Microsoft published the list of minimum system requirements for Windows 10 a year ago. Same as recommended. The number of users of the new OS is growing, so it would be quite appropriate to recall this once again. Those who have already installed Windows 10 on their PC can compare their high expectations with the ordinary. The system requirements for Windows 10 for PC and laptop are slightly different from those for smartphones. We will also touch on this point.
On the one hand, the recommended technical parameters of a PC with Windows 10 installed on them should be approximately the same as for the 8th version of this OS. On the other hand, there are some nuances that do not allow referring the reader to similar materials for the G8.
For example, it is expected that Windows 10 will be installed only on machines equipped with an embedded crypto processor that supports latest technology Trusted Platform Module (TPM). Cryptographic protection of devices under Windows control 10 will receive special attention. So, let's take a look at the standard system requirements for a computer and laptop running Windows tenth version.
Minimum for personal computers
To install Windows 10 on a desktop computer or laptop, the latter must meet the following system requirements:
- The amount of RAM >= 1 GB.
- Frequency CPU>= 1GHz.
- The size hard drive>= 16 GB.
The requirements listed are for 32-bit Windows versions 10. For x64 they will be different:
- The amount of RAM >= 2 GB.
- CPU frequency >= 1 GHz.
- Hard disk size >= 20 GB.
The requirements for the size of the monitor in Windows 10 are quite modest - for normal operation, a screen of 800 × 600 pixels is enough. The computer must support standard network interfaces such as Ethernet and/or Wi-Fi, as well as having a sufficiently powerful video card with support for the latest versions of DirectX, since this library is still the focus of attention for wine game developers. If we compare these figures with those required for the G8, we will not see any significant differences. But advanced users, especially among those who have already installed Windows 10, recommend multiplying all system requirements by two. That's why they are minimal in order to differ from the real ones.
Minimum for smartphones
Hardware requirements for smartphones are even tougher. It is required, for example, that the screen resolution and the amount of RAM are in a certain ratio. Another, rather strange at first glance, wish concerns the size of the indent from the keypad to the screen and the outer edge of the device - it should be at least 4 mm.
Let us dwell in more detail on the relationship between screen resolution and the amount of RAM. For devices with small screens and a resolution of about 800 x 480 pixels, it will be possible to get by with 512 MB of RAM. If you want to have a better picture, for example, with a resolution like 2560 x 2048 or more, then Windows 10 will require at least 4GB of RAM from you.
The upper limit of the diagonal length for smartphones running this OS is about 8 inches. These are the uncomplicated claims from Microsoft to the owners mobile devices. So, if you use a smartphone, then think ten times before choosing the top ten. Maybe it makes sense to do something simpler.
Processor and flash memory
Our further presentation also applies to mobile devices running Windows 10. Now we will touch on the minimum system requirements for this axis for the processor and flash memory.
The developers of the operating system stated that the "ten" can only be installed on processors of a certain model and quality. This causes frustration among the owners of not very high-quality equipment - after all, without Qualcomm and Intel processors on board, fantasize about installing Windows Mobile the latest version is meaningless. The Microsoft website lists all valid "stone" models - there are eighteen in total.
As for flash memory, it also has its own nuances and limitations. It is clear that the amount of such memory is limited from below by a non-weak value - it means that the flash memory on win mobile cannot be less than 4GB. The second condition is that 1GB must be reserved for the needs of the user and free. The storage performance requirements are as follows:
- IPOS >= 700 IOPS.
- The speed of sequential reading from the device is from 10 MB per second.
- For recording, the same parameter >= 6 MB per second.
But the presence or absence of a slot for an SD card has nothing to do with the possibility of installing win mobile - there is no such requirement. The Internet press claims that the original system parameters for "vin mobile" were expected to be even more stringent. So we can say we are lucky.
We remind you that the transition to the top ten previous versions: 7th and 8th - is free of charge if all the necessary service packs are installed in the system.
The publication of data on the required minimum hardware came out unexpectedly late - just a week before the new OS went on sale.
The requirements of Windows 10 for a computer system, as it turned out after its official release, are not so high. At least, users of licensed (or activated by third-party tools) modifications 7 and 8 could initially install it as a free upgrade. At that time, although it was an introductory, but completely functional version as a Technical Preview release. In some ways, the minimum system requirements for Windows 10 were similar to those for most of the tested alpha and beta versions (it is clear that at that time the system was quite raw). But, which surprised absolutely all users of Windows systems, the hardware could not be changed, since the new modification was installed without problems even on relatively outdated configurations.
