Windows 11 is already among us. Since the beginning of the month, the new Microsoft operating system has been available to users as a free update through Windows Update. This new system is not much more than a Windows 10 with a complete (and necessary) facelift, a modern operating system designed, above all, to be up-to-date. Although this may end up taking its toll on Microsoft, because what is the use of launching a new system and not letting most users update?
The controversial requirements of the new Windows
Despite being a renewed Windows 10, Microsoft has taken advantage of the launch of its new OS to update the minimum requirements to be able to install the system. And these requirements, since their announcement, have given much to talk about.
The first thing we find is that we must have a compatible CPU . But not just any one, but a processor that is not more than 5 years old. There are cases where an Intel Core i7 from the 6000 series has failed to upgrade, but the lower end Intel Celeron has. The minimum RAM memory has increased to 4 GB (no problem, because that amount can be had by anyone today), and it is also necessary to have 64 GB of disk or SSD storage.
But the problems start from here. Windows 11 requires that the motherboard be of the UEFI type (almost all are), and that it have the Secure Boot enabled to install and boot the OS. But, also, that it has a TPM 2.0 chip. This is a chip that comes in some motherboards used mainly for data encryption and security issues at the hardware level. Many computers, even new ones, do not include this chip on their motherboards. And, without it, we can forget about upgrading to Windows 11.
There are ways to bypass all these limitations and install the operating system, but we do so at our own risk. At the moment, it seems that Windows updated in this way can even receive updates through Windows Update. But for how long?
A Windows 11 “SE” appears on the scene
In the Windows 98 era we first saw the term “SE” referring to the “Second Edition” of the operating system. Since then, this term has not been used again, until now.
Taking advantage of the presentation of the new low-end Surfaces (with Intel Celeron N4120 processors) designed, above all, for students, Microsoft has missed the “Laptop SE” concept when referring to the operating system that it was going to use. And it didn’t take long to start talking about the new edition of the operating system: Windows 11 SE .
It is not known very well if this “SE” refers to ” Student Edition “, “School Edition”, “Surface Edition” or is another identifier by which we will be facing a less demanding version of Windows 11. A version that users who do not have a compatible PC can download and install without problems.
This new system will offer users a much more limited experience of the operating system. It would be, for example, a simpler edition than “Home” . And, in exchange for turning our backs on some of these features, we may finally be able to install this system on any computer, regardless of CPU generation or TPM 2.0.
For now, this new Windows continues to have Microsoft in silence. Hopefully we will have more clues about it soon.
