Could these be some of Windows 12's system requirements?
Microsoft has not announced Windows 12 officially, but the company is expected to release a new version off Windows in the second half of 2024.
First rumors about Windows 12 came to light in early 2022. While Microsoft did not confirm any of these, publications like Deskmodder claimed that the information was coming from unnamed sources at Microsoft.
Some of the major changes were revealed back then, and while some made sense, others did not. The Microsoft Pluton requirement, for instance, would shut out the majority of PCs from upgrading to Windows 12; this would affect even more devices than the upgrade to Windows 11.
Another leak, this one in March 2023, suggested that Windows 12 could be released in the second half of 2024. The release date makes a lot of sense, considering that the currently dominating operating system, Windows 10, will run out of support in late 2025. Windows 12 would have a full year to mature.
Windows 12 system requirements
Regarding system requirements, it is more or less clear that Microsoft won't relax the system requirements of its Windows 12 operating system. While that would allow more Windows 10 devices to upgrade to the new operating system, it would at the same time sabotage Microsoft's reasoning for changing them for Windows 11.
Microsoft argued that the new system requirements would improve performance and security of Windows 11 devices, when compared to previous versions of the Windows operating system.
Our colleagues over at Deskmodder claim that they have received information about some of Windows 12's system requirements. According to them, Microsoft won't make its security chip Pluton a requirement for Windows 12; this makes a lot of sense, as it would limit upgrades significantly. First devices with Pluton shipped in early 2022.
Microsoft plans to keep the current TPM, Trusted Platform Module, requirements. The RAM requirements could increase to 8 gigabytes, which Deskmodder suggests could be because of Microsoft's Cloud PC service. Processor requirements won't change as well.
To sum it up:
- CPU: stays the same.
- RAM: may be increased to 8 gigabytes (from 4)
- Pluton: optional
- TPM: same as Windows 11.
- Storage: not mentioned, Windows 11 requires 64 gigabytes at leasst.
If these requirements are correct, Microsoft would ensure that the majority of Windows 11 devices are compatible with Windows 12. RAM is the only major change, and most systems may have the capacities for RAM upgrades. For Windows 10 devices, the situation stays more or less the same.
Those incompatible with Windows 11 won't be compatible with Windows 12 either. It remains to be seen if Microsoft allows the Windows 11 installation requirement bypasses to work on Windows 12 as well, or if it will block those or make it more difficult for users to bypass them.
Microsoft has not confirmed any of this, and this should be filed under rumor for now.
Now You: what would you like to see in Windows 12?
wish I can run Windows 7 on my $7,988 rig! it doesn’t see NVMe drives imagine running 7 with ESET updated Intel Mei firmware your golden
I have been using windows 7 Pro for years. And I’m NOT going to be using windows 11/12 at anytime whatsoever. This windows 7 Pro works fine for me. No bloatware…
Firstly for CPU’s…. AMD’s athlon 5300+ series [https://www.techpowerup.com/cpu-specs/athlon-5350.c2516] series was very popural on win 8 era (2012-2019)/(low-end CPU basically, but energy enficiend, for smaller pc’s, costed about 150$, in 2014). And cpu didnt needed had to be 4ghz overclocked, or 16gb x4 DDR4 mem with ultra-clocked crazy, speeds. [https://windowstechies.com/windows-8-1-system-requirements/] > check this, also.
In win8/8.1 era, a small pc was for your purposes (if you wasnt an gamer or extreme editor) (of course win8 is 10 years old now, R.I.P.)
After w10 (2015-2021), MS ruined MORE & MORE the systems, BLOATED every intch of them. Of course, win10, it still controlls the market-share (about 70% on pc’s). By the way, there was some in-the-point tutorials from expirienced guys, that helped you to finally un-bloat the Windows, disabling those useless apps (and MS store, who uses it?), stoping telemetry/disabling MS UNWANTED services (not at all of course), stoping forced Updates… that on the pre-w11 era of course. After 2020…. things got stronger. MS wanted to know EVERY single step you did on your device.. (And to Microsoft/dev team… dont try to release a few of those pitty OS again (you did good on 8 and before, really you did..)
