THIS MONTH THE DOCTOR TACKLES...

> TPM and Win11

> Audiophile PCs

> New mobo issues

TPM chip needed?

I have two i7 computers that fail the Microsoft Windows 11 requirements test: the problem is TPM and Secure Boot. I am starting to look at motherboards for an i9 build next year. From what I’ve seen so far, none come with TPM, but all say they are capable of running Windows 11. I notice in your Blueprints section, the build says “Windows 11 Compatible” but makes no mention of TPM. I also see in your October i5 build, it used the Win 11 OS, but again no mention of TPM.

Are we in a situation of having to buy a TPM card if we want Windows 11? Why aren’t manufacturers including TPM? Is it safe to assume all recent mobos include Secure Boot?

—John Reilly

THE DOCTOR RESPONDS: If your processor meets the minimum requirements for Windows 11, then there’s no need to buy a TPM card for your motherboard, John. Modern Intel and AMD CPUs—specifically those built after 2014—come with TPM embedded into their firmware; however, only later CPUs, from around 2017, support TPM 2.0, which is the minimum requirement for Windows 11. You can view a definitive list of CPUs supported by Windows 11 at (https:// learn.microsoft.com/en-us/ windows-hardware/design/ minimum/supported/ windows-11-supportedintel-processors)—all of these will work without the need to worry about TPM support on the motherboard.

Reducing signal noise is vital for sound quality.

As you’re building a new PC, make sure you choose a CPU from this list—any i9 CPU from 2017 onwards (so i9-7900X series and up) is supported. As for Secure Boot, all recent motherboards support it—including those that are Windows 11 compatible.