Microsoft is dropping Windows 10 support for old PCs
The May 2020 update for Windows 10 is coming, and we couldn’t be more excited. Not only does it allegedly speed up PCs and fix bugs, but it’s also supposed to be relatively issue-free — according to beta testers that is.
A Microsoft update release that’s free of major bugs and glitches would be a once-in-a-lifetime event. We’ve gotten to the point where most of us are numb from how many buggy updates the company has shipped. Tap or click here to see what the last one broke for Windows users.
But there is one tiny problem with the new Windows update: It’s being phased out for 32-bit users! People buying older PCs running Windows 10 may be left out in the cold once this update drops, as Microsoft is ending support for these systems altogether. Here’s what we know, and what it means if you own a 32-bit machine.
Smashing Windows 32-bit
Microsoft has finally started to release bits and pieces of its long-awaited May 2020 update. Developers and OEMs were the first to get a taste of the new software, with mainstream users set to get their copies within the next few weeks.
😎📢May 12, 2020, Windows 10 Version 2004, #May2020Update – is NOW available for download on #MSDN!
— 🔮WZor👁️ (@WZorNET) May 12, 2020
✔️Windows 10 Ver. 2004 #CONSUMER/#BUSINESS
✔️Windows 10 IoT Enterprise, Ver.2004
✔️Windows Server, Ver. 2004 #SAC
✔#DevTools Ver. 2004
📌188 ISO 38 Lang.👉https://t.co/YikeNMTB8k pic.twitter.com/q1lVkJ5B7y
Curiously absent from the available downloads, however, was a version for users of the 32-bit version of Windows 10. The 32-bit computers are typically older models, which are only capable of running up to 4GB of RAM at a time.
With this exclusion from the May 2020 update, it seems as if Microsoft is closing up shop on the 32-bit edition of the long-running operating system for good.
If you’ve been wanting to buy a cheaper PC with the latest updates pre-installed, you might be out of luck. Manufacturers and software developers will no longer be able to support it at all.
Does that mean I’m left out if I own an older PC?
Thankfully, Microsoft has only cut 32-bit support from the OEM side of things, which means newly-minted computers will no longer have access to the less powerful operating system.
In other words, if you’re running an older PC, you’ll still be able to download the update. You’ll need to open settings and click Update & Security to see if the update is available. Then, you can install it as you would with any Windows 10 update.
However, this development is a clear sign that those with older PCs may be left in the dust if they don’t play catch up. A new computer might be the last thing on your mind right now, but fortunately, there’s a good deal of options for prospective buyers on a budget. Tap or click here to see the best laptops you can buy for cheap.
Such is the nature of technology over time: Here today, gone tomorrow. And that’s only if a gadget is lucky enough to avoid falling flat on its face with the public. Tap or click here to see the gadgets that failed to take off.
Tags: Budget, Bugs, computers, gadgets, glitches, laptops, Microsoft Windows 10, operating systems, security, software, support, technology, update, X (Twitter)
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