Here Is What You Need To Run Windows 10

by Michael Justin Allen Sexton March 20, 2015 at 1:55 PM - Source: Microsoft

Microsoft gave out the system requirements for Windows 10 at WinHEC.

For the desktop version of Windows 10, the system requirements are almost identical to Windows 8.1. For a 32-bit OS, you will need 1 GB of RAM with 16 GB of storage space, and for a 64-bit OS, you will need 2 GB of RAM with 20 GB of storage space.

Regardless of whether you choose 32-bit or 64-bit, you will need a GPU supporting DirectX 9 and an 800 x 600 resolution display. The display for consumer variants of the OS must be 8 inches or greater in size, and the Pro variants must be 7 inches or greater in size.

The only change between Windows 8.1 and Windows 10 for system requirements on the desktop is the mandate of UEFI v2.3.1. Windows 8.1 was required to have UEFI v2.3.1 for Secure Boot, but this was an optional feature. In Windows 10 this is no longer optional.

Smartphones have a different list of requirements for Windows 10. The minimum amount of RAM is 512 MB, but will ultimately depend on the resolution of your smart device. 512 MB is the minimum for running at 854 x 480 or 800 x 480 resolutions, but with a resolution of 2560 x 2048, you will need at least 4 GB of RAM.

At least 4 GB of storage space is required. If your smartphone only has 4 GB of storage, then an SD card will be required to store additional updates.

A DirectX9-compatible GPU is still a requirement, but screen size can be between 3 inches and 7.99 inches; Microsoft will likely view devices larger than that as needing the desktop OS.

A few SoCs have been confirmed to run Windows 10 already, including Intel's Cherry Trail, Atom x3, and SoCs based on Skylake; AMD's Carrizo and Carrizo-L; and five Qualcomm SoCs (MSM8909, MSM8208, MSM8994, MSM8992 and MSM8952). Some smartphone makers such as Xiaomi are already testing Windows 10 for use on their products.

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About the author

Michael Justin Allen Sexton @EmperorSunLao

Michael Justin Allen Sexton is a Contributing Writer for Tom's Hardware US. He covers hardware component news, specializing in CPUs and motherboards.

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Top Comments

maban 2 years ago

I'm so sick of the way Tom's does pictures. I have to click a small, almost unreadable image to get to an even smaller unrecognizable thumbnail to get to a new not-quite-maximized window just to be able to see something that should have been viewable on the page I was looking at initially.
54
Deus Gladiorum 2 years ago

Quote:

I'm so sick of the way Tom's does pictures. I have to click a small, almost unreadable image to get to an even smaller unrecognizable thumbnail to get to a new not-quite-maximized window just to be able to see something that should have been viewable on the page I was looking at initially.

Yepp, agreed. Tom's needs to update this, because it's beyond annoying.
24
ThisWasATriumph 2 years ago

Wait, so we NEED an UEFI motherboard now to run it? So I can't install it on any of my older windows 7 computers?
17

Other Comments

ThisWasATriumph 2 years ago

Wait, so we NEED an UEFI motherboard now to run it? So I can't install it on any of my older windows 7 computers?
17
yoji 2 years ago

What? NEED UEFI? that CANT be right... but may be that's the MS cunning plan.. "yes win 7 and and 8 can all have it as free update" knowing full well that most cant update as will need new Mobo!!! that's got to be wrong. EVEN MS cant be THAT crazy.. can they?
5
turkey3_scratch 2 years ago

Anonymous said:

What? NEED UEFI? that CANT be right... but may be that's the MS cunning plan.. "yes win 7 and and 8 can all have it as free update" knowing full well that most cant update as will need new Mobo!!! that's got to be wrong. EVEN MS cant be THAT crazy.. can they?

I run it on my laptop which does not have UEFI so I don't get why they said that. It strictly says BIOS.
11
maban 2 years ago

I'm so sick of the way Tom's does pictures. I have to click a small, almost unreadable image to get to an even smaller unrecognizable thumbnail to get to a new not-quite-maximized window just to be able to see something that should have been viewable on the page I was looking at initially.
54
Deus Gladiorum 2 years ago

Quote:

I'm so sick of the way Tom's does pictures. I have to click a small, almost unreadable image to get to an even smaller unrecognizable thumbnail to get to a new not-quite-maximized window just to be able to see something that should have been viewable on the page I was looking at initially.

Yepp, agreed. Tom's needs to update this, because it's beyond annoying.
24
amk-aka-Phantom 2 years ago

Quote:

What? NEED UEFI? that CANT be right... but may be that's the MS cunning plan.. "yes win 7 and and 8 can all have it as free update" knowing full well that most cant update as will need new Mobo!!! that's got to be wrong. EVEN MS cant be THAT crazy.. can they?

If you have bought or build your PC within the last 4-5 years, it's got UEFI support. And there's nothing wrong with throwing legacy boot out, UEFI is vastly superior. In combination with GPT it finally allowed me to get rid of the annoying 4 primary partition limitation and struggle between Windows and Linux bootloaders on my dual-boot setups - now the UEFI partition takes care of that and both OSs are happy.

Quote:

Wait, so we NEED an UEFI motherboard now to run it? So I can't install it on any of my older windows 7 computers?

... and? You can't possibly expect them to cater to all sorts of obsolete tech. Windows 7 still has support till 2020, just keep using it until these PCs die.

----

Meanwhile, I'm annoyed to see there's STILL a 32-bit Windows planned, what will it take to make MS drop it already?
-4
Davrosyd 2 years ago

For those who are confuse about the UEFI requirements...

