Manufacturers shed light on Windows 11 compatibility

Manufacturers are beginning to clarify which devices and motherboards will meet the higher bar that Microsoft has set for compatibility with its Windows 11 operating system (OS) against requirements for Windows 10.

With the new operating system, Microsoft has increased the minimum system requirements to a 1Ghz 64-bit dual-core CPU alongside 4GB RAM, 64GB storage and a 9in display with 1,366 x 768 resolution. This is alongside DirectX 12 compatible graphics as well as UEFI, Secure Boot and TPM 2.0.

TPM 2.0, also known as Trusted Platform Module, is an additional security specification that comes in the form of a module embedded into the hardware.

This performs hardware-based cryptography operations to secure encryption and prevent attacks against hardware and the boot process. TPM 2.0 is the second generation of this module, released in 2015.

Microsoft then published a clarification around the minimum system requirements, stressing that TPM 2.0 would be considered a ‘soft requirement’ and that devices not fitted with the security specification would still be able to upgrade to Windows 11. This comes after manufacturers and device owners raised concerns that a vast swathe of machines, which are fitted with just TPM 1.2, might not be able to benefit from the new OS.

A handful of newly designed motherboards and laptops may have also fallen short of the TPM requirement. Manufacturers including Asus, Gigabyte, AsRock and MSI have now clarified which of their components and devices can support Windows 11, as first pointed out by Neowin.

Asus has published a full list of devices that can support the new OS, as well as which motherboards are compatible with Windows 11. In some devices, TPM needs to be enabled through the BIOS settings.

Gigabyte has confirmed that all its motherboards are TPM 2.0 ready and would pass any checks for Windows 11 compatibility, although it hasn’t yet specified which of its notebooks or desktops can support the OS.

AsRock has published a list confirming support for Intel and AMD motherboards, while Biostar has confirmed which of its motherboards will support Windows 11.

MSI, finally, has published a list of desktops and all-in-ones that will support Windows 11 from launch, as well as a separate list of compatible motherboards.