Windows 11 Desktop?

[Alickadoo]

My PC is Windows 10 and can't be upgraded.

Can I buy this:- https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B09XHQ7Y6F?tag=track-e...
as a replacement - keep the existing screen, mouse, keyboard - will it work?

As a Windows 11 replacement, that is?

[nyt]

Pretty sure that the answer is no

That processor isn't offically supported by W11 - https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-hardware...


They have used some sort of trick to install W11 and it will bite you in the future

[Alickadoo]

Thank you for your reply.

Which leads to the next question - what can I buy, at reasonable cost which will run Windows 11 and do my everyday computing - nothing complicated, no gaming etc?

Look at the nice stuff on offer at Dell?

[nyt]

This has a supported processor. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Dell-Optiplex-i5-9500-Wir...

According to the documentaion it also has a TPM another oiece of hardware the W11 insists on

Others may know more than me

[Mr Pointy]

Alickadoo said:

My PC is Windows 10 and can't be upgraded.

Why specifically can't it be upgraded?

[sgrimshaw]

Given your requirements, I'd go for something like this from Geekom. I have one of their mini PC's and it's been faultless.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0CPLNDHZ5?psc=1&r...

Personally, speaking from bitter experience, I wouldn't touch Dell with a 10' pole ... new or refurbished.

Edited by sgrimshaw on Friday 6th June 17:37

[grumbledoak]

Depending on your PC a small upgrade or installing a TPM might work. What is the spec?

The entry level home desktops from any of the box shippers will all come with Windows 11 now. Probably £400 minimum.

Be careful of the refurbished business machines. They are good value but might well have been sold off because they are not officially compatible. Check carefully.

For micro PCs there are lots of cheap Chinese boxes available for low hundreds but only MINISFORUM and Beelink have much of a reputation, prices more like £400 again.

[Alickadoo]

I have more or lees decided to go with the new PC route. Whether that is in the next couple of months, or get the £25 extension for a year and then buy a new PC, I haven't quite decided.

[Mr Pointy]

Alickadoo said:

I have more or lees decided to go with the new PC route. Whether that is in the next couple of months, or get the £25 extension for a year and then buy a new PC, I haven't quite decided.

What do you use your PC for & roughly what would your budget be? A refurbished PC might well be a good way to go but we ned to point you at something suitable.

[Alickadoo]

Mr Pointy said:

Alickadoo said:

I have more or lees decided to go with the new PC route. Whether that is in the next couple of months, or get the £25 extension for a year and then buy a new PC, I haven't quite decided.

What do you use your PC for & roughly what would your budget be? A refurbished PC might well be a good way to go but we ned to point you at something suitable.

Emails, googling, looking at forums, not much else.

Edit. John Lewis seem to have a few PCs that would fit the bill for less than £400.

Edited by Alickadoo on Sunday 8th June 10:35

[2pad]

You can update it and bypass the hardware requirements. I have just done this on a Surface Pro 2. Go onto Github and look for Unattended Winstall. Download the XML file, add to the Official Win 11 iso image. Use anyburn to do this. Then create a bootable usb drive using Rufus. Leave all Rufus checkboxes clear! Even the ones that say bypass hardware checks, as this code is already in the XML file.

Edited by 2pad on Sunday 8th June 10:44

[Alickadoo]

2pad said:

You can update it and bypass the hardware requirements. I have just done this on a Surface Pro 2. Go onto Github and look for Unattended Winstall. Download the XML file, add to the Official Win 11 iso image. Use anyburn to do this. Then create a bootable usb drive using Rufus. Leave all Rufus checkboxes clear! Even the ones that say bypass hardware checks, as this code is already in the XML file.

That all seems too complicated for me. Sorry. Thank you for your help.

[Mr Pointy]

Alickadoo said:

Emails, googling, looking at forums, not much else.

Edit. John Lewis seem to have a few PCs that would fit the bill for less than £400.

Can you post a link as most of them don't sem to be in stock. A good alternative might be the Dell Outlet which sells refurbished & excess stock although at the moment they only have a couple under £450:

https://outlet.euro.dell.com/GDOOnline/Online/Inve...

[Panamax]

Alickadoo said:

That all seems too complicated for me. Sorry. Thank you for your help.

Perhaps like yourself I just want to go somewhere and buy a new Windows 11 PC in a box that actually works for home and home office use. My current PC, an Acer, came from Curry's four and a half yeas ago and is gradually grinding to a halt. I've not dared attempt the W11 upgrade that Microsoft has been pushing for a long time now.

I hear various people saying avoid hard drive and go SSD.

I need a new printer as well because it's already several years since HP decided they weren't even going to offer a driver for W10, so that's been limping along as well. (HP Envy 5030)

[Mr Pointy]

Alickadoo said:

Emails, googling, looking at forums, not much else.

Edit. John Lewis seem to have a few PCs that would fit the bill for less than £400.

There's one more thing that needs checking if you plan on using your existing monitor mouse & keyboard: the connection types of these. Hopefully the mouse & keyboard are USB connectors - a small rectangular connector? The inputs into your monitor need confirming as there are several types: VGA, which is a blue connector with two screw fasteners, DVI (a larger multipin connector), & HDMI & Displayport which are just push in & look very similar. VGA & DVI are obsolete these days so we need to know if your monitor has HDMI &/or Displayport inputs:

https://duckduckgo.com/?t=ffab&q=moniotr+input...

[Alickadoo]

Mr Pointy said:

Can you post a link as most of them don't sem to be in stock. A good alternative might be the Dell Outlet which sells refurbished & excess stock although at the moment they only have a couple under £450:

https://outlet.euro.dell.com/GDOOnline/Online/Inve...

https://www.johnlewis.com/acer-aspire-xc-1710-desktop-pc-intel-core-i3-processor-8gb-ram-256gb-ssd-black/p113140149

https://www.johnlewis.com/asus-a3402-aio-all-in-on...

The second one has a monitor which I don't need.

Edit
Will this work? https://www.amazon.co.uk/Window-Optiplex-Desktop-S...

Edited by Alickadoo on Sunday 8th June 11:22

[Panamax]

Yes, I had to get new HDMI monitors last time around. Having progressed to twin monitors for home office use I wouldn't go back to one.

[Getragdogleg]

Why do you have to move over to w11? Cant you just keep using 10?

[Mr Pointy]

Alickadoo said:

https://www.johnlewis.com/acer-aspire-xc-1710-desk...

https://www.johnlewis.com/asus-a3402-aio-all-in-on...

The second one has a monitor which I don't need.

Edit
Will this work? https://www.amazon.co.uk/Window-Optiplex-Desktop-S...

The first one would be adequate. It won't set the world on fire but it will suffice - monitor connection question aside. The second one is called an all-in-one where the whole PC is built into the monitor so you don't have any seaprate PC box. It's very neat for certain situations.

The Amazon one is no good. The key issue is the generation of the processor - the "i5 4570" bit. Windows 11 needs at least an 8th generation processor so the type would be an i5 8xxx number - or higher as we are up to 12/13/14th generation now. That's why anything with an 8th gen processor will cost more & lower generations are very cheap.

[Panamax]

Getragdogleg said:

Why do you have to move over to w11? Cant you just keep using 10?

My understanding is that once Microsoft's "support" for W10 ceases in October 2025 any new security issues won't get patched.