IMO, win10 he is the last of the Mohicans/UN-BLOATED of course. and fully-controled BY you, in no means.
But yes, I know it isnt full possible. And also, after 2025 I dont want to use windows systems anymore. Linux might get the repuptation finally it deserves !
best regards ;)
Microsoft is need create classic OS system where all other apps and features make it with check option panel where install and windows stay clean from bloatware.
I wish ReactOS were a mature, workable option.
@Jody – Still in Alpha quality, but it’s promising.
if there’s an optional checkbox to use aero theme in there somewhere, then I’m down!
@Wizard Of OS, that’s a good idea, +1
Speaking of “everyone needing to be fired” this is exactly what happened after launch of Windows 8. It was near enough a similar team to the development of 7 (same lead, as well), and they were tasked with the near-sisyphean task of morphing a desktop OS with a tablet OS for Microsoft’s crappy surface launch – after doing exactly what Microsoft asked of them, the whole team (and quality testing) got scrapped off because of how poorly Windows 8 did – and that’s how you got Windows 10.
You’re not gonna get all those people back now, it was 10 years ago! Ergo, you’ll never get something similar to Windows 7. The philosophy of respecting the end user is gone now, that’s really what it comes down to.
Run through a Windows 7 installer when you get a chance, see how different it is. When it comes to the “keeping your system up to date” aspect, you got three choices – 1) all updates automatically install, 2) only recommended, and 3) let me choose them all myself.
Such a thing could not happen now – MS hates the end user and thinks they’re idiots. I used updates as an example but it applies to so much more. A vanilla Windows 7 image doesn’t come with adverts for Disney and Spotify, either – what happened??
basingstoke +1
When they can’t even get Windows 11 to work, why are they attempting to release version 12? Everyone connected to 11 needs to be fired because they are ruining their only software people is willing to use. We need an OS like Windows 7.
One word, something that the release of Windows 11 even after two years is missing, stability.
It’s logical that the word stability includes stability, compatibility, security, cutting-edge technology, and ease to use.
I recently re-installed a fresh Windows 7 copy on a laptop (I had forgotten what a vanilla Windows 7 looks like), and the HDD is a 7200 rpm one from back in the day, and there’s 4 gigabytes of ram installed.
Let me tell you: boot times are not too dissimilar to my Windows 10 SSD desktop I use at work (there’s no “fastboot” BS going on, either), and after the OS boots, Windows 7 ultimate was using 712 Mb, and CPU utilisation was like, 0-1% before I started doing things, yet this OS can do all the same stuff as W10/11 bar from some new-fangled gimmicky stuff.
Something is not an objective improvement, or optimisation, if the resources required to run it keep going up. By this logic in 2040 we will need 16 or 24 Gb of RAM just to install the newest OS, what kind of clown world lunacy is that?
What would I like to see in Windows 12? I’d like to see a useful, and handsome OS, without bloat, without advertising, without the feeling that there is a mean little imp inside the computer deliberately frustrating my every attempt to make the OS more enjoyable. That isn’t going to happen. Therefore, Windows 12 will never invade my home.
8GB RAM so they can put in more bloatware that automatically starts and runs in the background.
I already have enough trouble completely deleting Windows Defender and Microsoft Edge (and preventing it from re-installing itself) and the other POS that comes with Windows 11 as it is.
I miss the XP-Vista-7 period when I was excited about new versions of Windows, because the new ones looked better than the old ones and added new features that made everything better and more fun.
Now it’s trying to guess how will they uglify it, how will they take away even more customization and what bloatware/malware will we have to try to uninstall and prevent it from reinstalling itself again. And the game of cat and mouse continues.