Windows 10: what's new?
To begin with, consider the issue related to the innovations that appeared in the tenth version. The interface is made in the style of Metro with tiles without any hint of the use of volumetric or translucent objects that were in versions of XP and 7. Everything is flat in the spirit of the Metro interface that was used in Windows 8.
But the Start button has returned, although it may sometimes not work. A lot has been written about how to return the Start button and the menu for which it is responsible, so you have to turn to the Internet. This is how the widely advertised assistant Cortana does not work in the post-Soviet space.
But releases in the form of updates Anniversary Update and Creators Update somewhat modified the system (the first release was set to update the interface and internal services, the second - to apply the possibilities of using 3D graphics and everything connected with it).
Legacy Compatibility
In terms of upgrade Windows requirements 10 looks much tougher. The problem here is that initially it was possible to update the system only on licensed versions 7 and 8, and then on condition that the latest updates were installed in them.
To download the distribution kit and the files of the system itself, it took (and still needs) about 25-30 GB (although it is claimed that 16-20). But the installer itself can be run directly on an existing system, and not from a removable optical disc or USB stick.
To do this, it is enough to use programs like windows update Assistant or Media Creation Tool.
Alas, XP and Vista are not supported in the upgrade plan. But you shouldn't be upset. Now there is nothing easier than to install the system, as they say, from scratch, and save your files. Programs, however, will have to be re-installed anyway. But only this for Window 10 system requirements are not limited. Consider what is needed for the normal operation of the system.
Windows 10: 32-bit architecture system requirements
First, a few words for those who are going to install a 32-bit system. To correctly install the tenth modification as an upgrade over an existing system, you need to pay attention to the processor, RAM and disk space.
So the minimum requirements for Windows 10 in terms of this configuration imply the presence on a computer terminal or laptop of a processor of a class not lower than Intel Atom with a working clock frequency at 1 GHz and 1 GB of RAM. You also need about 16 GB of free disk space in the system partition and a monitor (screen) that supports a resolution of at least 800 x 600 pixels, plus DirectX version 9 or higher and the presence of a WDDM 1.0 driver. You can install a new OS on a logical partition, but what's the point?
As practice shows, if we compare systems 7 and 10 similar in bit depth, the tenth modification works much faster, despite the huge number of additionally running services in the background, which many users do not even know about.
Windows 10: 64 bit system requirements
The 64-bit architecture looks much more preferable, because it works faster, using all the necessary resources of modern processor chips for this. True, the involvement of all the cores of the central processor is disabled by default (and after all, when they are turned on, you can speed up the system simply incredibly).
But for a normal installation, the system requirements of Windows 10 x64 are not so great. On board a computer or laptop (netbook), it is enough to have only a slightly more enhanced configuration at the level of 2 GB of RAM with the same processor and 20 GB of free space on the hard drive (in practice, at least 30-35 just for installation !!!). Residual files of the old system, if it is not planned to return to it, then it will be possible to delete it with a standard disk cleanup tool. The minimum requirements for Windows 10 also make themselves felt here, because after installation, it is not recommended to delete the files of the old system for 30 days (this is the only way you can return to the previous release).
Standard installation process
The initial installation, whether in the form of an upgrade, or in the form of a “clean” installation, does not provide anything special. If the system requirements for Window 10 are met in full, the installer will install the system without any problems.
The only question is how long it will take, because during the installation process, not only a “bare” system will be installed, but also extremely important updates. But user intervention in this process is just to press the continue buttons in time.
Using specialized utilities
A "clean" installer, even downloaded from the official Microsoft resource, takes up a lot of space. The easiest way is to download the utilities described above in advance and start the installation process with their help.
Why download a full system image, which will take up as much space as the files after installation, when you can use these programs? They work like internet installers, downloading files and installing as they go.
But here in the first place for installing Windows 10, the requirements for the computer are to provide the fastest possible connection to the Internet. It is clear, after all, the higher the speed, the faster the download of the desired content will occur. Please note: download only, not installation. For the same version of Windows 10 (64), the requirements can be met in full, the files have been downloaded, but you will not achieve an acceleration of the installation. Why? Yes, only because the work of the installer itself at this stage no longer depends on the user, computer configuration or Internet speed, but solely on the sequence of actions that will be performed by the installer (this is included in the installation program itself).
