Intel 8th, 9th and 10th Gen processors absent from Microsoft's Windows 11 24H2 CPU support list for new OEM systems

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Decision may be related to Intel's move of 7th-10th Gen iGPUs to a legacy support model in December.

Intel Core i9-10900K
(Image credit: Intel)

Edit 2/16/2024: The list of supported processors we reference in this article is for new OEM systems. However, Microsoft also references this same list on its minimum system requirements for Windows 11 page (expanding the 'Processors/CPUs' section has a link to Microsoft's "list of approved CPUs," which is the same list as referenced below.) We are following up with Microsoft for clarification but have added mention of the OEM systems below.

Microsoft has published its latest Windows 11 processor support lists for new OEM systems. The latest version of the OS, Windows 11 version 24H2, now includes official support for some of the newest Intel chips such as Lunar Lake and Arrow Lake Core Ultra 200 parts. However, we are surprised to see that Intel's 8th, 9th, and 10th Gen processors are no longer officially supported on the list for new OEM systems. The decision may be related to Intel's move of 7th-10th Gen iGPUs to a legacy support model in December.

Though Windows 11 24H2 has been pushed to consumers for several months already, Microsoft has just released the first official CPU support lists on its Hardware Developer site (the same as linked to the overall Windows 11 minimum requirements). When the first version of Windows 11 went official users were surprised to see many serviceable Intel CPUs, the 7th Gen Kaby Lake series and older, left unsupported. Now we appear to be seeing Intel's 8th, 9th, and 10th Gen processors meeting the same fate.

(Image credit: Future)

Cutting support for Intel processors launched as recently as 2020 (10th Gen Comet Lake), seems rather drastic. The Core i9-10900K with 10C/20T and a boost as high as 5.3 GHz seems far too virile to be put to pasture when a Celeron 6305 2C/2T Tiger Lake chip (also launched in 2020), for example, makes the Windows 11 version 24H2 official support list.

Microsoft doesn't explain its CPU support decisions on the linked page. All it really says is that, going forward, "subsequently released and future generations of processors which meet the same principles will be considered as supported, even if not explicitly listed." Moreover, it doesn't mention the dropping of support for Intel's 8th 9th, and 10th Gen processors in the preamble to the Windows 11 version 24H2 list.

Intel found holding the smoking gun?

The absence of explanation might give some hope that all the Intel 8th, 9th, and 10th Gen processors missing from the support list could be some kind of clerical error. However, the dropping of support of these particular Intel CPUs tallies with Intel's moving of "7th - 10th Gen Intel Processor Graphics and related Intel Atom, Pentium, and Celeron processor graphics to a legacy software support model." Intel announced this change quite recently, in December 2024.

If this is the reason for omitting these chips from the CPU support list, we have to wonder whether an 8th Gen chip, for example, with a modern discrete GPU will sail past any 'unsupported hardware' OS upgrade barriers.

Windows 11 version 24H2 supported AMD processors

Meanwhile, folk rocking PC systems running AMD processors will see that Ryzen 8000 chips have been added to the official Windows 11 support list (for 24H2) for the first time. We noticed that some mobile chips were misnamed, like the Ryzen 7 Pro 8945HS, which should be the Ryzen 9 Pro 8945HS. Also, the non-Pro SKU seems to be missing from the list, but these are likely oversights.

Microsoft seems slow to add explicit Ryzen 9000 and Ryzen AI mobile chip support, too. There are no signs of any Ryzen 9000 CPUs, nor popular chips like the Ryzen AI 9 370 HX on the new list. Remember though, Microsoft says that new and upcoming processors built upon previous chips "will be considered as supported, even if not explicitly listed."

Lastly, Microsoft's processor support axe has been known to sway, and even systems using CPUs outside of the official support lists can and do get Windows updates.

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Mark Tyson
Mark Tyson
News Editor

Mark Tyson is a news editor at Tom's Hardware. He enjoys covering the full breadth of PC tech; from business and semiconductor design to products approaching the edge of reason.

55 Comments Comment from the forums
  • ezst036
    Admin said:
    Intel 8th, 9th and 10th Gen processors
    Can you get TPM 2.0 for these processors? (/motherboards)

    I am simply asking so the information is present.
    Reply
  • TheSecondPower
    ezst036 said:
    Can you get TPM 2.0 for these processors? (/motherboards)

    I am simply asking so the information is present.
    A computer I know of with an 8th or 9th gen processor was automatically updated to Windows 11. So I think the answer is yes.

    As far as I know, the reason for the change from "10" to "11" was that some computers would no longer be supported. So it seems really odd to drop support for more computers before Windows 12 comes.
    Reply
  • rambo919
    ezst036 said:
    Can you get TPM 2.0 for these processors? (/motherboards)

    I am simply asking so the information is present.
    You get that on 6th gen already.... M$ is simply not requiring it for what they say they are requiring it.... and has painted itself into a corner it at this point obviously hopes everyone just forgets about.

    Again, these are not actually requirements for Win11.... they are requirements for BitLocker (and perhaps live accounts?) which M$ wants enabled on all Windows PC's.
    Reply
  • jlake3
    ezst036 said:
    Can you get TPM 2.0 for these processors? (/motherboards)

    I am simply asking so the information is present.
    Yes. These are all processors with TPM 2.0 on the CPU.
    Reply
  • Alvar "Miles" Udell
    If they're in legacy support and will likely no longer receive BIOS updates in the event a major issue is found, it makes sense to remove them from the list, as it explicitly states the following:

    OEMs may use the following CPUs for new Windows 11 devices.

