Recently, there has been some confusion surrounding AMD’s Ryzen 3 7320U Mendocino laptop APU, which is prominently listed as only supporting Windows 11. This assertion arises from AMD’s official documentation, indicating a limited operating system compatibility for this processor.
According to AMD’s specifications:
*OS Support
Windows 11 – 64-Bit Edition, Ubuntu x86 64-Bit
During my coverage of an HP laptop sale featuring this APU, I noticed this claim, prompting me to delve deeper. Notably, this situation doesn’t affect all AMD APUs or CPUs in the 7000 series; upon checking, support for Ryzen 8000 series components also reflects a similar trend. Except for the Ryzen 3 7320U, the remaining WeUs appropriately acknowledge both Windows 10 and 11 under OS support.
*OS Support
Windows 11 – 64-Bit Edition, Windows 10 – 64-Bit Edition, RHEL x86 64-Bit, Ubuntu x86 64-Bit
Interestingly, another Mendocino variant, the Ryzen 5 7520U, mirrors this Windows 10 unsupported status seen in its 7320U counterpart. A thorough check corroborated that this has consistently been communicated since its introduction, as confirmed on the official AMD website.
It’s valuable to note that the CPU core of the Mendocino APU is rooted in Zen 2 architecture, despite its placement within the Ryzen 7000 series. This categorization has led to some confusion for consumers, particularly since AMD’s strategies to address this through labeling have not effectively clarified the distinctions.
Adding to the perplexity, AMD’s chipset driver release notes for the latest version indicate compatibility with both Windows 10 and Windows 11 for the “AMD Ryzen™ 7000 Series Mobile Processors.” This implies a broader support than what’s specified for the Mendocino series.
Comparative review of older Zen 2 mobile processors, like the Ryzen 5 4500U, shows they too receive support from the latest chipset drivers. However, AMD has unfortunately removed the specifications for the 4500U from its website, adding another layer of difficulty in cross-referencing OS support.
Nonetheless, based on Microsoft’s own resources, there should be no barriers preventing Zen 2 processors from running Windows 10. Both the 7320U and 7520U processors are acknowledged in Microsoft’s official list of supported CPUs.
If you’re in the market for a laptop featuring these AMD processors, it’s clear that while AMD’s documentation may suggest limitations, significant support for Windows 10 appears to exist.
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