Are you looking to buy a refurbished computer and want to be running Windows 11? We’re always happy to supply you with a machine to run the latest operating system. However, we also want to provide you with some helpful advice before making the choice to move to a Windows 11 machine.
Processor Requirements and Considerations
Windows 11 is the latest operating system from Microsoft and comes with some fantastic new features and a sleek new user interface. However, Microsoft has stated that Windows 11 officially requires at least an 8th generation Intel processor or equivalent AMD processor (example, Intel Core i5 8400 or greater) to be considered fully supported by Microsoft. This generation of processor is still quite modern and somewhat more expensive, with less availability on the refurbished market, considering the price point we would typically like to bring our customers. If you’re looking to purchase a refurbished computer or laptop, as of writing many of these machines do not yet have such modern processors, while there is nothing wrong with the older processors, and they still perform really well, there is a possibility of compatibility issues with Windows 11 as Microsoft has only officially supported the use of these very latest processors with their new operating system.
When you are purchasing a machine you can compare the processor to the this list of the officially supported Processors from Microsoft to see if the machine you’re buying is fully supported or not. For these fully supported machines, this article does not apply.
While we’ve not encountered any issues so far, and have seen many other computer stores selling these machines without the officially supported processors, we want to make sure you’re aware of the potential issues that could arise in the future from running Windows 11 on refurbished hardware. Nobody can guarentee or be sure of the long term support for future software updates etc as Microsoft mentioned they may stop delivering software updates for older processors in the future. We want you to be fully informed about your options so you can make the best decision for your needs.
It’s important to note that while it’s possible to install and run Windows 11 currently on a computer that is not “officially supported” and have it run very well. Doing so may put you at some risk of experiencing compatibility issues in the future. Windows 11 uses a new driver model that requires up-to-date drivers from hardware manufacturers, and older hardware such as old Printers, Scanners or other devices you use may not have these updated drivers.
We want to help you make an informed decision about running your computer with Windows 11. Ultimately, the decision of which operating system you’d like to run is a personal choice and we are happy to cater to everyones needs as best we can. We also want to ensure that you understand the potential risks involved. If you are wanting to minimize any risk, then Windows 10 may be a better option for you and we can load Windows 10 instead at time of purchase on any of our Windows 11 Devices, just ask.
What do you offer?
We currently stock a wide range of both Windows 10 and Windows 11 computers to suit everyones needs, all machines that we have already upgraded to Windows 11 have been done so after performing a wide range of in house testing and ongoing market research with other technicians around the world, to ensure they perform well with this new edition, many machines have seen benefits in speed and performance as Windows 11 does have some key benefits in these areas. If you would perfer Windows 10, and mitigate any possible risk, you can simply select this option when purchasing, or let us know via email and we can change it for you at no cost before shipping. Please note once shipped, we cannot change the Operating System again for free, so it is important to consider which is best for you before buying to save any extra costs.