Microsoft famously locked Windows 11 to CPUs from 2018 onwards (Intel 8th Gen and Ryzen 2000). Millions of perfectly functional Core i5 7th Gen and older laptops were left for dead. A Windows 11 Lite ISO bypasses TPM 2.0, Secure Boot, and CPU checks entirely.
: Perhaps the most famous "lite" project. It strips Windows 11 down to its core essentials, often bypassing strict hardware requirements like TPM 2.0 or Secure Boot. Nexus LiteOS / Phoenix LiteOS