No, Intel i3 3rd generation processors do not support Windows 11. Intel i3 3rd generation processors are not compatible with Windows 11. Microsoft has published a list of compatible processors that will support an upgrade to Windows 11 through the Windows Update program. You can read more about the list of compatible Intel processors on this page of the Microsoft website. We look at the processor models from the 3rd generation of the Intel i3 family of core processors.
What Intel i3 3rd generation processors do not support Windows 11?
Not many Intel i3 3rd generation processors are in an active processor market right now. Most are old and have retired by now. The following Intel i3 3rd generation processors are retired or discontinued by Intel.
- Intel i3-3210
- Intel i3-3220
- Intel i3-3225
- Intel i3-3240
- Intel i3-3245
- Intel i3-3250
All these 6 processors from the Intel i3 3rd generation are discontinued and they are not supported for Windows 11 upgrade using the Windows Update program.
Why are Intel i3 3rd generation processors not compatible with Windows 11?
Intel i3 3rd generation processors are quite old. They are a part of the Legacy Intel core processors. Most have been discontinued by Intel, and are not being sold these days. Microsoft tested a whole set of processors for Windows 11. The intent was to ensure that the system performance is good and the end-user experience is not affected due to any of the underlying hardware resources.
Microsoft has rejected computers and hardware resources that have contributed to higher than benchmark hardware crash rates on the Windows 11 operating system. Processors and hardware resources that have had a high hardware crash rate during testing of Windows 11 have not been considered for upgrade to Windows 11.
In the absence of any supporting statement of Intel or Microsoft, it can be anybody’s guess about the incompatibility between Intel i3 3rd generation processors and the Windows 11. Our guess is that the Intel i3 3rd generation processors failed to cut through to the list of supported processors on the basis of performance scores. And that is why none of the six Intel 3rd gen processors support Windows 11.
Can I install Windows 11 on Intel i3 3rd generation processor based computers?
Yes, you can still go ahead and do a clean installation of the Windows 11 operating system on an Intel i3 3rd generation based computer. You could use one of the following three ways to install Windows 11 on an unsupported personal computer.
- Download an ISO image of Windows 11 from the Microsoft site. Run the ISO installer to complete the process of installing Windows 11 on your unsupported computer.
- Download an Installation Assistant from the Microsoft website. The installation assistant works like a virtual assistant to walk you through the installation of Windows 11 on your unsupported or incompatible computer.
- Use the Media creation utility from the Microsoft site to create an installation media on a USB drive or a DVD media. Use the media to boot the system and run through the Windows 11 installation process.
The download for Windows 11 can happen from this page on the Microsoft website.
You would do well to realize that updates for the unsupported Windows 11 installations will be blocked through the Windows Update program. So, even though you may have installed Windows 11 on an unsupported computer, your computer will not have access to the Windows Update program. This means that you will not have access to any security updates, product updates, quality updates or feature updates. This is the reason that we feel the strategy of installing Windows 11 on unsupported computers may be fine for experimental or hobby computers. For business computers, it does not make sense to install Windows 11 on an unsupported processor or hardware based personal or business computer.
If you are very keen on getting Windows 11, the best way forward is to :
- get a new computer with Windows 11 or Windows 11 that ticks all boxes for a natural upgrade to Windows 11.
- find the hardware resource that is not compatible with Windows 11. If it is the process, upgrade your processor and or mother board to make the computer compatible with the Windows 11 hardware requirements.
Can I live without updating to Windows 11?
Yes, for Intel i3 3rd generation processors, you can choose to live with the Windows 10 operating system. Windows 10 came into being in 2015 and goes end of life in 2025. Until 2025, Microsoft will provide support for systems based on the Windows 10 operating system. If you wish to stick to Windows 10 for now, nobody is forcing you to upgrade to the Windows 11 operating system. You can enjoy your journey with the Windows 10 operating system until October 2025.
Summary
- Intel i3 3rd generation processors are not compatible with Windows 11.
- You can stick to Windows 10 operating system until 2025.
- Or, you could perform a clean install of Windows 11 on such unsupported computers and live without Windows updates.
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- Can we install Windows 11 on i3 3rd generation processors?
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Rajesh Dhawan is a technology professional who loves to blog about smart wearables, Cloud computing and Microsoft technologies. He loves to break complex problems into manageable chunks of meaningful information.