Can I run and install Windows 11 on Intel i7-7700k cpu?

The Intel i7-7700K is still a very capable and powerful CPU for everyday tasks and gaming. An overclocked i7-7700K can easily outperform a modern low-power, budget-friendly CPU like an Intel i3-10100 (which is supported). This is why the requirement is so controversial—it's not purely about performance.

The reason you can't install Windows 11 on i7-7700k processor is not due to its raw performance, but due to specific security features that Microsoft has mandated for Windows 11. The most specific and rigid requirement is that the CPU must be from at least an 8th Gen Intel Core or AMD Ryzen 2000 series or newer. The i7-7700K is a 7th Gen CPU, placing it just one generation outside the official support list.

Microsoft's rationale is that these newer CPUs have more advanced security architectures built-in (like Mode-Based Execution Control (MBEC)), which work seamlessly with Windows 11's security features like Virtualization-Based Security (VBS) and Hypervisor-Protected Code Integrity (HVCI). They claim this provides a significantly more secure baseline against firmware and ransomware attacks.