Installing from a USB stick and related issues
Separately, it is worth dwelling on how to install Windows 10 from a USB flash drive. Create bootable media You can use the above applications or use programs like Rufus. But for them you have to use installation image in ISO format.
The main problem of all users who took into account the system requirements for Windows 10 is that at first everything seems to be going on normally, but then the installer starts to "swear" due to the fact that the installation on this partition with the MBR boot record turns out to be impossible, and you can only install the system on a GPT partition.
Basically, this situation concerns hard drives with a capacity of 2 TB or more, which NTFS file systems of any version, not to mention FAT32, simply do not recognize. BUT! The paradox is that it is sometimes simply impossible to install a system even on a regular hard drive.
In this situation, the way out is simple: when you reboot, you need to enter the initial BIOS / UEFI I / O system and install the first device (flash drive) that does not have the “EFI” identifier at the very beginning of the drive name. Otherwise, many advise you to dig into the registry, rebuild system services, etc. This is the easiest and most effective way.
Disabled Processes
With all due respect to the developers of the new OS in Windows 10, system requirements are far from the main stumbling block. The problem is that, by default, so many processes are activated in the background that the user does not even realize.
The most negative is tracking in the form of geolocation services, not to mention the print services connected by default, virtual machine Hyper-V and many more additional components that the average user absolutely does not need.
You can disable all this either from the settings section, or from the programs and components section, which is located in the standard "Control Panel", which is not so easy to access. But the system can be bypassed by entering the control command in the Run console.
In the corresponding section, you need to uncheck all items of unused services. The same can be done in the services themselves section (services.msc) by setting it to disable or start manually, in the group policy section (gpedit.msc) or even in the system registry (regedit).
Installation problems
Although the requirements of Windows 10 are not as high as it might seem at first glance, the installation of the system and its further use cause a lot of conflicting opinions.
The system installation problem is most often associated either with errors of the previous system (presence of viruses, lack of updates), or with the wrong choice of installation option, in particular, booting the installer from removable media that has the “EFI” attribute on systems with UEFI installed with a graphical interface instead of the standard BIOS.
Sometimes even a flashing of the primary system (Firmware) is required, which simply baffles many users.
Should you install Windows 10?
Finally, citing the requirements of Windows 10 as an example, I would like to note one more point related to testing different systems on the same configuration.
Comparison is subject to systems with Intel processors Core i7 second generation (dual-threaded) with a clock speed of 2.7 GHz and 8 GB of RAM (extended modification of DELL Latitude 6520 series laptops). So: the “ten” loads with all its elements turned on for 37 seconds, and the “seven” waits about 2 minutes, not including the start of the antivirus and additional services (we are talking not only about the appearance of the “Desktop”, but also about the full launch programs that are not available while the system components are still being downloaded). And then draw your conclusions after that.
What does all this mean?
So it's just that Windows 7, no matter how popular it is, goes into oblivion. Her constant updates slowed down the work of the OS itself so much that now it is time to “demolish” it. Many fans of the "seven" may not agree with this statement, but believe me, the "ten", if fine-tuned, works where greater productivity. And if you also enable the use of all processor cores and maximum RAM, you simply won’t recognize your system after such settings.
Relatively new operating system Windows 10 became available for download and installation in July 2015. At that time, she caused a great stir. There were massive discussions about the feasibility of its installation. The minimum requirements of Windows 10 in relation to computer systems, and more precisely, to the hardware, do not look at all overpriced, which is to be expected.
What are system requirements?
Before you begin to consider the system requirements of the Windows 10 operating system, you need to decide what is included in the concept of "system requirements". The simplest interpretation of this term is a description containing the main components of a computer that may have certain parameters and characteristics in order to ensure operation software environment, in this case the Windows 10 operating system. Windows 10 system requirements cover the processor, RAM, video adapter, display, hard drive, etc. This means that in this case we are talking directly about the filling, which is located inside a laptop, computer or tablet.
