I would not be surprised if the next Windows version has similar requirements as Windows 11. Microsoft normally does not drastic changes to the minimum requirements over the years. Before Windows 11 came out, the last time there was a large increase was for Vista. Answer from Froggypwns on reddit.com
Reddit
reddit.com › r/windows › what intel cpu generation is likely to be the minimum required for windows 12?
r/windows on Reddit: What Intel CPU generation is likely to be the minimum required for windows 12?
January 4, 2024 -
I have a 10th gen cpu, and I was wondering if it would work for me
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I would not be surprised if the next Windows version has similar requirements as Windows 11. Microsoft normally does not drastic changes to the minimum requirements over the years. Before Windows 11 came out, the last time there was a large increase was for Vista.
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With how much they're focusing on AI and copilot, they probably want you to use a CPU with NPU. So basically the newest stuff. It would also make hardware manufacturers happy.
Microsoft Learn
learn.microsoft.com › en-us › windows-hardware › design › minimum › windows-processor-requirements
Windows Processor Requirements | Microsoft Learn
For clarity, OEMs must also meet all processor and other requirements specified in Minimum Hardware Requirements for Windows, available at Windows minimum hardware requirements.
Videos
05:23
Windows 12 Minimum requirements could be 16 GB RAM memory - YouTube
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Windows 12 Questions Answers and Speculations for minimum ...
06:06
Windows 12 - System Requirements, and Launch Date LEAKED! - YouTube
00:25
Windows 12 System Requirements Leaked #shorts - YouTube
01:46
Can YOUR Computer Handle Windows 12's Demanding System Requirements?
Digital Trends
digitaltrends.com › home › computing › news
Possible Windows 12 hardware system requirements revealed - Digital Trends
March 28, 2023 - ... There is word that Microsoft plans to make Windows 12 compatible with Intel’s 14th Gen Meteor Lake-S desktop processors out of the box, suggesting that devices with such CPUs might be the first to run Next Valley.
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Thanks for your prompt reply. My pc is about 10 years old, with win 10 os, I'm unable to upgrade to win11 due to an unsupported cpu (i5 6500). I was hoping to take advantage of the sale offers available this week, but didn't want to buy one that may not be upgradable in 5 years time, windows 11 end date.
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So your setup is pretty much like mine. Last time I went from WIN XP to WIN 10, after buying a new computer, never running WIN 7 or 8.
I found an article that might interest you, though the article is almost 6 months old, https://techbullion.com/future-proofing-your-gaming-pc-how-to-build-a-system-that-lasts/
I also recommend waiting a couple of months, I'm sure another sale will eventually come. Google "future proof desktop pc", and browse the market and options. I'm sure your current computer can do for a while.
Gizmochina
gizmochina.com › home › microsoft set to disappoint users with windows 12 hardware requirements
Microsoft Set to Disappoint Users with Windows 12 Hardware Requirements - Gizmochina
March 28, 2023 - There’s no word on storage ... happen for Windows 12. The operating system is expected to be compatible with Intel’s 14th Gen Meteor Lake-S desktop processors....
Eleven Forum
elevenforum.com › windows support forums › general support
Windows 12's Minimum Requirements: 16 GB RAM? | Windows 11 Forum
January 20, 2024 - 4GB, 8GB, 12GB none of that will matter. Windows 12 will require TPM3.0 and an AI enabled processor. So you will need to buy ANOTHER system to replace your aging 2023 system that can't be upgraded from Windows 11 or 10 anyway. Microsoft is a marketing firm now and not a software development house.
Dell
dell.com › dell community › software › virus & spyware
2/26/24 - Windows 12 to significantly up hardware requirements! | DELL Technologies
February 20, 2024 - 1) the base RAM-memory requirement is set to soar to 16GB. [For comparison, Windows 11 and Windows 10 only require 4GB and 1 to 2GB of memory, respectively.] 2) Microsoft is setting a benchmark of 40 TOPS (trillions of operations per second) ...
Tom's Hardware Forum
forums.tomshardware.com › home › systems
Question - Components to prepare for Windows 12? (And beyond?) | Tom's Hardware Forum
March 3, 2025 - Windows 12 will almost certainly require a NPU, as Windows 11 with Copilot already requires one. The T1000 is like a GTX 1650 and doesn't have one. Windows Copilot requires a NPU+CPU with 40 combined TOPS now, and it is currently believed Windows 12 will require a minimum of 45-50 TOPS.
Reddit
reddit.com › r/windows11 › any idea on windows 12 proposed hardware requirements
r/Windows11 on Reddit: Any idea on windows 12 proposed hardware requirements
January 4, 2025 -
Running W10 pro just fine on hardware that does not meet W 11 requirements. It has TPM 2.0 but is 7th gen intel CPU.
So will upgrade hardware to allow W 11 Pro to run but since we are now halfway through the lifetime of W 11 is it possible that W 12 will have additional hardware requirements that would mean hardware purchased in the 2021-2024 window would not run W 12.
I know MS can do what they want but does anyone see a "security" reason that MS might say PCs running TPM 2.0 and an 8th-12th gen processor just will not run the next OS?
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Windows 12 hasn't been announced. It was all assumptions made that 24H2 would be called that because Microsoft largely dropped their Windows as a Service campaign, thus it was assumed they would go back to their traditional goal of releasing a new OS every 3 years. Even if they follow what they did with 10, that's still 5 years from now. Things can be totally different. Computers aren't a buy-it-for-life (or for that matter an expect it to last 15-20 years) product. Just because it happened over the 2010s doesn't mean it will always be that way.