You need the UEFI for "Secure Boot".. (This was stated clearly in the article above... )

Any Questions?
1
Fr33Th1nk3r 2 years ago

Linux is looking great, no metro display either.
1
yoji 2 years ago

Quote:

For those who are confuse about the UEFI requirements...

You need the UEFI for "Secure Boot".. (This was stated clearly in the article above... )

May be you the one who needs read the article.. read all of this bit,...
"The only change between Windows 8.1 and Windows 10 for system requirements on the desktop is the mandate of UEFI v2.3.1. Windows 8.1 was required to have UEFI v2.3.1 for Secure Boot, but this was an optional feature. In Windows 10 this is no longer optional."
Any questions?
Any Questions?
1
Emanuel Elmo 2 years ago

Quote:

Wait, so we NEED an UEFI motherboard now to run it? So I can't install it on any of my older windows 7 computers?

So you telling me you installed windows 7 on pc that was running windows xp and now you scream cause why?

Yes you need a UEFI BIOS. Any pc you recently bought within the last 4-5 years or any pc your build will have a UEFI BIOS.
"
if you have not, get with the times. How much longer do you expect MS to support such old tech. I am sure you still want support for your old dot printer too right?

SMH
-12
aldaia 2 years ago

"Smartphones have a different list of requirements for Windows 10. ...... but with a resolution of 2560 x 2048, you will need at least 4 GB of RAM."
Is that a typo? otherwise i predict a tiny tiny market for windows 10 in smartphones.
0
Emanuel Elmo 2 years ago

Quote:

What? NEED UEFI? that CANT be right... but may be that's the MS cunning plan.. "yes win 7 and and 8 can all have it as free update" knowing full well that most cant update as will need new Mobo!!! that's got to be wrong. EVEN MS cant be THAT crazy.. can they?

OH NO!!!!!, you mean you need tech that is 4-5 years old to be able to install windows. Now that is just garbage. I should be able to install windows 10 on my old commodore. MS is just crazy for this.

or crap you mean I can not update my xp machine to run windows 10. OH NO!!!! My 12 year old hardware should really be ready for windows 10.

I wonder if you too have an old DOT matrix printer that you use for printing office 365 word file.
-11
qlum 2 years ago

Judging from the slides it seems like Uefi + secure boot is required for oems but its optional to allow the user to turn it of so I guess that it doesn't apply to upgrading an existing pc to windows 10 or installing windows 10 on a pc you build yourself. Personally though I don't like secure boot, uefi is fine as its justt a more modern alternative to a bios but secure boot in my opinion does not offer any protection worth the restrictions.
4
alidan 2 years ago

Quote:

Quote:

Wait, so we NEED an UEFI motherboard now to run it? So I can't install it on any of my older windows 7 computers?

So you telling me you installed windows 7 on pc that was running windows xp and now you scream cause why?

Yes you need a UEFI BIOS. Any pc you recently bought within the last 4-5 years or any pc your build will have a UEFI BIOS.
"
if you have not, get with the times. How much longer do you expect MS to support such old tech. I am sure you still want support for your old dot printer too right?

SMH

the problem is all my hardware is MORE than capable enough to run the os, but something insignificant to my performance is making it so i cant...

i was honestly going to hold on the the 10 license for a year after i got it just so i could make sure 10 didn't screw anything i need up like 7 did (no cascading windows option still annoys me) but now that i cant run it acording to this, i dont even have to care... nice.
4
chicofehr 2 years ago

I have the Crosshair IV Etreme mobo and its just a regular bios. Don't feel like upgrading it as I got my Phenom x6 at 4.2Ghz, 32GB or ram and supports 3x16x PCIE 2.0 at same time. Upgrading the whole system over a bios issue not good. Wish i had an extra HDD to test it first.
4
redgarl 2 years ago

It's a smart move by microsoft. It will force people to move on to W10... and 0$ is a great incentive.
1
Larry Litmanen 2 years ago

I am a huge supporter of getting rid of old systems in the name of progress, but come on i had a gaming PC from 2008 that did not have a UEFI.

Before getting rid of older BIOS were's there other things that needed to be chopped, i don't know like PS/2 port, VGA, DVI, USB 1.0, Toslink.
-2
Larry Litmanen 2 years ago

Anonymous said:

Linux is looking great, no metro display either.

I am running W10 Tech Preview on my PC, you do not need to use Metro at all.

Believe me it is THAT good, MS did a wonderful job.

I hated W8, whoever was behind it should hide in shame, but W10 is honestly great.
5
josejones 2 years ago

Anybody know anything about Windows 10 boot times? It's suppose to be upgraded or faster than Windows 8.1.

What about driver support for the new NVMe SSD's and M.2's? What is the cap from Windows 10 on the first generation of NVMe SSD's - 20 Gbps, 32 Gbps 40 Gbps or what?

http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/280390-32-sata-satae/page-2

http://hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=1843654
0
trifler 2 years ago

Quote:

Anonymous said:

What? NEED UEFI? that CANT be right... but may be that's the MS cunning plan.. "yes win 7 and and 8 can all have it as free update" knowing full well that most cant update as will need new Mobo!!! that's got to be wrong. EVEN MS cant be THAT crazy.. can they?

I run it on my laptop which does not have UEFI so I don't get why they said that. It strictly says BIOS.

Guys, it says it's required to use the Secure Boot feature. It doesn't say it's required to run the computer. Although, I admit it's easy to mis-read it that way.
3

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