Chuwi LarkBox X - Windows 11 installed but not compatible or activated - support doesn't care

[carey934]

Anyone have any experience with mini PC maker Chuwi? I purchased this super teeny tiny Chuwi LarkBox X sold at Newegg and it is advertised as shipped and sold with Windows 11 Pro. However, the Windows 11 Pro is not activated and is not compatible with the hardware. When I reach out to support, they offer to send me a product key (must wait 48 hours for a response to each email - so it takes forever to get a question answered) and no mention about lack of compatibility. So I pressed again about compatibility and they confirmed there is no TPM 2.0 support, but wasn't Windows 11 installed? In other words, they forced the Windows 11 install by bypassing the compatibility check, so therefore it has Windows 11 and there is no deception. But you cannot install Windows 11 on it or any Windows 11 upgrades because it has no TPM 2.0.

I feel like this company is shady AF. Anyone agree or disagree?

Thanks!
Carey

[Gabe]

If there's no way to enable TPM support in the BIOS so that Windows 11 Pro can be installed on it without issue, I'd send it back.

And yes, if they're selling a product that doesn't support the software installed on it, it's shady. The interesting thing is, if you look in the item description further down, it says "Pre-installed Windows 10 home edition", so I think it's possible they tried to pull a fast one by putting Windows 11 on a machine that doesn't actually support it, but check the BIOS. But if that's what they actually did, it's most definitely shady.

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If you're looking for something really small, and other than a stick PC, take a look at the T8 Pro or T8 Plus, which are also tiny, and which come with Windows 11 Pro, which they support, though for a little more in cost. The Pro has the N5095 and the Plus the N95, both of which are better CPUs than the J4125. If you do end up looking at those on Amazon, make sure to watch for $ off coupon thing to click and even $ or %off promo code, as a couple of them have both. They have them under both the ACE MAGICIAN and CTONE brands, but they're ultimately the same company.

Just a few (again, note the clickable coupons)...

www.amazon.com/CTONE-Windows-Portable-C ... 2HRKF?th=1 - Coupon AND promo code

www.amazon.com/CTONE-Windows-Portable-C ... CDH6W?th=1 - Coupon

www.amazon.com/CTONE-Windows-Portable-C ... SB6C9?th=1 - Coupon