Microsoft has announced that Windows 10 will be the only Windows OS supported by next generation CPUs from Intel, AMD and Qualcomm. The statement comes from Microsoft's Executive Vice President for Windows and Devices Group, Terry Myerson, who posted in a blog post that Microsoft's latest OS has already seen over 200 million active devices and more users are flocking in as demand continues to rise.
Next Generation Processors From Intel, AMD and Qualcomm To Work Only With Windows 10 OS - Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 Support Won't Be Available
In the blog post, Microsoft assures long term support for previous generation processors running Windows 7 and Windows 8.1. While Microsoft's Windows 10 has seen the fastest adoption rate to date, there are still a large array of users who rely on older operating systems such as Windows 7/8/8.1. As part of their support policy, Microsoft will be extending support for Windows 7 on previous generation hardware up till January 14, 2020. For Windows 8.1 users, the support will be extended up till January 10, 2023. The updates for Windows 7 and 8.1 operating systems will be offered to both consumer and enterprise markets.
- Windows 7 will continue to be supported for security, reliability, and compatibility through January 14, 2020 on previous generation silicon. Windows 8.1 will receive the same support through January 10, 2023. This includes most of the devices available for purchase today by consumers or enterprises. via Windows Blogs
While previous generation hardware gets extended support, Microsoft will be asking owners of Intel's current generation Skylake products to upgrade to Windows 10 as soon as possible. In a comparison, Microsoft states that Windows 10 offers up to 30 percent better graphics performance and 3 times the battery life compared to Windows 7 or Windows 8.1 based Skylake PCs (referring to the Skylake PCs, the performance is specific to the integrated GPUs found on Skylake chips). Hence people who demand better performance out of their latest PCs should upgrade to the latest OS. For gamers, Windows 10 integrates the next generation DirectX 12 API which is going to shake things up with the latest AAA titles hitting this year, offering better utilization of both GPUs and CPUs.
For Skylake users, Microsoft is offering just 18 months of support period after which they will no longer receive any updates on Windows 7 and Windows 8.1. The support lasts till 17 July, 2017 and users who demand the latest support and updates for Skylake processors can upgrade to Windows 10 which offers better hardware support for their PCs.
- Through July 17, 2017, Skylake devices on the supported list will also be supported with Windows 7 and 8.1. During the 18-month support period, these systems should be upgraded to Windows 10 to continue receiving support after the period ends. After July 2017, the most critical Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 security updates will be addressed for these configurations, and will be released if the update does not risk the reliability or compatibility of the Windows 7/8.1 platform on other devices. via Windows Blogs
Intel's Kaby Lake, AMD's Summit/Bristol Ridge and Qualcomm's Snapdragon 820 Processors Supported Only By Windows 10
Further elaborating their commitment to next generation processors on Windows 10, Microsoft stated and assured that all next generation processors from Intel, AMD and Qualcomm will be fully supported by their Windows 10 OS. Microsoft did spill the beans and mentioned the codenames of these processor families too. For Intel, they will be launching their Kaby Lake processors this year while AMD will be introducing their new APU family known as Bristol Ridge in 2016. The Bristol Ridge APUs will be the first to be supported on AMD's AM4 platform which offers users a huge update over the outdated AM3+ platforms. For mobility, Microsoft is going to support Qualcomm's latest Snapdragon 820 MSM8996 chips which will be found on smartphones launching in 2016.
At the same time, Microsoft will also support current generation processor platforms with extensive support on Windows 10.
- Going forward, as new silicon generations are introduced, they will require the latest Windows platform at that time for support. This enables us to focus on deep integration between Windows and the silicon, while maintaining maximum reliability and compatibility with previous generations of platform and silicon. For example, Windows 10 will be the only supported Windows platform on Intel’s upcoming “Kaby Lake” silicon, Qualcomm’s upcoming “8996” silicon, and AMD’s upcoming “Bristol Ridge” silicon. via Windows Blogs
Windows 10 is definitely an OS that users should be upgrading to, especially PC gamers as it has DirectX 12 API which offers more than just great performance on your hardware. Upcoming games such as Deus Ex: Mankind Divided, Fable Legends, Far Cry Primal, Star Citizen, Gears of War: Ultimate Edition and the latest Hitman are just a small fraction of the titles which will be supporting the DirectX 12 API and launching in 2016.
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