It looks like the Ubuntu (Linux) OS now has heavier system requirements for PCs than Microsoft's Windows 11 OS.
Microsoft Windows 11 Official System Requirements Now Lower Than Ubuntu As 26.04 LTS (Linux) Now Requires 2 GHz CPU & Minimum of 6 GB RAM
Ubuntu is the most popular operating system based on Linux, and has seen share growth over Microsoft's Windows OS in recent years. This is owing to the accessible nature of the operating system, & also the fact that the OS provides an open-source environment with minimal requirements. That changes with the latest version, 26.04 LTS.
The latest Ubuntu 26.04 LTS update is expected to roll out later this month and will feature increased PC system requirements. These include a 2 GHz dual-core processor, a minimum of 6 GB of memory, and 25 GB of free storage space.
For comparison, Microsoft's system requirements for its Windows 11 OS list a 1 GHz or faster dual-core CPU, a minimum of 4 GB of memory, and 64 GB of free storage space.
This shows a doubling in the clock speed for the CPU and 50% more memory for the minimum system requirements for Ubuntu 26.04. This move might move the Linux OS out of reach for entry-level PCs, but unlike MS, there's one advantage of Ubuntu. The thing is that Ubuntu allows relaxed system requirements for users who don't meet the system requirements.
It is still possible to install Ubuntu Desktop on systems with lower specifications, such as at least 2 GB of memory, while Ubuntu Server has even lower minimum memory requirements, starting at 1.5 GB. No extra catch. Microsoft, on the other hand, won't let you install its OS if you don't meet the requirements (without bypasses).
Meanwhile, for Windows 11, Microsoft has additional requirements, such as a system firmware that has Secure Boot, TPM 2.0, and then we have additional requirements for the Copilot+ ecosystem that include a 40+ TOPS NPU, etc. The Copilot+ feature set is an extension and not part of the main operating system used since it is aimed at AI PC platforms. Meanwhile, the majority of users don't even have an NPU in their PCs.
So while Ubuntu's (Linux) system requirements are now heavier than Windows 11, it is still more user-friendly with its approach. On the other hand, Microsoft has some blockades that aren't very intuitive for most users.
News Source: Windows Central
About the author: A Software Engineer by training and a PC enthusiast by passion, Hassan Mujtaba serves as Wccftech's Senior Editor for hardware section. With years of experience in the industry, he specializes in deep-dive technical analysis of next-generation CPU and GPU architectures, motherboards, and cooling solutions. His work involves not only breaking news on upcoming technologies but also extensive hands-on reviews and benchmarking.
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