How to make sure that the PC you are buying is Windows 11 compatible

Martin Brinkmann
Aug 29, 2021
Updated • Oct 5, 2021
Windows 11 Help
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Microsoft's Windows 11 operating system will be released in October 2021 with updated system requirements that make the majority of old and many not-so-old PCs incompatible with the new operating system.

Manufacturers such as HP, Dell or Asus will release devices that are compatible with Microsoft's Windows 11 operating system, but what if you need a PC right now?

Some manufactures highlight whether a device will get a free upgrade to Windows 11; this also means that the hardware is compatible.

windows 11 device find out compatibility

If the information is not provided, you could ask the support about compatibility with Windows 11, but it is always a good idea to double-check to make sure you are getting a compatible device.

If you plan to build the PC from scratch or buy from a third-party site, then you may not be able to contact support to inquire about Windows 11 compatibility or find the information on site. Things will get better once the operating system is out, but for now, you need to take a few extra steps to verify that the device or hardware is compatible.

If you look at Windows 11's system requirements, you will notice that the majority of requirements are met by more or less any PC or device that you may buy nowadays. Four Gigabytes of RAM and 64 Gigabytes of storage, a 720p or greater display, a DirectX 12 graphics card should not pose any issues when selecting devices.

It is the process and motherboard that may cause problems in regards to Windows 11 compatibility.

Microsoft lists a 1 GHz or faster processor with 2 cores as the system requirement on the main page, but if you dig deeper, you will notice that it limits processors to certain processor generations.

Generally speaking, if the processor is an 8th generation or newer processor, it is compatible with Windows 11. Microsoft published updates system requirements this week that include some 7th generation Intel processors as well.

Here are links to the processor listings of CPUs that are compatible with Microsoft's Windows 11 operating system:

All you have to do is compare the processor of the device you are interested in with the listing; if it is found on the listing, it is compatible with Windows 11.

One example. You can buy an HP laptop with an 11th Gen Intel Core i5-1135G7 Processor. 11th generation means that it should be compatible, and you get the verification if you search the Intel processors listing for the processor.

It may be difficult to make sure that the motherboard components, TPM version and UEFI, Secure Boot capable requirements are also met, especially if the information lacks clarity.

While you can check a computer for TPM compatibility, you usually don't have access to devices that you plan to purchase.

A search for TPM or UEFI may not yield any results, depending on the site that you are on. Amazon's listing for the example device did not provide the required details.

You may want to search the page first to find out if the information is listed. If it is not, you may run a search for the product or attempt to find it on the manufacturer's website. You may not find the information on the site or the Internet sometimes, in which case contacting support is the best option. You could also look around for a comparable product that provides better information.

Closing Words

Microsoft's new system requirements make it difficult to make sure that a PC that you are interested in is compatible with Windows 11. Previously, you could pick almost any device out there and be sure that it is compatible with Windows 10.

There is unfortunately no option to make sure that a PC is compatible with Windows 11 if the information is not provided properly on the manufacturer's website or shopping site. Most devices released in 2020 or 2021 should match these requirements and be compatible with Windows 11, but there is still the chance that some are not.

Most may want to wait for Windows 11 to be released before a new device is purchased to avoid making mistakes and ending up with a device that is not compatible with Windows 11.

Now You: Will you buy a PC that is compatible with Windows 11, or upgrade an existing one?

Summary
How to make sure that the PC you are buying is Windows 11 compatible
Article Name
How to make sure that the PC you are buying is Windows 11 compatible
Description
Find out how to check if a PC you are interested in is compatible with Microsoft's upcoming Windows 11 operating system.
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Ghacks Technology News
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Comments

  1. John G. said on August 21, 2023 at 2:38 pm
    Reply

    There is not still W11 23H2 and these instructions are nonsense by now. :[

    1. James said on August 21, 2023 at 8:48 pm
      Reply

      It worked for me just fine. You’re probably not following the instructions clearly.

      1. Katrina Thompson said on August 30, 2023 at 3:25 am
        Reply

        Just tried the password option and the OOBE option and didnt work.

    2. Anonymous said on September 7, 2023 at 10:33 am
      Reply

      Worked perfectly. Thank OP.

    3. Anonymous said on September 15, 2023 at 11:26 am
      Reply

      Worked perfectly for me just now. Specifically, the regedit option.

  2. 45 RPM said on August 22, 2023 at 9:02 am
    Reply

    Is this cut and paste from a Microsoft PR paper, because it 1000% BS:

    “By listening to user insights, Microsoft has demonstrated its commitment to refining the Windows experience based on real-world needs.”

    Windows 11 is proof they don’t give a s*it.

    1. elong45 said on August 23, 2023 at 12:25 am
      Reply

      Worked for me just now

    2. Robert N said on August 28, 2023 at 10:55 pm
      Reply

      I agree! Windows 11 was a downgrade to me and I kept all 8 computers in our family on Windows 10 as a result. They didn’t listen to any customers. The taskbar was THE main reason I stayed away from Windows 11. With 6 monitors, it is impossible to navigate so many browser tabs, without the feature. I will try the new version in the virtual box to see if it is worth it yet.

