diff --git a/modules/c++/sys/source/OSWin32.cpp b/modules/c++/sys/source/OSWin32.cpp
index f8fd74e68..73422e5da 100644
--- a/modules/c++/sys/source/OSWin32.cpp
+++ b/modules/c++/sys/source/OSWin32.cpp
@@ -357,11 +357,14 @@ void sys::OSWin32::getAvailableCPUs(std::vector<int>& /*physicalCPUs*/,
 sys::SIMDInstructionSet sys::OSWin32::getSIMDInstructionSet() const
 {
     // https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/win32/api/processthreadsapi/nf-processthreadsapi-isprocessorfeaturepresent
-#if _MSC_VER >= 1920
+    // (these require Windows SDK (19041) or later)
+#ifdef PF_AVX512F_INSTRUCTIONS_AVAILABLE
     if (IsProcessorFeaturePresent(PF_AVX512F_INSTRUCTIONS_AVAILABLE))
     {
         return SIMDInstructionSet::AVX512F;
     }
+#endif
+#ifdef PF_AVX2_INSTRUCTIONS_AVAILABLE
     if (IsProcessorFeaturePresent(PF_AVX2_INSTRUCTIONS_AVAILABLE))
     {
         return SIMDInstructionSet::AVX2;