There is much confusion over the system requirements for Windows 11. From those requiring newer CPUs to those with TPMs, PC users are scrambling to make sure their computers are ready. And now that Windows 11 has begun to be released, this has become even more important (check out our Windows 11 review to see if it's worth downloading now).

In fact, there has been so much confusion that Microsoft was forced to withdraw the PC Health Check app (which has since been redeployed) that many people are wondering what to do. Here is everything we know so far about CPUs compatible with Windows 11.

The only ones compatible with Windows 11 are Intel's 8th generation and later chips, think mid-2017 and beyond. In other words, if you bought a Surface Pro (2017), you're out of luck, because it uses a 7th generation chip. Microsoft has a complete list of all supported Intel processors, including Atom, Celeron, Pentium, Xeon, and Core series chips The folks at PC World scoured the list and culled the most popular consumer-level CPUs We agree with their assessment. We agree with their assessment.

Installing Windows 11 on an older PC is possible, but there's a catch: you probably won't get updates.

Intel 8th generation (Coffee Lake; Whiskey Lake; Amber Lake)

Desktop

Mobile

Intel 9th generation (Coffee Lake Refresh)

Desktop

Intel 10th generation (Comet Lake; Ice Lake; Amber Lake)

Desktop

Mobile

Intel 11th generation (Tiger Lake)

Desktop

Mobile

AMD As for the Windows 11 CPU compatibility, Windows 11 CPU compatibility dates back to 2018. This includes second generation Ryzen (Zen+) chips and above. Microsoft also has a complete AMD list that includes AMD Athlon, EPYC, Ryzen, and Ryzen Threadripper series chips. Below is a more general consumer-level CPU list. And as PC World pointed out, chips like the 3300X, 3700, 4600HS, and 5900H are missing, even though they are all very recent.

AMD Ryzen 2000 Series (Zen+; Zen)

Desktop

AMD Ryzen 3000 Series (Zen 2; Zen+)

Desktop

Mobile

AMD Ryzen 4000 Series (Zen 2)

Desktop

Mobile

AMD Ryzen 5000 Series (Zen 3)

Desktop

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