Windows 10 20H2, October 2020 Update, has the same hardware requirements (processor, memory, and storage) as the May 2020 Update.
When upgrading from one version of Windows 10 to the next, usually, there are no differences in hardware requirements. The last significant change in the requirements happened with version 1903, where Microsoft increased the minimum storage requirement to 32GB. However, the change was only meant for new devices or if you’re trying to perform a clean installation of the 32-bit or 64-bit version. If the computer has less than 32GB and already runs an older version of Windows 10, it’ll continue to upgrade without issues.
You can check all the new features available with the October 2020 Update in this comprehensive guide.
Windows 10 20H2 system requirements
- Processor: 1GHz or faster CPU or System on a Chip (SoC).
- RAM: 1GB requirement for 32-bit or 2GB for 64-bit.
- Hard drive: 16GB for 32-bit and 20GB for 64-bit (existing installs) or 32GB clean install.
- Graphics: DirectX 9 or later with WDDM 1.0 driver.
- Display resolution: 800×600 minimum requirement.
- Networking: Wi-Fi or Ethernet adapter.
Windows 10 20H2 hardware support
Here are the minimum processor (Intel and AMD) and hardware recommendations when installing version 20H2:
Processor features
- Compatible with the x86 or x64 instruction set.
- Support for PAE, NX, and SSE2.
- Support for CMPXCHG16b, LAHF/SAHF, and PrefetchW for 64-bit OS installation.
Intel processor support
- Up to 10th Generation Intel Processors (Intel Core i3/i5/i7/i9-10xxx).
- Intel Xeon W-12xx/W-108xx.
- Intel Xeon SP 32xx, 42xx, 52xx, 62xx, and 82xx.
- Intel Atom (J4xxx/J5xxx and N4xxx/N5xxx).
- Celeron.
- Pentium.
AMD processor support
- Up to AMD 7th Generation Processors (A-Series Ax-9xxx & E-Series Ex-9xxx & FX-9xxx).
- AMD Athlon 2xx processors.
- AMD Ryzen 3/5/7/9 4xxx.
- AMD Opteron.
- AMD EPYC 7xxx.
Qualcomm processor support
- Snapdragon 850.
- Snapdragon 8CX.
Storage support
- Storage controllers must support booting using the Extensible Firmware Interface (EFI) and implement device paths as defined in EDD-3.
- Storage host controllers and adapters must meet the requirements for the device protocol used and any requirements related to the device storage bus type.
- Bus-attached controllers must implement the correct class/subclass code as specified in the PCI Codes and Assignments v1.6 specification.
Display support
- Depth of 32 bits on each output simultaneously.
- Minimum diagonal display size for the primary display of 7-inches or larger.
If you’re upgrading from an older version of Windows 10, the new feature update should install in the same hardware configuration whether you use the Windows Update, Media Creation Tool, Update Assistant, or ISO file, since the requirements haven’t changed. However, you should consider that Microsoft is rolling out version 20H2 gradually and placing a temporary block on computers that are not yet compatible, which means that you may not see it right away.
Mauro Huculak is a Windows expert and the Editor-in-Chief who started Pureinfotech in 2010 as an independent online publication. He's also been a Windows Central contributor for nearly a decade. Mauro has over 12 years of experience writing comprehensive guides and creating professional videos about Windows, software, and related technologies, including Android and Linux. Before becoming a technology writer, he was an IT administrator for seven years. In total, Mauro has over 20 years of combined experience in technology. Throughout his career, he achieved different professional certifications from Microsoft (MSCA), Cisco (CCNP), VMware (VCP), and CompTIA (A+ & Network+), and he has been recognized as a Microsoft MVP for many years. You can follow him on X (Twitter), YouTube, and LinkedIn.