End of an era. On a computer with Windows 11 and the new Intel chip, you will no longer watch a movie from a 4K Blu-ray disc

For years, records CD, DVD i Blu-ray were one of the most important data carriers. The situation has started to change over the past decade. Boards are slowly becoming a thing of the past, thanks to USB flash drives and fast portable SSD drives. Streaming also added its own.

We listen to music today through services such as Spotify, Apple Music and Tidal. Netflix, Prime Video or HBO GO give us access to thousands of movies and series. We also rarely buy games in boxes. It is more convenient to download a given title from Steam or Xbox Game Pass. Physical media has basically become the domain of collectors who still haven’t succumbed to the magic of streaming.

Windows 11 without 4K Blu-ray Disc support

It is not surprising then that also producers of hardware and software are increasingly distancing themselves from discs. For several years now, most of the laptops sold on the market have been deprived of optical drives. This also applies to All-In-One desktops.

Now Intel and Microsoft have taken the next step. It turns out that Intel’s 11th and 12th generations and Windows 11 have been deprived of support SGX module (Intel Software Guard Extension).

In short, this is it hardware module safetywhich makes it harder to break anti-piracy DRM protection on 4K Blu-ray discs. The sole support of this module means that it has become impossible to play 4K Blu-ray movies on computers with new Intel chipsets. CyberLink, a producer of DVD and Blu-ray disc playback software for Windows, responded to the case.

Removing the SGX feature and its compatibility with the latest Windows operating system and drivers proved to be a huge challenge for CyberLink. Big enough that, as we’ve determined, it won’t be possible for CyberLink to offer further support for Ultra HD Blu-ray Discs on the latest Windows processors and platforms

–

The only way to keep 4K Blu-ray discs working on Windows 11 would be by DRM-free. However, it is difficult to imagine a scenario in which distributors and film studios would decide to take such a step.