System bit depth
When installing the latest operating systems from Microsoft, you should definitely take into account such a thing as system architecture. This concept is directly related to RAM and processor. Today there are two types of architectures: 32-bit (denoted x86) and 64-bit (denoted x64). The difference between the two architectures is quite large. The main difference is that 32-bit systems support the installation of RAM modules, the size of which does not exceed 4 GB. The system actually sees about 3 GB, and then not always. It is for this reason that if you want to maximize the use of operational memory, then it makes no sense to install the 32-bit version. Although the system itself is quite modern, but it does not manage to squeeze out of the computer in any way all that it is capable of in terms of performance.
File systems
If we consider the system requirements of the Windows 10 operating system, in no case can we ignore the concept of file systems. Today, the most common file system types are FAT 32, NTFS, and the new ReFS. The exFAT system is commonly used in mobile systems. The point here is that the FAT 32 system has larger clusters designed for small data. However, when accessing large files, the rotation of the hard disk slows down. When using ReFS or NTFS file systems, large files can be accessed much faster.
At the same time, the speed of reading information from hard disk is not reduced. It should also be taken into account that there is a certain requirement for Windows installation 10. It lies in the fact that the 32-bit version of the operating system in file system You can put NTFS, but putting a 64-bit system in FAT 32 will not work. You will have to format the partition or disk. By the way, the same requirement applies to installing other versions of Windows operating systems below the tenth version.
Mandatory system requirements for Windows 10
It is known that initially the tenth version of Windows was available in the form of a Technical Preview. It was an upgrade of the existing operating system to version 10. Ignoring the general “iron” configuration of the system, the requirements for the Windows 10 operating system were reduced to one prerequisite - the presence of installed service packs and service packs of the existing operating system. Thus, at first it was necessary to install all uninstalled updates, and only after that proceed with downloading and installing the 10th version of the operating system. In addition, the update was only possible on systems starting with the eighth version. XP and Vista operating systems did not support this upgrade.
Minimum system requirements for Windows 10
The first version of the system was withdrawn over time, instead of it standard versions such as Pro, Home, Enterprise appeared. The minimum requirements for any version of Windows 10 are almost the same. In this case, everything will depend only on the type of architecture chosen - x64 or x86. The minimum requirements for Windows 10 32-bit and 64-bit architecture are as follows.
There are no recommended settings in the tenth version of the Windows operating system. Initially, the system requirements for a computer were presented with a minimum configuration. Windows 10 can safely work even on outdated computer systems. However, in order to use the capabilities of the operating system to the maximum, it is still desirable to have hardware with higher characteristics. In particular, this applies to graphics chips and processors. There must be support for the latest version of Direct X 12. With processors, everything is somewhat more complicated. Windows 10 system requirements for multi-core platforms are generally not significant. The problem here is rather to use all the cores to optimize the work. This is a topic for a separate discussion.
2. Additional system requirements
It is worth mentioning separately the specialized system requirements of the Windows 10 operating system. For the most part, they relate to the functioning of special services. Some of them may not be available in different versions, and some may only work in certain regions. For example, Cortana is only available in the UK, US, China, and some European countries. To recognize speech commands, the user is recommended to use a high quality microphone, as well as appropriate drivers. To use the Hello service, you will need an illuminated infrared camera that can perform iris analysis.
Fingerprint scanning requires a special built-in module. To go to tablet mode nessesary to use special screen or a monitor that supports multi-touch. In some cases, the requirements of the Windows 10 operating system are reduced to the presence account Microsoft. It is recommended that you use a Microsoft certificate for secure boot, as well as software that supports UEFIv2.3.1 Errata B. The system requirements for using BitLocker can be reduced to a valid TPM version 1.2 or 2.0 and a USB device.
Hyper-V mode can only be enabled on a 64-bit system with mandatory SLAT address translation capability. When installing a 64-bit system, the processor must support LAHF/SAHF technologies, as well as GMPXCHG16b and PrefetchW. If we talk about using the Miracast function, then in this case the requirements of the Windows 10 operating system are as follows. You must have a graphics chip that supports the installation of a WDDM driver, as well as an adapter wireless communication with the support WiFi technologies Direct. By the way, the same applies to printing documents over Wi-Fi.
