It appears that Microsoft may set a release date of October 20 for Windows 11.

According to The Verge, sources say that Microsoft plans to release Windows 11 in October, when new laptops hit the market. Combining this information with other hints given throughout Microsoft's Windows 11 reveal event last week, all signs point to October 20.

For the astute viewer, Microsoft's Windows 11 presentation showed several hints toward an October 20 launch. All images can be seen on Microsoft's Windows 11 press site.

One image of the redesigned Windows 11 Start menu shows a curious date in the lower right corner: it is October 20, and the time is 11:11 a.m.

In fact, the date is the same as the date of the Windows 11 launch.

In fact, there is a complete set of images that say October 20, 11:11 AM. All screenshots are posted in the gallery below.

On Walmart's website, several laptops currently on sale, such as the Lenovo Legion 5, are described as "free upgrades to Windows in October 2021, when available."

Although, of course, Microsoft could delay the launch of Windows 11 into the holiday period. However, given that new machines tend to appear around October, computer manufacturers are likely betting on Windows 11 shipping.

Also, keep in mind that existing Windows 10 PCs may not be able to be upgraded to Windows 11 on the official launch date. In fact, according to Microsoft's own tweeted response to a question about availability, "The rollout of upgrades to Windows 10 devices already in use today will begin in 2022 and into the first half of that year."

There is some hand-wringing about the target audience for Windows 11. Microsoft has confirmed that only 8th generation and later CPUs will be eligible for Windows 11. This most likely excludes laptops and computers manufactured before 2016. This includes recent Microsoft devices such as the Surface Pro 4, Surface Pro (2017), and the $3,499 Surface Studio.

Certainly, anyone who has paid more than $3,000 for a computer will find the lack of Windows 11 upgrades annoying. And unfortunately, in the case of the Surface Studio, it is soldered to the motherboard, making it impossible to open it up and replace it with a new CPU.

It remains to be seen if Microsoft will mitigate the hardware eligibility gap.

Windows 11 also requires all devices to incorporate a Trusted Platform Module (TPM), a hardware security chip that protects users from hackers and malware. However, TPMs are a recent technological adaptation. Most new laptops have TPMs. Also, recent CPUs use firmware TPMs, which should cover most modern PC builders. However, some PCs may require a separate TPM chip to be purchased and installed on the motherboard.