There's a big difference between a guarantee and mere confidence.Īs for 7 th-generation chips such as the Kaby Lake processors, we're still in the dark.

Note: It didn't guarantee Windows 11 would run on, say, Intel Coffee Lake CPUs. As we release to Windows Insiders and partner with our OEMs, we will test to identify devices running on Intel 7th generation and AMD Zen 1 that may meet our principles.' Specifically, Microsoft says it’s 'confident that devices running on Intel 8 th-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. Most of us aren't going to 'upgrade' our Windows 10 systems. That’s why all Windows 11-supported CPUs have an embedded TPM, support secure boot, and support VBS and specific VBS capabilities. These features in combination have been shown to reduce malware by 60% on tested devices. 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.

And, along the way it pulled back the curtain on why it’s doing this. The answer? Microsoft, after confusing everyone about what hardware Windows 11 will or won't run on, finally revealed what's what. Put them together in WinTel, and we have a real mess. They're still around, and we're still dealing with their fallout. Remember the nasty Meltdown and Spectre security bugs. It also means tacitly admitting that Windows 10 is just as much a security mess as ever. Yes, your machine can be taken over via an attack on your Windows printer spooler. So, what's really going on? After taking a deep dive into what Microsoft is saying and the current, 'If it's Tuesday, there must be a new security disaster' world, I think what Windows 11 is really all about is security.Įven as I write this, there's another major Windows zero-day popping up - and it’s nasty. I mean, being able to run Android apps on Windows is nice, but the reason for a whole new release? I don't think so. And it sure isn't the 'Eh' updated interface or new features. Windows 11 will be a 'free' upgrade for current Windows 10 users.

Get windows 11 for free