    It does not say "Computers already using these processors will be bricked", only that NEW Windows 11 devices FROM OEMs cannot use them, which is unlikely to affect any if the newest CPU to be removed is going on 5 years old.

    Even though there are Ryzen 2000 series listed I wouldn't expect any OEM to build a new system around them either.
    Reply
  • ezst036
    rambo919 said:
    You get that on 6th gen already.... M$ is simply not requiring it for what they say they are requiring it.... and has painted itself into a corner it at this point obviously hopes everyone just forgets about.

    Again, these are not actually requirements for Win11.... they are requirements for BitLocker (and perhaps live accounts?) which M$ wants enabled on all Windows PC's.
    Bitlocker requirementss.... that makes sense.

    So basically Microsoft wants to do yet another round of "we cut you off" like they did with TPM 2.0? Is that what this is about to run into?
    Reply
  • rambo919
    ezst036 said:
    Bitlocker requirementss.... that makes sense.

    So basically Microsoft wants to do yet another round of "we cut you off" like they did with TPM 2.0? Is that what this is about to run into?
    Its about them being devious I think.... they want to have the control of PC's that Apple does where they can dictate how you use them. This just happens to include hardware in circulation having an artificially high turnover rate.

    Imagine live accounts are normalized to the point where local accounts don't even exist anymore.... the power they would wield over their userbase.... and how they are likely to abuse that.

    On the other hand half the reason Apple does not go openly power-crazy is they don't have a controlling market share and their users can simply move over to Windows.

    Imagine if another "medical situation" happens and some genius decides that people who don't take the "recommended remedy" need to have their PC's locked down until they can prove they have complied? Or instead of just having your FB or Reddit account "cancelled" your PC becomes bricked because some hysterical bureaucrat doe not like your opinions?

    Now.... if these people had been honest for the last 10 years or the abuses of the last 5 had not happened no one would be so paranoid.... but can anyone still afford not to be?

    Personally speaking I would rather take my chances with getting hacked by some Indian scamming company than to entrust my hardware to the tender fickle mercies of big tech..... and that's assuming something does not happen to internet connectivity effectively bricking every live account PC anyway. The cloud is not only a trap it's been historically unreliable.
    Reply
  • SomeoneElse23
    rambo919 said:
    Its about them being devious I think.... they want to have the control of PC's that Apple does where they can dictate how you use them. This just happens to include hardware in circulation having an artificially high turnover rate.

    Imagine live accounts are normalized to the point where local accounts don't even exist anymore.... the power they would wield over their userbase.... and how they are likely to abuse that.

    On the other hand half the reason Apple does not go openly power-crazy is they don't have a controlling market share and their users can simply move over to Windows.

    Imagine if another "medical situation" happens and some genius decides that people who don't take the "recommended remedy" need to have their PC's locked down until they can prove they have complied? Or instead of just having your FB or Reddit account "cancelled" your PC becomes bricked because some hysterical bureaucrat doe not like your opinions?

    Now.... if these people had been honest for the last 10 years or the abuses of the last 5 had not happened no one would be so paranoid.... but can anyone still afford not to be?

    Personally speaking I would rather take my chances with getting hacked by some Indian scamming company than to entrust my hardware to the tender fickle mercies of big tech..... and that's assuming something does not happen to internet connectivity effectively bricking every live account PC anyway. The cloud is not only a trap it's been historically unreliable.

    Well said.

    If nothing else, by requiring a "live account", they can use you for even more advertising purposes.

    But I doubt it's only that as well.
    Reply
  • tom2tec
    Yet another reason to switch systems over to Linux. I'm glad M$ is making it so easy and obvious to do so. More than happy to leave all that classist corporate dystopia far behind.
    Reply
  • EzzyB
    rambo919 said:
    Its about them being devious I think.... they want to have the control of PC's that Apple does where they can dictate how you use them. This just happens to include hardware in circulation having an artificially high turnover rate.

    Imagine live accounts are normalized to the point where local accounts don't even exist anymore.... the power they would wield over their userbase.... and how they are likely to abuse that.

    On the other hand half the reason Apple does not go openly power-crazy is they don't have a controlling market share and their users can simply move over to Windows.

    Imagine if another "medical situation" happens and some genius decides that people who don't take the "recommended remedy" need to have their PC's locked down until they can prove they have complied? Or instead of just having your FB or Reddit account "cancelled" your PC becomes bricked because some hysterical bureaucrat doe not like your opinions?

    Now.... if these people had been honest for the last 10 years or the abuses of the last 5 had not happened no one would be so paranoid.... but can anyone still afford not to be?

    Personally speaking I would rather take my chances with getting hacked by some Indian scamming company than to entrust my hardware to the tender fickle mercies of big tech..... and that's assuming something does not happen to internet connectivity effectively bricking every live account PC anyway. The cloud is not only a trap it's been historically unreliable.

    Apple has been doing it with their customers forever. Ever tried to fix one without some nefarious Apple injected <Mod Edit> junk popping up that tries to require you to go to an "Authorized Repair Center"? Bugs in the OS that go unfixed for a decade? Apple is and has been "power crazy" literally forever. Replace the battery in an older i-Phoney? Warning message about unauthorized battery. Replace the screen in an M-series Macbook? It BRICKS the camera because.... Apple. Yep, the camera shows up, it's powered and alive, but blocked by Apple because, you naughty boy, you didn't go to an Apple repair center to get gouged. Every bit as awful a company as any of the rest.
    Reply