Why is i7 Not Compatible with Windows 11!

Andel, Preston 176

I have a decent setup for my desktop (CPU i7-7700 3.6ghz 4-core, 32Gb Ram, GPU NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 3Gb, 256Gb-SSD, 1T-HD, 1T-Samsung 860 EVO SSD, 2T-Samsung 860 EVO SSD). I play games and record at the same time sometimes without maxing out my CPU or GPU. For what reason would my setup not be able to run Windows 11? What is in Windows 11 that my i7 and others can not handle? Many desktop/laptop owners have i6 and i7. So why make Windows 11 incompatible with the majority of users' computers?

Please upvote so others can express this issue.
Make a problem and suggestion in Feedback Hub.
Make your own question on this topic to further conversation on the problem.

HUGH SHAW 45 Reputation points

2023-01-31T15:37:17.5966667+00:00

I will tell you the truth its because micro$s want you to waste money upgrading what does not need upgrading if you require proof check out you tube a 30 year old single core pentium d runs this os with no problems whatsoever. So your cpu is well capable of running it. tpm is another problem your rig must be fitted with tpm tpm = trusted platform module but as for a corei7 being less than a pentium d is laughable.
Andy Lo 36 Reputation points

2023-07-03T23:00:33.11+00:00

It's ridiculous that even an Atom or Celeron can run Windows 11.

I have a laptop at home i3-8th gen, that barely boots into Windows, cannot run games, and struggles to run Word/Excel, but is eligible for Windows 11 upgrade.

On the other hand, my i7-7th gen with TPM2.0, GFx, and 2TB SSD and 24TB HDD, and 32GB RAM, is not eligible.

It would be interesting, if I can run Windows 11 as a VM on my i7-7th gen.
FAST WAR 15 Reputation points

2023-12-20T19:46:38.6533333+00:00

The same problem happened to me with my omen hp HP core tm i7- 7700
Nate 5 Reputation points

2024-03-20T20:21:15.54+00:00

I have a Surface Pro 3 (i7 4650u) that is more than powerful for what I require out of it for school. Windows 10 has horrible inking and pen support and it makes the pen and tablet mode painful, the whole point of a surface. I do not want to hack Windows 11 onto it and I can't afford even a new Surface Go 3. :(
Ryan Kery 10 Reputation points

2024-05-29T14:31:47.3966667+00:00

If it is not at least an 8th gen CPU, it will not be compatible with windows 11.
DreamingEagle 0 Reputation points

2024-06-12T01:26:10.1633333+00:00

Bill Gates keeps giving us reasons to try Macs; but I hear Mac gives their users reasons to look for something else too
Belinda Guillen 0 Reputation points

2024-12-01T13:31:19.0733333+00:00

I also find it funny that microsoft refuses to answer. Microsoft you have a lot of explaining to do.

Accepted answer

Limitless Technology 39,801 Reputation points

2021-11-11T10:47:59.007+00:00

Hi there,

The processor are selected by various parameters and the important one is DCH Design Principles. Driver packages that are DCH-compliant contain an INF file and binaries that install and run on Universal Windows Platform (UWP)-based editions of Windows 10. They also install and run on other editions of Windows 10 that share a common set of interfaces.
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-hardware/drivers/develop/dch-principles-best-practices

Some of the 7th generation processor and all 8th generation Intel processor are supported for Windows 11.Hopefully these processors will be added on the future based upon the testing.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

--If the reply is helpful, please Upvote and Accept it as an answer--
Please sign in to rate this answer.

6 people found this answer helpful.
Andel, Preston 176 Reputation points

2021-11-12T04:11:40.297+00:00

Thank you very much! As a person just going into computer science I understand more now from your answer. I really hope they work on making other processors compatible. I plan on continuing to upgrade my pc, but I don't like the idea of having a deadline of having windows 10 no longer supported after 2025 on my CPU. I'll have to wait for now and see if they work on it.

Pavel Dimov 10 Reputation points

2023-05-11T10:49:12.89+00:00

It is 2023 now and i-7 processors are still not added to the list. I have 3 machines with those processors and guess how happy that makes me.

Some of the 7th generation processor and all 8th generation Intel processor are supported for Windows 11.Hopefully these processors will be added on the future based upon the testing.

And if not: there's always Linux...

keith 5 Reputation points

2024-06-20T06:11:34.5733333+00:00

microsoft needs to get its shit together and sort this out now not many people can aford to buy a new pc.....i have a i 7 and am happy with it.sort it out now microsoft stop milking people for money.instead of trying to push your crappy laptops running win 11 after you tell them your pc will not run win 11.

Belinda Guillen 0 Reputation points

2024-12-01T13:32:39.3033333+00:00

it still hasn't been added... Guess what microsoft if i wanted an apple computer i would have bought one. Fix this problem!
Sign in to comment

Use comments to ask for clarification, additional information, or improvements to the question.

5 additional answers

Kjetil Ervik 0 Reputation points

2025-02-08T23:48:38.1566667+00:00

This will only get worse and worse.

I have long since switched to Linux Mint and have no problems with it whatsoever. The fact is that I would never leave Linux Mint for anything else in the world. But I use win10 on one of my laptops for music production, as I have bought a lot of music software for windows over the years. But apart from music production, I only use Linux Mint. Some people's negative perceptions of Linux are misleading and often parenting opinions that do not measure up.

I had the same problem with win10 when I tried to upgrade to win11, yes on all three of my computers. Then I definitely said goodbye to windows, as I don't want to buy a new computer every time a new windows version comes out!
Please sign in to rate this answer.

0 comments No comments
Sign in to comment

Use comments to ask for clarification, additional information, or improvements to the question.

Share via

Why is i7 Not Compatible with Windows 11!

5 additional answers

Your answer