TPU article suggesting that MS has toned down Win11 sys reqs, but official pages remain the same

[mikeymikec]

Microsoft Loosens Windows 11 Install Requirements, TPM 2.0 Not Needed Anymore

Microsoft has finally opened the iron gate guarding the Windows 11 upgrade for systems running incompatible hardware, including systems lacking TPM 2.0. This is excellent news for users who are rocking older systems or have been without the TPM 2.0 module in their system but want to upgrade to...

www.techpowerup.com

This is the MS page I think they're referring to:

Windows 11 on devices that don't meet minimum system requirements - Microsoft Support

Installing Windows 11 on devices that do not meet minimum system requirements is unsupported and is not recommended by Microsoft.

support.microsoft.com

However, that page perfectly reflects the official line since Win11's release, being that Microsoft released official workaround info but said you don't get any updates if you use it.

Furthermore, this page has not changed:

Windows 11 requirements

Hardware requirements to deploy Windows 11.

learn.microsoft.com

Nor this one (why are there two?):

Windows 11 Specs and System Requirements | Microsoft Windows

View Windows 11 specs, system requirements, and features from Microsoft. Learn about the device specifications, versions, and languages available for Windows 11.

www.microsoft.com

It would also have been a strange development as there was a confirmation about a week ago that no change is going to happen:

Microsoft confirms zero chance Win11 supports older hardware

TPM 2.0 'non-negotiable' for latest OS, says software giant

www.theregister.com

 

[WilliamM2]

Interesting, I turned off TPM on my main machine, so it would NOT update. In Windows update it told me this PC was not able to run Win11.
Now WU has the third link in your post.

Windows 11 Specs and System Requirements | Microsoft Windows

View Windows 11 specs, system requirements, and features from Microsoft. Learn about the device specifications, versions, and languages available for Windows 11.

www.microsoft.com

TPM is still listed.

 

[mikeymikec]

A second news site is reporting the change, mentioned in this thread:

Discussion - Theories for why Win11 has shall we say 'unusual' official system requirements

And by 'unusual' I mean the "processor must be ~2018 or later", TPM and secure boot. My theories are: 1 - Microsoft was throwing a bone to OEMs after offering Win10 for 'older PCs' for free which would no doubt have cut into their bottom line a bit. 2 - Microsoft has a massive crush on Apple...

forums.anandtech.com

Microsoft now allows Windows 11 installations on unsupported hardware, devices

Microsoft's support page for installing Windows 11 on unsupported devices is filled with disclaimers. It starts by warning users that the company doesn't recommend carrying out this...

www.techspot.com

That disclaimer wording is definitely a change:

Windows 11 on devices that don't meet minimum system requirements - Microsoft Support

Installing Windows 11 on devices that do not meet minimum system requirements is unsupported and is not recommended by Microsoft.

support.microsoft.com

 

[mikeymikec]

The odd thing about that disclaimer wording I mentioned in my last post is that I've just done a Win11 upgrade on an 'unsupported' PC with an old ISO that dates back to late last year and after putting the registry tweaks in place that allow an in-place upgrade, I got that very same disclaimer. Is MS rolling out the wording change in some way that gets referenced by the installer?

 

[manly]

It was fake news that originated from PC Welt (Germany).

No, Microsoft has not 'reversed course' on Windows 11 hardware requirements

A flurry of inflammatory headlines this week insisted that Microsoft had 'raised the white flag' and would allow customers to upgrade old Windows 10 PCs to Windows 11. That's not true. Here's how the comedy of errors unfolded.

www.zdnet.com