After the debacle over the controversial Windows 11 system requirements, the question of how they would change in future versions remains a point of interest.
And now, some of the first details about Windows 12’s system requirements are beginning to surface despite its prospective launch still being some time away.
According to the German publication Deskmodder, Microsoft has been working on the future operating system version since February 2022 and is referring to the software internally as “Next Valley.” Though the final version is not expected to roll out to the general public until the second half of 2024, there has already been enough progress on the software to draft a decent list of specifications and minimum requirements for installation.
There is word that Microsoft plans to make Windows 12 compatible with Intel’s 14th Gen Meteor Lake-S desktop processors out of the box, suggesting that devices with such CPUs might be the first to run Next Valley. However, there have been few details about Meteor Lake-S circulating, particularly not any connecting the component to Windows 12, according to Neowin.
Deskmodder also claims that Windows 12 might support the Pluton coprocessor, which was first introduced on the Ryzen 6000 mobile CPUs in January 2022.
As for protection, Windows 12 will likely use the same TPM 2.0 Trusted Platform Module for its security crypto-processor that was seen on Windows 11, despite Microsoft testing out SHA-3 (Secure Hash Algorithm 3) support in a recent Insider Build.
Other hardware specs potentially include 8GB RAM, which would be an upgrade for Windows 12 at twice the capacity as for Windows 11.
There is no word on whether there would be a boost in minimum storage requirements. Currently, the minimum disk space needed to install Windows 11 is 64GB. However, Neowin noted that Microsoft could nix hard disk drives (HDD) in favor of solid-state hard drives (SSD) for software installation. This was a Windows 11 rumor that didn’t come to pass, but perhaps it could be a feature of Windows 12.
Overall, Windows 12 is expected to be “cloud-powered and AI-driven,” according to Microsoft’s chief product officer Panos Panay.
The company is still not finished updating Windows 11, which has been available to the general public since October 2021. The current OS will also be inundated with some of the features that will eventually make it to Next Valley. Users can also expect the retirement of such legacy features as MSDT and VBScript, which have been prone to exploitation.
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Ranking all 12 versions of Windows, from worst to best
You can tell a person’s age by which version of Windows is their favorite. I have fond memories of XP and Windows 98 SE, so you can take a guess at mine, but I have colleagues who are much more enamored with Windows 7, or Windows 95. We all have something disparaging to say about Windows 8 though, and the less said about Windows Vista the better.
Ranking the different versions of Windows is about more than what era of computing you grew up in, though. There are some very serious duds in Microsoft’s back catalog, just as there are a few wins too. But whether you can look back on some of Microsoft’s disastrous releases with rose-tinted glasses, or have some genuine love for Microsoft’s missteps, here’s every version of Windows ranked from best to worst.
12. Windows ME
MacGPT: how to use ChatGPT on your Mac
Apple might not officially be in the AI space, but a developer has created a legitimate way to bring ChatGPT to macOS and make the chatbot accessible from your menu bar.
The aptly named MacGPT is an application developed by Jordi Bruin that allows you to install ChatGPT as a remote browser on your Mac desktop. The application has been available since the 2022 holiday season and has garnered over 370 ratings, many of which are five stars. MacGPT is currently free, however, Bruin accepts donations. Once out of beta, he will make MacGPT available at the App Store, where it will sell for $5.
Grammarly’s new ChatGPT-like AI generator can do a lot more than proofread your writing
Grammarly, one of the biggest names in writing tools, is adding AI-generated text to its repertoire on the heels of the wild popularity of ChatGPT. Known as GrammarlyGO, this new tool is focused on improving writing rather than replacing the writer.
GrammarlyGO will roll out in beta form to existing users in April. All tiers, including developers, business, education, and premium users, will have access. You can even use GrammarlyGO with a free account.