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And while you're wondering about it, why not use Rufus to build a W11 USB installer bypassing the hardware requirements? If you've got Secure Boot and Core Isolation, switch them on too.
HP Support Community
h30434.www3.hp.com › t5 › Notebook-Operating-System-and-Recovery › Windows-12 › td-p › 9316027
Solved: Windows 12 - HP Support Community - 9316027
February 18, 2025 - ... Processor: AMD Ryzen 5 3500U which is W11 supported: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-hardware/design/minimum/supported/windows-11-supported-amd.... Memory: 8 GB DDR4-SDRAM.
Neowin
neowin.net › news › some alleged system requirements for microsoft's next valley (windows 12) are here
Some alleged system requirements for Microsoft's Next Valley (Windows 12) are here - Neowin
March 26, 2023 - The ones for Windows 11 are often considered pretty stringent as Microsoft deemed CPUs, only a few years old, as incompatible. Recent rumors suggested that Intel's 14th Gen Meteor Lake-S desktop processors would debut with support for Windows ...
TechSherGole
techshergole.com › home › windows › upcoming windows 12 requirements: boost speed & security
Upcoming Windows 12 Requirements: Boost Speed & Security
February 27, 2025 - Here are the as expected minimum requirements: ... A CPU with a minimum 1 GHz, 64-bit, possesses two or more cores., and supports Secure Boot. It is probably to be compatible using more recent CPUs, such as AMD’s Ryzen 5000 series or Intel’s 12th and 13th generation...
DTP Tips
dtptips.com › home › solution software › windows 12: expected release date, features, and hardware requirements
Windows 12: Expected Release Date, Features, and Hardware Requirements - Digital Tech & Productivity Tips
October 21, 2024 - With the increased integration ... its predecessors. Here’s what you’ll need to run it smoothly: Processor: A CPU with at least 1 GHz speed....
Pureinfotech
pureinfotech.com › home › windows 12 may increase system requirements
Windows 12 may increase system requirements - Pureinfotech
March 29, 2023 - Although this information isn’t ... will continue with the processor requirements as Windows 11, including a minimum of a dual-core 64-bit processor....
Microsoft Community
techcommunity.microsoft.com › microsoft community hub › communities › products › windows › windows insider program
Windows 12 as far as i know? | Microsoft Community Hub
Actually, Windows 12 require special hardware named NPU (Neural Processing Unit) for all features in Windows 12 is working properly, but since the NPU is still very expensive to acquire (or basically you need an Intel Core Ultra 5 125U at least), so these requirements should be optional.
Windows Forum
windowsforum.com › forums › windows help and support forums › windows news
Windows 12: Release Date, Features, and System Requirements Revealed | Windows Forum
December 17, 2024 - While Microsoft hasn't officially ... to take center stage, users will likely need: Processor: At least 1 GHz, 64-bit architecture, with two or more cores....
AnandTech
forums.anandtech.com › home › hardware and technology › cpus and overclocking
Question - HammerBot Question: Will Windows 12 obsolete CPU's? | AnandTech Forums: Technology, Hardware, Software, and Deals
February 4, 2024 - Windows 12 is expected to have certain requirements, such as a 64-bit processor and TPM version 2.0, which may not be supported by older CPUs. Additionally, Windows 12 may also require a DirectX 12-compatible GPU, which could exclude older integrated graphics processors.
Beebom
beebom.com › windows-12
Windows 12: Speculated Release Date, Expected Features, & Leaks | Beebom
October 15, 2025 - Currently, we have not heard much on the hardware requirements front for Windows 12. However, for Window 11 24H2, Microsoft is adding a CPU cut-off that would prevent much older PCs to boot the 24H2 build. The new update requires the CPU to support the “POPCNT” instruction. Thankfully, processors released after 2010 already support the said instruction so that won’t be a big issue.
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The requirements will be the same that they are for win10, TPM and whatever their logic for CPUs is is going to be the same.
Of course this depends heavily on how long it will take for 12 to come out.
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I remember days way earlier than Win XP, axtually well earlier than PC Something like Tinex-Sinclair with 2MB of RAM later on upgraded to 16MB and among other tings playing flight simulator with graphics made up of letters and numbers but also programing CNC machines with it using audio I/O from which programs were loaded from cassette player.
The 386SX and the 387 to replace the need of a 386DX (incl. math coprocessor)... And Windows 3.11 for Workgroups and Borland C++; those machines were quite powerful though; they were literally monsters in comparison to 8 bit systems. On them you could do all the things you can on current computers, except for some particular computations and animating and gaming at real life graphics settings. Programmers were much better in those days. Today we have cards with 16000 cores which get only 50 FPS on some games. Truth be told, software is more important than hardware, because if a piece of software is very bad it may not run well even on incredibly fast hardware; yet, if it is written well it could run nicely with minimal resources. For example, Crysis 1 did not at any one point use more than 2 GB RAM and we all know how great its graphics were. Xpand Rally had incredible graphics and would run well on a GeForce2 and 256 MB RAM. (I've run both games personally).
We exist in a world of incredibly fast hardware and incredibly bad software, currently. And before many years the hardware was incredibly slow, yet the software - much better.