Windows 10 is the latest operating system for Windows.
Windows 10 is the latest operating system for Windows.
It's not about compatibility with the CPU. The main issue is missing security updates and drivers from Microsoft. Yes, Windows 7 will run on new chips, but without those updates and drivers it's a poor choice. Microsoft is clearly aiming for Windows 7 and 8.1 to become obsolete.
OK, but one thing to take into consideration is that Windows 7 will receive updates until 2020 - by which time you'll have installed another 5 major Windows 10 updates from Microsoft. Given that each major Windows 10 update breaks stuff in Windows 10, worsens performance due to update sloppiness, and even runs a high change of bricking the entire Windows installation, I think it is a 80%+ guarantee that anyone running Windows 10 now, and who updates Windows 10 all the way to 2020 will have to reinstall their OS at some point before 2020 to get the OS working properly again. On the other hand, Windows 7's updates are not major, largely-useless feature updates, and are not likely to cause any problem between now and 2020. And if a person doesn't install major Windows 10 updates between now and 2020, then that's no different than no longer getting Windows 7 updates. So, the way I see it, most everyone running Windows 10 is going to have to do an OS reinstallation before 2020, and so Windows 7 not being updated beyond 2020 doesn't put running it at any disadvantage compared with running Windows 10.
If you use the latest CPU, Windows Update may not function properly. Have you been following all the related articles? Microsoft examines the hardware and identifies a new chip, effectively rejecting your attempts to access the Windows update service. Irrespective of whether Windows 7 remains supported until 2020, newer Intel or AMD processors will block updates. Microsoft officially states that all new chips need Windows 10 to operate. Consequently, anyone running Windows 7 or 8.1 on updated hardware is at a disadvantage because they miss out on the latest security patches and driver support through the Windows update service.
The Windows Update limitation for newer CPUs in Windows 7 is not mandatory. You can skip it by skipping the KB update that enforces it or removing the KB update once installed. A complete bypass is possible through a patch available online.
Microsoft's official position is that it doesn't support the situation. Most users lack the knowledge to remove Windows updates properly. I don't get why some people stick with outdated systems. It's similar to the person I spoke to who claimed he would never upgrade from XP. Let the operating system end its life with pride. Also, I don't mind the existence of an unofficial patch; in reality, I only apply patches from Microsoft. The truth is, there are too many hackers who could exploit this. All this will force Microsoft to take extreme measures and tighten security even more.