Microsoft: Intel Kaby Lake- and AMD Zen-Chips only support Windows 10

Microsoft tried it before: They shortened their support lifecycle for PCs running on Intel Skylake processors and Windows 7 or Windows 8.1 but abandoned that restriction after much protest from the public later this year. Microsoft will now support Skylake PCs running Windows 7 until January 14, 2020, in Windows 8.1 the final date is January 10, 2023. Microsoft made it clear however, that this does not extend to future silicon. Any PC with Intel's upcoming Kaby Lake or AMD's Zen processors, or any future processor families for that matter, will only be supported by Windows 10.

A Microsoft spokesperson told PC World magazine that “As new silicon generations are introduced, they will require the latest Windows platform at that time for support” and explained further, that "this enables us to focus on deep integration between Windows and the silicon, while maintaining maximum reliability and compatibility with previous generations of platform and silicon.” Whoever had hopes for AMD and Intel to jump in and update their drivers for older Windows platforms will be disappointed as well. Both companies already issued statements that they fully support Microsoft's decision on that matter.

Of course people will try to get Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 to run on future chips and they might even succeed in doing so. This will not be an option for companies though. Analysts like Dean McCarron of Mercury Research suggested, that this situation could lead to a higher demand for Skylake components and dealers might even start stockpiling them to meet future demand.

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