Are you looking to buy a refurbished computer and want to be running Windows 11? Or maybe you want to save money with a Windows 10 unit? We’re always happy to supply you with a machine to run your preferred operating system. This article serves as a guide to provide you with some helpful advice before making your choice.
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) with TPM 2.0 to be considered fully supported by Microsoft. These and newer generations of processors can be somewhat more expensive, with less availability on the refurbished market, especially when considering the price point we would typically like to offer our customers.
If you’re looking to purchase refurbished computers or cheap laptops, there are many factors to consider, such as your intended use case, security requirements, and budget. On any machine purchased you can select your preferred operating system from a list of compatible options, including Linux and we will load this on for you free of charge with all latest updates and drivers.
Check the processor support list
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 for the official upgrade path.
With Intel Processors, those that are at least 8th Generation are currently officially supported. If your computer or laptop has at least an 8th generation processor, you can enjoy Windows 11 as these units meet the requirements for the official installation and upgrade procedures.
To make things easy, when browsing our website you simply can scroll down the product description and find the Processor (CPU) section, if the CPU is supported for Windows 11, you’ll see “Officially Supported CPU for Windows 11” mentioned in the listing.
Can I keep using Windows 10?
When Windows 10 support ends, Microsoft states your PC will continue to work, only future updates and free technical support via phone, email etc from Microsoft is discontinued (Source: https://www.microsoft.com/en-gb/windows/end-of-support). In a corporate environment this could cause uncertainty. However, most people in a home environment find Windows 10 computers are still very capable for general use and when paired with a decent virus scanner, especially for non-mission-critical applications such as general home use, studying, writing documents etc. These units can provide an affordable entrance to technology, and we believe it is much better to repurpose them to someone who needs an affordable computer, rather than sending perfectly good technology to landfill.
We also have found there are many people who still prefer to use Windows 10, or have particular software applications, or hardware that demands it, such as large industrial printers, factory and automation equipment, CNC machines and other very expensive equipment that is still working perfectly, but requires a well running, good quality Windows 10 computer to operate, as it simply will not work on a different version. In these instances especially, a refurbished Windows 10 computer can be a fantastic solution to get more life out of the existing equipment or software.
Ultimately every Operating System has a lifecycle, for example XP, and Windows 7 are no longer supported on any machine, although some people still do use these versions without issue for specific purposes even right through to this day, without ongoing support from Microsoft. Ultimately even if security became a concern due to not being updated while storing sensitive data, the machines could carry on life without being connected to the internet, or with other security solutions such as high quality Virus and Malware scanners to reduce or eliminate potential security risks.
Our Focus on Sustainability
We strongly believe in sustainability and making use of existing technology to reduce landfill and provide a greener future for NZ. The vast majority of refurbished machines, even those that are not officially supported for Windows 11 are still very useful, and these business grade machines were often designed to be much higher quality and better performing than your typical home consumer models. Since they were high spec at the time of purchase, many still perform just as well, if not better than other more modern, and even brand new home consumer grade units and make an ideal choice for people who want to save money, and still get a quality machine. We find the majority of our customers don’t need the extra features like TPM based drive encryption, and find that when weighing up the cost difference, the performance benefits of going to a more modern processor are very insignificant for their use cases such as Internet Browsing, Study, Office work etc.
Can you run Windows 11 on unsupported processors?
There are several methods available online which enable technicians to install Windows 11 even on machines that do not have these fully supported processors to meet the official upgrade path requirements. Most of these methods simply bypass the requirement for one of these processors and allow you to force the install, and ignore the requirement, typically these computers will run sufficiently as long as the rest of the machine has driver software that allows the use of the systems functions under Windows 11.
While we’ve not yet encountered any issues, 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 unsupported hardware. Nobody can guarantee 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.
- Driver and Software Support
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.
For example, if you have a specific software or game that requires a TPM 2.0 module, you’ll need to look at a more modern 8th generation onward processor that fully supports this, as you will not be able to utilize any of the features a TPM 2.0 module requires. For the vast majority of our customers, this is not required as it primarily is used for high end data encryption methods like BitLocker, which can still be used via other means if really necessary.
Ultimately, the decision of which operating system you’d like to run is a personal choice. We also want to ensure that you understand the potential risks involved if your hardware is unsupported, since in the future of any event where you face compatibility issues, you may be unable to continue using or updating Windows 11 and may need to roll back to Windows 10, install other software or patches or even use a different Operating System such as Linux to get the most out of your PC.
If you are wanting to minimize any risks on unsupported hardware, then Windows 10 or Linux may be a better option for you. We can load Windows 10 or Linux on any of our machines, you can simply select this option when purchasing, or let us know via email and we will install your chosen operating system at no cost before shipping. Alternatively you can opt to purchase any of our Officially Supported Windows 11 machines, with Windows 11 pre installed and tested.
What alternatives are available to Microsoft Windows?
Did you know that you can very comfortably use and upgrade even much older systems to a fully supported Operating System for FREE? There are several Operating Systems available you can choose from if you have a machine that does not have hardware support for Windows 11, or even Windows 10! The most popular choices are Linux and ChromeOS Flex.
Linux and Chrome OS Flex are full featured operating systems that completely replace the Microsoft software, desktop, start menu etc, with their own system. Once installed any software you want to use will have to be designed to use one of these systems, however most of your familiar Windows applications have alternatives in Linux and ChromeOS Flex that are full featured, and sometimes even easier to use, and often totally free.
Linux comes in various distributions such as Linux Mint, Ubuntu Linux and Zorin OS which all have their own look, feel and features so you can chose the best version to meet your needs. Linux is a free, open-source operating system kernel, meaning its source code is freely available for anyone to view, modify, and distribute, fostering collaboration and innovation. The Linux software is developed and maintained by a global community of developers, who contribute code, fix bugs, and add new features. Open-source software promotes transparency, encourages collaboration, and allows for community-driven development and innovation. The community is your source for ongoing support, with worldwide discussion forums and groups who can help you troubleshoot and use the operating system. Many people have even made YouTube videos showing how to use Linux from beginner level to fully advanced software development scenarios.
ChromeOS Flex is a cloud-first, fast, and secure operating system designed to breathe new life into older PCs and Macs, offering a familiar Chrome browser experience and easy management features. It is a version of ChromeOS, the operating system used on Chromebooks, but is designed for installation on standard PCs and Macs, rather than just Chromebooks. Giving you many of the familiar Chromebook features but on any normal Laptop or Desktop PC. You can find more about ChromeOS Flex on Google’s Website.
Both Linux and ChromeOS Flex give you a full featured Web Browser that will allow you to do all your normal web browsing, run all your normal Web Apps like Google, Facebook, Xero, Office 365 Online, and most distributions also come bundled with free Word Processing, Email and other software installed so that you can do everything you’d normally do, just with their own apps instead of your old Windows versions.
You can choose what is best for you
On our website you can select from a wide range of both Windows 10 and Windows 11 computers and laptops to suit your 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 from resources around the world, to ensure they perform well with this new version. Many machines have seen benefits in speed and performance as Windows 11 does have some benefits in these areas.
If you would prefer Linux or ChromeOS Flex, you can also easily select from our drop-down menu on any of our machines, and we will install your preferred distribution at no extra cost, allowing you get the most out of your purchase and have the perfect machine customized to your needs, and budget.
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. Warranty does not cover Software or ongoing Operating System support or updates.