Intel started using a hybrid architecture, with "Performance cores" (P-cores, big cores) and "Efficiency cores" (E-cores, little cores), like what ARM calls big.LITTLE, since Alder Lake (12th gen Intel Core, 2021), in both desktop and laptop CPUs. It received limited support in Windows 10 and full support in Windows 11 (source). This effectively means a cut-off for Windows 8.1 and older, as they will not be running optimally. The last non-hybrid CPUs from Intel are therefore 11th gen Intel Core, the best of which is i9-11900K. There are also the Cascade Lake-X HEDT CPUs, the best of which (i9-10980XE) is more powerful than i9-11900K.
AMD followed suit later. The first processor from AMD to use a hybrid architecture (with "Zen 4c" little cores) is a laptop APU, Ryzen 3 7440U, released on 2023/05/03. Ryzen 5 8500G, a desktop APU, followed suit on 2024/01/31. However, top-tier Zen 4 processors didn't use Zen 4c cores and kept "big core only" designs. The Zen 5 generation is similar: Granite Ridge (desktop, best: 9950X3D), Strix Halo (laptop, best: Ryzen AI MAX+ 395), Fire Range (laptop, best: 9955HX3D) kept "big core only" designs, while Strix Point (laptop, best: Ryzen AI 9 HX 375) processors all have Zen 5c cores.
To get better performance on hybrid architecture processors on Windows 10, set "Hetero Policy" to 3 and "Hetero Thread Policy" to AllProcessors, as documented in this blog post.
Since the RTX 50 series of GPUs from Nvidia, support for running 32bit CUDA code - which includes 32bit PhysX - is removed. A thread on ResetEra has details. It seems that games that use PhysX may use the GPU or PPU acceleration. Only games that use GPU acceleration is affected.
CSM (compatiblity support module) is a UEFI component that enables "legacy boot" (MBR/"BIOS" boot before UEFI was a thing). It also allows legacy Option ROMs to be loaded even in UEFI boot. Windows Vista and 7 require CSM for UEFI boot, while Windows 8 and up supports UEFI Class 3 (i.e. pure UEFI without CSM). There are workarounds to run Windows Vista and 7 on UEFI Class 3 PCs; see the linked pages for details.
CSMWrap is a WIP project that effectively adds CSM to UEFI Class 3 PCs, using the open source SeaBIOS.
Intel chipsets since the 500 series, as well as the corresponding CPU generation - 11th gen (Rocket Lake), removed the legacy Option ROM for the integrated GPU, requiring a discrete GPU to use CSM. The last Intel chipset and CPU combination to support CSM with the integrated GPU is the 400 series chipset and 10th gen (Comet Lake) CPUs. (source: Asus support)
X299, Intel's last HEDT platform, still supports CSM. There is no integrated GPU on any supported processors, so it's not a concern for CSM.
Intel chipsets since the 800 series (Arrow Lake, 15th gen Intel Core CPUs) removed CSM entirely. (source: MSFN thread)
The above information is for desktop computers. I haven't been able to find any information about laptops.
AM5, the current desktop platform from AMD as of July 2025, still supports CSM. However, like 11th~14th gen Intel platforms, the integrated GPU is not supported; it would simply not work when booted with CSM. (source)
It's predicted that the next desktop platform from AMD will remove CSM, as the RX 9000 GPUs from AMD only support UEFI. (source)
The above information is for desktop computers. The only information I can find about laptops, is that FA506IU, a laptop from 2020, has no CSM. (source)