Asus is working on new firmware for certain motherboards that enables PCs to upgrade to Windows 11, bypassing the system requirements that Microsoft set for it.
The system requirements of Microsoft’s Windows 11 has had its fair share of confusion, ever since the upgrade was announced on June 24.
While Microsoft further clarified in August that other Intel chips and motherboards may be able to install Windows 11, other users are still left out from the upgrade.
However, Asus looks to be working on firmware updates for its Intel motherboards, rolling out beta versions that enable Windows 11 to be installed on certain products.
- Find out where to buy Windows 10
- Here's how to download Windows 11
- Check out the best Windows 10 VPN
It’s a bird, it’s a plane, it’s Asus
The company is working on firmware updates that enables users to upgrade to Windows 11 on their PC, explaining in a note for its STRIX Z270F motherboard:
"Support Windows 11 by default, no settings changes required in the UEFI BIOS.
Please note that this is a beta BIOS version of the motherboard which is still undergoing final testing before its official release.”
This is a motherboard that supports the Intel Kaby Lake series of CPUs, alongside Celeron G3900 and above and the Core i3-6098P series.
While Windows 11 officially supports the eighth generation Intel Core processors at minimum, Asus is using this opportunity to clearly support sixth-gen Skylake and seventh-gen Kaby Lake for its users on certain motherboards.
This may also mean that Asus isn’t done, so your motherboard may be eligible soon for a future firmware update that could support Windows 11 soon. Make sure to check the support site if this occurs.
Analysis: Asus leading with example
Microsoft’s skewed messaging on what hardware Windows 11 supports has been a lingering issue, even as we approach the October 5 release. While its reasons are understandable, it has unfortunately damaged some of the goodwill that had built up since the confusion of Windows 8 back in 2012.
The operating system was touch first with no compromises, but ended up alienating users who wanted the desktop and start menu back, without having to use the tile interface.
Time will tell whether Microsoft will penalise Asus for allowing older motherboards to run on the upgrade, but from a PR perspective, it’s much better than the messaging that’s been carried throughout the official announcements of Windows 11 by Microsoft.
Via Windows Latest
- Check out our review of the Asus Vivobook S14
- Stay up to date on all the latest tech news with the TechRadar newsletter
