Microsoft ends its OEM support for several Intel generations of processors in Windows 24H2

Support for Microsoft Windows 10 will end in October 2025, which will affect many users. Although Windows 11 has been available as a free upgrade for some time, many people continue to use Windows 10 – partly out of conviction, partly because of the high system requirements of Windows 11. Now there is another change that some people will not like. Microsoft has announced that support for 8th, 9th and 10th generation Intel processors will be discontinued for Windows 11 version 24H2. This means that these processor series will no longer play a role for many manufacturers.

It is important to note that this change only affects new OEM devices. These are new devices with pre-installed Windows, which will no longer be delivered with processors from the previously mentioned generations and Windows 11 version 24H2. However, anyone who already owns a PC or laptop with a processor from the 8th, 9th or 10th generation can continue to use Windows 11 and receive updates. Even if the impression might arise that these CPUs can no longer run Windows 11, this is not the case. While it is possible that these processors will continue to run Windows 11, future updates may be limited. Why Microsoft is taking this step has not been explained in detail.

Windows 11 requires TPM 2.0 in order to be able to perform an upgrade. The affected Intel generations have this TPM 2.0 chip and therefore fulfill the basic requirements. A TPM (or Trusted Platform Module) is a permanently integrated security technology in the form of a microcontroller. This TPM chip is installed either in the mainboard or in the processor of a computer. Important and sensitive data is secured and stored using cryptography in order to guarantee the authentication of the platform.

Nevertheless, Microsoft has further increased the requirements so that only devices with Intel processors from the 12th generation onwards are eligible for new OEM devices with Windows 11. If you look at the release date of the 10th generation, for example, there is a lot of confusion. After all, this processor series was only released between 2019 and 2020, which is not too far off. However, new processors from AMD have also been added to the list. This concerns the 8000 series. With these OEMs, it is not a problem that Windows 11 can continue to receive important updates.

Source: Microsoft