The Instant Go model implies a connection standby mode, which is not available on all computer systems. It is worth noting that the requirement for Instant Go, as well as TPM 2.0 support in the operating Windows system 10 is a prerequisite when encrypting a device or terminal. So, as you can see for yourself, there are still some special requirements for the system. Not all have been described here. What else does the user need to know about the Windows 10 operating system? Some users consider the system requirements for versions of the Windows 7, 8, 10 operating system to be exactly the same, but this is a misconception.
The system requirements of Windows 10 and Windows 8 may be very similar in some ways, but in terms of the hardware configuration used, everything is completely different. This is primarily due to the fact that the tenth version of Windows has many hidden additional features. Their use without some mandatory conditions is impossible. Windows 7 and Windows 8 also have enough of these conditions, but they are far from Windows 10. Here the question needs to be put differently: how much are all these additional features ordinary users? Is it worth using them at all? As for mobile devices, Windows 10 is not so picky about them.
There is a certain relationship with the resolution and screen size. The minimum supported amount of RAM will depend on them. In other words, the graphic component plays a major role. Of course it is advisable to use powerful processor, with at least four cores, but this condition is not at all mandatory. There are no problems with permanent memory - the minimum supported value is only 4 GB.
Conclusion
In general, from all of the above, we can conclude that the system requirements of the Windows 10 operating system are not so high. The question is that some functional features of the new operating system may simply be limited due to the fact that the computer does not support a particular function, or has underestimated parameters and characteristics. In general, on most existing operating systems, Windows 10 can be installed and used without problems even with minimal configuration.
System requirements for Windows operating systems have been increasing all the time, to install new version needed more powerful computer. But in the "top ten" Microsoft abandoned this trend. This time the company has relied on optimization.
The result was that the system Windows requirements 10 are similar to those in the "seven". The OS will work fine even on computers and laptops that are weak by modern standards. Moreover, the performance will be higher when compared with previous versions.
Computer Requirements
Before installing the OS, you need to make sure that your computer meets the minimum requirements for Windows 10:
Note: HDD space occupied is for the original imageWindows 10. On the Internet, you can find a custom build of the operating system that has various components cut out, for example, language packs. Such versions are considered lightweight, they require less free memory.
In fact, there is no need to know the system requirements for Win 10 if you have Windows 7 or 8 installed on your computer. In this case, it will fit without problems latest version operating system from Microsoft and, most likely, it will function faster.
You can find the details of the OS installation procedure in our article:.
Differences between a 32-bit and a 64-bit system
In points "RAM" and « HDD» the difference in requirements for a computer for systems of different bit depth is indicated. As you can see, 32-bit Windows requires less fixed and RAM memory. Many users will think that it is better to install this version, because it will consume less computer resources. But this decision is not always the right one.
Microsoft has never been known for humane requests for PC hardware. Unlike Linux, which is installed on even the smallest computer, the system requirements of Windows 10 are quite high.
What are the system requirements for Windows 10?
First of all, they are affected by the graphical shell and new features. 10 was developed in accordance with new developments in the field software. All its features are provided by high hardware performance.
Although ten is claimed to be a more economical operating system than 7 or 8, it is gradually overgrown with updates that consume more and more resources. For all the novelties declared in it, RAM, hard drive space and processor speed.
Narrator will speak too slowly, Cortana will be annoying with delays in executing commands, and Movie Maker will constantly freeze if your computer does not have the highest performance.
Basically, you have to pay for everything. With only the minimum system requirements of Windows 10, you won't get high speeds and lightning-fast performance. Do not forget about additional programs that are inevitably installed on any PC.
Experienced users multiply the indicators by two. And judging by Microsoft's notes, this will not be enough. Windows 10 system requirements for a laptop are completely the same as those for computers.
How to find out your system requirements for installing Windows 10
As far as your computer is suitable for installing Windows 10, you can before starting it. The installer will analyze your hardware and let you know if you have enough resources.
You can find some parameters in the system properties. Right-click on the desktop icon "This PC" and select the last item.
In the properties window, you will learn about RAM and processor.
The capacity of the hard drive can be found in the explorer. Right-click on the label of the disk with the installed OS and select properties.
Look at the values.
To find out everything along with video indicators, use the dxdiag utility. Press WIN+X and enter the command.
In the window you will see absolutely everything specifications your PC.
If your PC has normal parameters for Windows 10, but the OS is still very slow and does not work correctly, you may have problems with the registry. Read and brush it.
