Windows 11 requirements: These are all the CPUs that are compatible

AMD and Intel Core i7 stock photo imposed over Windows 11 wallpaper
(Image credit: AMD/Intel | Remix by Nick Bush)

There's been a lot of confusion surrounding Windows 11 system requirements. From requiring newer CPUs to having a TPM on board has left PC users scrambling to see if their computers are ready. And this just became all the more important, now that Windows 11 is beginning to roll out (check out our Windows 11 review to see if it's worth downloading now).

There's actually been so much consternation that Microsoft has had to pull the PC Health Check app (and then re-deploy it later) as confusion abounded and left many wondering what to do.  Here's everything we know so far about CPUs that are compatible with Windows 11. 

Intel CPU Windows 11 compatibility list

Only chips from Intel's 8th generation or newer will be compatible with Windows 11. Think mid-2017 onward. So, anyone who bought a Surface Pro (2017) will be out of luck, as that uses a 7th generation chip. Microsoft has a full list of all supported Intel processors, including chips from the Atom, Celeron, Pentium, Xeon and Core series. The folks over at PC World scrubbed the list and pulled the most popular consumer-level CPUs. We agree with their assessment. 

You can install Windows 11 on older PCs, but there is a catch: You're probably not going to get any updates.

Intel 8th generation (Coffee Lake; Whiskey Lake; Amber Lake)

Desktop

  • Core i3-8100
  • Core i5-8400
  • Core i5-8600
  • Core i5-8600K
  • Core i7-8700
  • Core i7-8700K
  • Core i7-8086K

Mobile

  • Core m3-8100Y
  • Core i5-8200Y
  • Core i3-8130U
  • Core i3-8145U
  • Core i3-8100H
  • Core i5-8250U
  • Core i5-8250U
  • Core i5-8400H
  • Core i7-8650U
  • Core i7-8665U
  • Core i7-8750H

Intel 9th generation (Coffee Lake Refresh)

Desktop

  • Core i3-9100
  • Core i5-9400
  • Core i5-9600
  • Core i5-9600K
  • Core i7-9700
  • Core i7-9700K
  • Core i9-9900
  • Core i9-9900K

Intel 10th generation (Comet Lake; Ice Lake; Amber Lake)

Desktop

  • Core i3-10100
  • Core i5-10400
  • Core i5-10600
  • Core i5-10600K
  • Core i7-10700
  • Core i7-10700K
  • Core i9-10900
  • Core i9-10900K

Mobile

  • Core i3-10100Y
  • Core i3-10100U
  • Core i5-10210U
  • Core i5-10200H
  • Core i5-10400H
  • Core i7-10510U
  • Core i7-10710U
  • Core i7-10750H
  • Core i7-10850H
  • Core i9-10980HK

Intel 11th generation (Tiger Lake)

Desktop

  • Core i3-11100
  • Core i5-11400
  • Core i5-11600
  • Core i5-11600K
  • Core i7-11700
  • Core i7-11700K
  • Core i9-11900
  • Core i9-11900K

Mobile

  • Core i3-1115G4
  • Core i5-1135G7
  • Core i5-11300H
  • Core i7-1165G7
  • Core i7-1185G7
  • Core i7-11375H

AMD CPU Windows 11 compatibility list

For AMD, Windows 11 CPU compatibility goes back to 2018. This includes 2nd generation Ryzen (Zen+) chips and above. Microsoft also has a full AMD list, including chips from AMDs Athlon, EPYC, Ryzen and Ryzen Threadripper series. Below is a list of the more common consumer-level CPUs. And as PC World noted, chips like the 3300X, 3700, 4600HS and 5900H are missing, even though all are all very recent. 

AMD Ryzen 2000 series (Zen+; Zen)

Desktop

  • Ryzen 3 2300X
  • Ryzen 5 2600
  • Ryzen 7 2700
  • Ryzen 7 2700X
  • Ryzen Threadripper 2920X
  • Ryzen Threadripper 2950X
  • Ryzen Threadripper 2970WX
  • Ryzen Threadripper 2990X

AMD Ryzen 3000 series (Zen 2; Zen+)

Desktop

  • Ryzen 3 3100
  • Ryzen 5 3600
  • Ryzen 7 3700X
  • Ryzen 9 3900
  • Ryzen 9 3900X
  • Ryzen 9 3950X
  • Ryzen Threadripper 3960X
  • Ryzen Threadripper 3970X
  • Ryzen Threadripper 3990X
  • Ryzen Threadripper 3995WX
  • Ryzen 3 3200G**
  • Ryzen 5 3400G**

Mobile

  • Ryzen 3 3300U
  • Ryzen 5 3500U
  • Ryzen 5 3550H
  • Ryzen 7 3700U
  • Ryzen 7 3750H

AMD Ryzen 4000 series (Zen 2)

Desktop

  • Ryzen 3 4300G
  • Ryzen 5 4600G
  • Ryzen 7 4700G

Mobile

  • Ryzen 3 4300U
  • Ryzen 5 4500U
  • Ryzen 5 4600H
  • Ryzen 7 4700U
  • Ryzen 7 4800HS
  • Ryzen 7 4800H
  • Ryzen 9 4900HS
  • Ryzen 9 4900H

AMD Ryzen 5000 series (Zen 3)

Desktop

  • Ryzen 5 5600X
  • Ryzen 7 5800X
  • Ryzen 9 5900X
  • Ryzen 9 5950X

Mobile

  • Ryzen 3 5400U
  • Ryzen 5 5600U
  • Ryzen 5 5600HS
  • Ryzen 5 5600H
  • Ryzen 7 5800U
  • Ryzen 7 5800HS
  • Ryzen 7 5800H
  • Ryzen 9 5900HS
  • Ryzen 9 5900HX
  • Ryzen 9 5980HS
  • Ryzen 9 5980HX
Imad Khan

Imad is currently Senior Google and Internet Culture reporter for CNET, but until recently was News Editor at Tom's Guide. Hailing from Texas, Imad started his journalism career in 2013 and has amassed bylines with the New York Times, the Washington Post, ESPN, Wired and Men's Health Magazine, among others. Outside of work, you can find him sitting blankly in front of a Word document trying desperately to write the first pages of a new book.

  • gregianos
    What do the asterisks mean by the Ryzen 5 3400G? My computer tells me I don't have the hardware.
    Reply
  • Naveen Prashanth
    Hey editor, you missed intel 9th gen (coffee lake refresh) mobile CPUs, I only find desktop CPUs
    Reply