Is my Computer Compatible for Windows 10?

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upgrade to windows 10

Many new users, before installing Windows 8 or windows 10 on their machines will ask themselves this – “is my computer compatible for windows 8 or windows 10?” I know this because I had the same issue and was wondering if I meet the requirements or not. Maybe for the first time ever, the system requirements for the PC/machine to run Windows 8 or windows 10 are not that “harsh”. In this article we will tell you about the requirements but also if your computer is compatible for Windows 8 or windows 10.

[Update]

Why upgrade to Windows 10?

Here are a few reasons why you should upgrade to Windows 10 if your computer is compatible with it :

  • Fast startup (faster than previous versions of Windows)
  • The ‘return’ of the start menu
  • Touchscreen support for all devices including PCs
  • A more compatible and faster browser
  • Xbox app on your PC (streaming, playing, buying)
  • Cortana assistant : easy communication with your device

Is your computer ready for Windows 8 or windows 10?

To help you get the answer to this question, Microsoft has prepared an Upgrade Assistant so that you could use to know if your PC is prepared for Windows 8 or windows 10. But before going into that, there’s one basic thing you need to check, albeit I’m sure that in this time and age, your machine most likely meets the system requirements to run Windows 8 or windows 10:

  • Processor: 1 GHz or faster with support for PAE, NX, and SSE2
  • RAM: 1 GB 32-bit or 2 GB 64-bit
  • Hard disk space: 16 GB 32-bit or 20 GB 64-bit
  • Graphics card: Microsoft DirectX 9 graphics device with WDDM driver

There are other system requirements for other miscellaneous feature, so be sure to check them out on the above mentioned link address. Obviously, you won’t be able to enjoy the touch experience of Windows 8 or windows 10on a non-touch device, so be sure to get informed on how to use it with a keyboard and mouse, even if it might seem like a real trouble in the beginning.

Microsoft tells you if your computer is prepared for Windows 8 or Windows 10

Download the Upgrade Assistant on this link, then let it scan your machine. It will perform a compatibility check and inform you of the results. So, the system requirements are the “raw” things that you need to know before upgrading your machine to Windows 8 or windows 10. And if you meet them (I could install it even on my Pentium IV PC…), then you should check if it’s also compatible with the programs. For a few minutes, you’ll see a print screen like this one:

find if pc is ready for windows 8

Depending on how many apps or how fast your computer is, this step may take less or more minutes (just be patient). Now, what you need to know is that for those that currently have Windows 7 on their machines, their files will be automatically transferred, which is a great plus. Sadly, those that are running “veteran” operating systems, like Windows XP or Windows Vista will have to reinstall all those applications and will be getting a message like this one (I tested it on a XP machine to get the message):

So, it will inform you that the apps are compatible, but you’ll still have to reinstall all of them. Then you’ll be asked to choose what you want to keep: Windows settings and personal files, personal files or just nothing. And that’s about it. After that, you’ll be presented with an order button, so that you could buy Windows 8, Windows 10 or Windows 8 Pro and finalize the upgrade.

 

More about the topics: windows 10, windows 8