  3. Anonymous said on August 23, 2023 at 11:33 pm
    Reply

    Microsoft did a terrible job with this implementation.

    They simply need to employ the creator of StartAllBack to fix Windows. He is smarter and more talented than the entire campus of Microsoft employees.

    1. Anonymous said on September 4, 2023 at 11:36 pm
      Reply

      lol

  4. Joe Mama said on August 24, 2023 at 12:10 am
    Reply

    Thank you so much! I work in IT and this is extremely useful information!

  5. Anonymous said on August 27, 2023 at 9:34 pm
    Reply

    Thanks man. The second method worked great!

  6. Anonymous said on August 28, 2023 at 1:16 pm
    Reply

    I used the second method, and i got exactly what i expected.

  7. adrian said on September 1, 2023 at 12:52 am
    Reply

    Using the Bypass 2: Use a banned email address email worked fantastically as I had gone to far to use the bypass 1.
    I will be back when I next have a problem.
    Keep you the great work

  8. John G. said on September 4, 2023 at 6:15 pm
    Reply

    W11 File Explorer is the worst crap ever done. W11 is the biggest shame ever.

  9. MarineRecon said on September 4, 2023 at 9:14 pm
    Reply

    Just one more reason for me to go to Linux when Windows 10 ages out.

    1. TelV said on September 19, 2023 at 11:46 am
      Reply

      @ MarineRecon,

      Be careful which Linux distro you choose. Some of them don’t include the Wayland protocol which is a security issue i.e. apps can copy, paste and inject data without user interaction.

      It’s included in Fedora: https://docs.fedoraproject.org/en-US/fedora/latest/system-administrators-guide/Wayland/

  10. Dustyn said on September 4, 2023 at 9:28 pm
    Reply

    How about a DARK MODE for your website? That would be oh so nice.

    1. Tom Hawack said on September 5, 2023 at 12:55 am
      Reply

      Something like this : [https://img.justpaste.me/image/8617] maybe?
      Done with ‘Dark Reader Extension for ? Firefox’ [https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/darkreader/]

      This comment was written on [https://www.ghacks.net/windows-11-installation-has-failed-how-to-fix-this-upgrade-error/#comment-4573155}

    2. TelV said on September 19, 2023 at 11:49 am
      Reply

      Definitely NOT! Once you get older and your eyesight starts to fail you’ll positively loathe dark mode.

  11. Anonymous said on September 5, 2023 at 2:05 am
    Reply

    Microsoft completely ruined File Explorer by converting to XAML/WinUI/whatever new bloated modern garbage. Its worse than it ever was.

  12. Invoker said on September 5, 2023 at 3:32 pm
    Reply

    i tested it on win10 current edition. speeds up explorer like a charm

  13. LOEL LARZELERE said on September 13, 2023 at 8:07 am
    Reply

    SO what is the priority numbers to give preference to ethernet over wireless?

  14. christop_bader said on September 14, 2023 at 1:50 am
    Reply

    Worked very well happy to have Windows Photo Viewer back in action in Windows-11

  15. Anonymous said on September 16, 2023 at 4:29 am
    Reply

    Worked for me (registry option) thank god, I can use the search option to find things on my computer again. Thank you so much!

    1. TelV said on September 19, 2023 at 11:54 am
      Reply

      Install Everything Search and dispense with Microsoft’s crappy search tool. https://www.voidtools.com/

      Martin wrote an article on it: https://www.ghacks.net/2020/10/09/add-everything-search-to-the-windows-taskbar-for-even-faster-searches/

  16. said on September 17, 2023 at 6:39 pm
    Reply

    I presume the text “WindowsCopilot,,” is a typographical error (2023/09/17/how-to-disable-windows-copilot-in-windows/). The broken comment system unfortunately looks like it is populating itself via AI autopilot.

  17. Anonymous said on September 17, 2023 at 10:37 pm
    Reply

    Hopefully, this Windows Copilot nonsense fails even more spectacularly than Cortana. Who requested this? We want all of the UX features removed back in 11, not this copilot nonsense.

  18. Anonymous said on September 17, 2023 at 10:51 pm
    Reply

    I really don’t mind all of these Windows enhancement but Microsoft get one thing very wrong. ‘Opt in’, is far better than seek information and work to disable.

  19. ilev said on September 18, 2023 at 7:13 am
    Reply

    Turn off Windows Copilot entirely is not good enough.

    How to uninstall Copilot entirely ?

    1. TelV said on September 19, 2023 at 11:57 am
      Reply

      @ ilev,

      Use Gpedit or the registry. Explained in this article: https://www.ghacks.net/2023/09/17/how-to-disable-windows-copilot-in-windows/

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