NX helps your processor guard the PC from attacks by malicious software.

PAE gives 32-bit processors the ability to use more than 4 GB of physical memory on capable versions of Windows, and is a prerequisite for NX.

Microsoft offers a handy primer on what these mean. Without this, your Windows 10 fun comes to an end.

So in order to be able to run Windows 10 (or Windows 8/8.1), you need a processor that supports PAE, NX, and SSE2. Processor: 1 gigahertz (GHz) or faster with support for PAE, NX, and SSE2.But there is one gotcha that you need to be aware of, and this only becomes apparent if you pull up the specs for Windows 8/8.1 and look closer at the processor specs: Now if you're the sort of person who is a walking encyclopedia of tech trivia, then you might notice how these specs are the same as those for Windows 7. A Microsoft account and Internet access.Graphics card: Microsoft DirectX 9 graphics device with WDDM driver.Free hard disk space: 16 GB for 32-bit or 20 GB for 64-bit.RAM: 1 GB for 32-bit or 2 GB for 64-bit.Here's what Microsoft says you need to run the Windows 10 preview: So, what if you're not running Windows 8/8.1? How can you decide if your hardware is up to the challenge of running Windows 10? This is where the hardware specs come into play. And if you're not sure, the installer will run a check to make sure before trying to shoehorn the operating system onto hardware it's incompatible with. Basically, most people running a Windows 8/8.1 system are good to go. This is an oversimplification (we'll get to why in a moment), but it's a useful one nonetheless. If you're not sure, don't worry-Windows will check your system to make sure it can install the preview.' 'Basically, if your PC can run Windows 8.1, you're good to go. Fire that page up because I'm going to step through the important bits of this document.įirst thing that should pull your attention is this: OK, so what do you need to run Windows 10? Well, fortunately for us, Microsoft has already published the system requirements for Windows 10.

It's understandable because tech can be confusing, and the Windows 10 system requirements throw a few curve balls into the mix.

There's a lot of well-meaning yet inaccurate information out there written by people who don't really understand what makes PCs tick. Review: Goodbye, Windows 8 hello, Windows 10.FAQ: You've got questions, Ed Bott's got answers.Microsoft: More than 75 million devices.

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