You may not have enough processors for the next Windows 11 update – PCW

Microsoft is not showing mercy: while the Start menu of Windows 11 will soon be filled with advertisements, it will also be able to target older machines with the next update. As it turns out, the upcoming version of the operating system will not support several older Intel and AMD processors, so Windows 11 may become essentially unusable on these machines.

According to online Windows expert TheBobPony, running Windows 11 with build number 26080 will require CPUs equipped with the SSE4.2 instruction set. If this condition is not met, the system will automatically restart every time you reach the boot screen.

This condition was also confirmed through the Windows settings editor, because the BlockedBYSSE4.2 found there essentially prevents the operating system from running on CPUs without such an instruction set.

Incidentally, SSE4.2 was introduced in 2008 with Intel Nehalem processors, which were the first CPUs using the Core i7 brand name. The instruction set is also supported by all CPUs based on AMD’s Zen architecture, including desktop Ryzen and later Athlon-branded chips.

Microsoft’s March listing of processors supported by Windows 11 includes several Core i-series processors, as well as Atom, Pentium, Celeron and Xeon processors, but no Core 2 chips are listed. Similarly, the AMD FX and Phenom units are not listed on the AMD front either.

It is important to add that the update with build number 26080 was only introduced as part of the Windows Insider program so far, so there is no reason to worry. However, when it officially launches, this version of Windows 11 will most likely no longer run on units from the Core 2 era or the Ryzen era.