifth generation Xeon Scalable Processors (SP) built on the Emerald Rapids, Sapphire Rapids, Ice Lake, and Cascade Lake architectures, as well as the Xeon D series based on Ice Lake, the Xeon E-series utilizing Raptor Lake, and the Xeon 6 series derived from Granite Rapids. Additionally, the list includes the Pentium G7400 and G7400T processors, which are Alder Lake-based dual-core chips. For AMD, Windows Server 2025 supports all modern EPYC-based CPUs from Zen 2 to Zen 5, including the AMD EPYC 7002, 7003, 4004, 8004, 9004, and 9005 series. Microsoft has not included any mainstream consumer Ryzen processors in its support list. The list of supported processors is a prerequisite for system certification, and only systems with the specified CPUs can be certified to operate Windows Server 2025. Microsoft plans to update this list over time to include additional CPUs.

Winsage

November 3, 2024

Microsoft shares full list of Windows Server 2025 supported CPUs, includes Pentium too

Microsoft has launched Windows Server 2025 and System Center 2025, along with an updated list of supported CPUs. The supported Intel processors include: - Xeon Scalable Processors (SP) from 2nd to 5th Generation - Xeon 6 SP - Xeon E series (23xx and 24xx) - Xeon D series (17xx, 18xx, 21xx, 27xx, 28xx) - Modern Pentium chips such as G7400 and G7400T The supported AMD processors include: - EPYC 7002 series - EPYC 7003 series - EPYC 8004 series - EPYC 9004 and 9005 series The list of supported CPUs is a prerequisite for system certification, and Microsoft will continue to update it as new processors become available.