Those in the market for a new PC might not have a say about the version of Windows they're running if they choose a machine based on Intel's latest Skylake architecture.

Microsoft has revealed that the chip maker's latest processors will only support Windows 10 going forward, so tough luck if you've got anything against Cortana and universal apps.

Any Skylake machines running an earlier version of Windows will be denied all but "the most critical security updates" from July next year.

Pre-Skylake computers are a different matter, as those on Windows 7 will receive updates until January 2020 and those running Windows 8.1 will get them until January 2023.

Microsoft's Terry Myerson said the move allows the firm to "focus on deep integration between Windows and the silicon, while maintaining maximum reliability and compatibility with previous generations of platform and silicon".

"Compared to Windows 7 PCs, Skylake when combined with Windows 10, enables up to 30x better graphics and 3x the battery life," he added.

Windows 10 has rocketed to more than 200 million installs since it was released as a free upgrade last summer.