Microsoft changes minimum requirements in Redstone

May 23, 2016 07:55 GMT  ·  By

Microsoft’s new Windows 10 Anniversary Update is projected to launch in the summer, most likely in July, and it appears that the company is also planning a few changes regarding the minimum hardware requirements for both PCs and mobile.

The biggest change concerns the display size, and Microsoft now allows Windows 10 Mobile devices to have screens as large as 9 inches, up from 8 inches in the existing version of the operating system. In the case of the PC version of Windows 10, the minimum requirement is 7 inches.

Windows 10 PCs need a processor of at least 1 GHz while Windows 10 Mobile requires one of the following chips: MSM8994, MSM8992, MSM8952, MSM8909, MSM8208, MSM8996, MSM8953 (all are manufactured by Qualcomm).

Microsoft is also increasing the amount of RAM needed to run Windows 10 on a PC to 2 GB. Previously, 32-bit computers were required to have at least 1 GB of RAM for Windows 10 while 64-bit versions asked for 2 GB. With the Anniversary Update, all PCs must have 2 GB of RAM. Windows 10 Mobile devices need at least 1 GB of RAM.

At least 8 GB of storage for mobile phones

In terms of storage, PCs must have 16 GB of the 32-bit version and 20 GB for 64-bit while mobile phones and tablets need at least 8 GB flash storage. This means that you can’t install Windows 10 Mobile on a device with smaller capacity, not even if you have a microSD card, and this is one of the reasons some older handsets have to stick with Windows Phone.

The Trusted Platform Module is required for all devices, be they PCs, smartphones or tablets, and so is UEFI. Phones also must have a rear-facing camera while, for tablets and PCs, this is only optional. In terms of screen resolutions, Windows 10 Anniversary Update will support at least 800x600 pixels on PCs and WVGA, FWVGA, WXGA, qHD, 720p (HD), or 1080p (FHD), WQHD on mobile.

The Anniversary Update will bring a plethora of improvements to PCs and mobile phones, including new features such as revamped desktop and action center, updated apps, Edge extensions, and support for pen on the desktop.