Windows is by and large the operating system that most people use, whether they like it or not. Until recently, if you wanted to game on another platform like Linux or Mac, you were often out of luck. With the introduction of Proton and the Steam Deck, even game-breaking third-party issues are now more accessible on the Linux platform. (opens in new tab) Persist. But low-power machines don’t have many options when it comes to running newer versions of Windows.until then tom’s hardware (opens in new tab) spotted NTDev’s work on Tiny11 (opens in new tab)which is a scaled-down version of the current Microsoft OS.
For the most part, we love Windows 11 enough (opens in new tab)There were definitely some teething issues, but with ongoing fixes it’s starting to be worthwhile (opens in new tab) of most PC game setups. It should work fine on most modern machines, but requires at least 20GB, about 8GB of RAM for installation. (opens in new tab) Not an answer for some older builds, or just smaller builds to run. These kinds of setups often rely on Linux or older Windows systems unless you want to try Tiny11.
Tiny11 is a project by NTDev that slims down Windows 11 into a byte size version of the operating system. Tiny11 reduces the required 20 GB install space to 8 and can be even smaller with further drive compression. As for RAM, it only needs 2GB for a “great” run, although it works somewhat Very slow under 400 MB (opens in new tab).
To make this work, NTDev had to remove a lot of bloatware from Windows 11. Tiny11’s operating system itself only occupies 6.34 GB on him, the rest being occupied by surviving apps. These include access to the Microsoft Store, as well as many basic features such as calculator and notepad, so you can download new programs as well.
Some of Tiny11’s features are powered by Rufus. Rufus is a tool that can be circumvented without having a Microsoft account for general use. That said, you’ll likely need an account to use the Microsoft Store and other features, so how much you interact with Microsoft’s ecosystem depends on how you use your Tiny11 machine. .
Another potential drawback of this kind of system is the lack of official support. Due to Tiny11’s reduced nature, there are some features you don’t need. Additionally, future releases of NTDev may also need attention, as they will not be updated themselves.
That aside, it seems like a great way to get Microsoft’s latest and greatest OS into a discreet little PC. This really makes Windows a viable option, even if your machine is a little too old to keep up with the big guys or you’re planning a hobbyist project that requires a slimmed-down OS.PC Gaming Before giving approval for , we need to see if we can run Crysis.