We select and review products independently. When you purchase through our links we may earn a commission. Learn more.

Windows 11 Testers With Unsupported PCs Won’t Get the New Insider Build

The Windows 11 logo with Windows XP alert icons.
Microsoft

Microsoft overlooked its strict Windows 11 hardware requirements for some beta testers in its Dev Channel, but the company will no longer accommodate unsupported PCs. If you’re a Dev Channel tester with an underpowered PC, then you won’t get the next Insider build and must roll back to Windows 10 for continued software support.

Update, 9/2/21 3:13 pm Eastern: Microsoft began rolling out the new Windows 11 Insider build the minute we published this post. If you’re a Dev Channel user with an unsupported PC, you won’t get this new build.

The bad news shouldn’t come as much of a surprise, as Microsoft refuses to support any under-powered PC running Windows 11 (though it will let you manually install the OS and perform driver updates by hand).

While it sucks to see Microsoft take another firm stance on its ridiculous hardware requirements, it seems that the company isn’t reaching out to Dev Channel users with Intel 7th gen PCs. Assuming that user reports are correct (they may not be), Windows 11 may now support Intel 7th gen chips (Microsoft’s website still says otherwise, though).

Microsoft will begin the official Windows 11 rollout on October 5th. Millions of PCs will be left behind due to the new operating system’s strict hardware requirements. To check if your PC is eligible for the Windows 11 update, use Microsoft’s compatibility checker.

Source: Tom Warren

Andrew Heinzman Andrew Heinzman
Andrew is the News Editor for Review Geek, where he covers breaking stories and manages the news team. He joined Life Savvy Media as a freelance writer in 2018 and has experience in a number of topics, including mobile hardware, audio, and IoT. Read Full Bio »