Just like that, the news of Windows 11 put the emphasis back on CPUs. The new operating system’s strict system requirements mean that many Intel and AMD processors are about to miss out.
Even some chips that are just four years old.
However, we have the future to look forward to. In the immediate future, Intel is getting ready to launch its first desktop 10nm chips. This manufacturing process has already made its debut on laptop processors, but only in the most limited of capacities.
This time around, we are nearing the launch of CPUs like the Core i9-12900K, Core i7-12700K, and Core i5-12600K that fall under the Alder Lake-S banner.
And as luck would have it, specifications for these chips have just leaked out.
The flagship of the series, Core i9-12900K is set to feature 8 big cores and 8 small cores. So, a 16-core processor, but not all of these cores will operate at the same frequency. Furthermore, only the big cores will support Hyper-Threading, which is why the processor is only listed as supporting 24 threads.
In any case, Windows 11 is set to offer support for this new type of architecture that Intel and AMD are pursuing on the desktop front.
Big.LITTLE as it is known, has made a name for itself on mobile. And now this type of hybrid processor architecture is about to make its way to the desktop and laptop market.
There is bound to be a significant number of new Windows 11 hardware that will use these upcoming CPUs, and buyers who want the best of the best when it comes to their computing experience will also be interested.
The bigger question is what performance improvements Microsoft packs into its new OS for this hybrid new world.