I really wish some epiphany happens and Linux becomes a viable alternative where simple 1 minute tasks don’t take 2 hours and people start moving to it in droves and Microsoft finally wets their pants and gets their shit together because they finally have a competitor for the desktop.
@Deep_Fried_Desk my father still loves when a new version of Windows is releases, furthermore he still has the glorious W7 in a very old machine that is stronger than the steel. This W7 is still doing a great job with institutional work like paying taxes and filling forms of official public institutions. I am on the other side of the wall, I don’t have too much expectations for W12, W11 has been enough for me with its weird taskbar, double click in explorer’s menu and the lack of the “not combine” option at taskbar (and much more UI destruction of productivity). :/
1) W11 with 4 Gb RAM is slower than W10 with 2 Gb RAM.
2) W11 with AMD Athlon Gold 4-cores is slower than W10 with AMD Athlon Silver 2-cores.
2) W11 with TPM is safer than W10 without TPM? I sincerely doubt it.
4) W10 with HD is nearly similar to W11 with SDD when updates got troubles.
So imho, the first requirement for W12 is to have a very big mouth to swallow very well all the nonsense bull**** that Microsoft is used to release to the users. That’s my opinion.
Generally I’m agreeing with you that Windows, Android and many new software is really bloated and unoptimized and instead of hiring competent people who can build and optimize software properly, they just use some incompetent interns and their solution is to “JUST THROW MORE POWER AT IT, THAT WILL FIX IT”, hence why the system requirements for everything increases by the minute and hardware manufacturers are loving it.
I forgot to mention what I disagree with you. xD
For me Windows 10 and 11 run equally fast on both HDD and SSD. I think HDD is becoming the less viable option these days, the difference between Windows 10 and 11 is mostly that 11 is more bloated and some things like Edge are like malware – you uninstall them, they reinstall themselves, when you accidentally open them, they hijack your whole screen space, they run in the background despite never being opened for the first time. Windows 10 at least allowed you to easily set your default programs, in Windows 11, you have to go through every format like an imbecile and go “Open With…”
I’m really disappointed and concerned in the authoritarian/dictatorial direction Windows is taking in the last few years. I’ve tired switching to Linux multiple times, but it just isn’t viable enough. I have to deal with simple problems that in Windows I resolve in 1 minute, on Linux it takes me 2 hours and there is no guarantee it will work. Everything in Linux for me has been hit-and-miss.
@Deep_Fried_Desk
I have a program for clearing SSD’s free space named FillDisk v.02 that under W10 it clears an entire internal 256Gb SSD in 16 minutes. Under W11 the same program spent 32 minutes to do the same operation. On the other hand, under W10 the transference from one internal HD to one 1Tb external HD of one movie with 2.5Gb takes near 3 minutes – just notice there are both HDs, not SSDs. However, and again under W11, it takes at least 7 minutes so forth to complete the same operation. So please tell me what’s wrong with data tranferring under W11, because it’s clear that something happens, results and time are what they are.
The most weird comparison is what happens with CPUs of 2x cores and 4x cores, because for the same tasks W10 is faster than W11 with the double of cores. And I know it by experience because I have two machines with AMD Athlon, one Gold (running W10 currently) and one Silver (running Ubuntu LTS currently). When the AMD Athlon Gold had installed the W11 OS, it was slower than the AMD Athlon Silver one running W10! Just incredible! W11 was able to slow down a 4x core machine! Furthermore, the W10 with 2x cores was incredible fast to perform movies at 4K with no glichtes at all, and now with Ubuntu still has a very good speen compared when it had W10 inside. Just my experience, it’s obvious that there are thousands of personal experiences around the world. :S
@Deep_Fried_Desk
have you tried linux mint cinnamon , it works 99 % out of the box . only software availability is not good in linux . because many corporates just don’t release their programs for linux ,but for home use linux mint is perfect.
+1 Linux Mint Cinnamom…
Yes, a fair amount of relearning required initially and some software limitations, but then life is so much simpler, and free of so many frustrations and irritations!