Download Article
A user-friendly guide to view your PC specs and check what type of computer you have
Co-authored byLuigi Oppidoand Rain Kengly
Last Updated: April 10, 2023Fact Checked
Download Article
- Using Windows 8, 10, and 11 |
- Using Windows 7 |
- Using Mac Ventura or Earlier |
- Video |
- |
- Tips
Do you need to check your laptop or computer specs? If you're using a Windows PC, you'll be able to find your CPU, memory, RAM, storage, and more in your System Information or Device Manager. If you're using Mac, you can use the Apple menu. This wikiHow will show you how to find your computer's hardware specifications using Windows 7, 8, 10, 11, and MacOS Ventura or earlier.
Things You Should Know
- Click the "Start" menu and enter "System Information". Click the result to view your specifications.
- On Windows, open the Command Prompt. Type "systeminfo" and press "Enter".
- On Mac, open the Apple menu. Click "System Settings/System Preferences" → "General" → "About".
Method 1
Method 1 of 3:
Using Windows 8, 10, and 11
Download Article
1
Click the Start menu. This is the Windows logo.
- You can also use the Command Prompt to view your specifications. Open CMD, type in systeminfo, and press Enter.
2
Type in About your PC. Search results will begin to appear.
Advertisem*nt
3
Click About your PC. This will be the first result.
- A new window will open.
4
View your specifications. Under Device specifications, you'll be able to see: device name, processor, installed RAM, device ID, product ID, and system type.[1]
- Under Windows specifications, you'll be able to see: Windows edition, version, installed on date, OS build, and experience.
- You can also type System Information into the Start menu. Click the first result to view your specifications.
5
View your graphics card. To view your graphics card, you'll need to check your Device manager. Do the following:
- Click the Start menu.
- Type in: Device manager and click the first result.
- Click the arrow next to Display adapters to expand the section.
- View your listed graphics card(s).
- Make sure you don't uninstall or disable anything in Device Manager without explicit instruction on how to do so, as accidental uninstallation can cause your computer to stop working. You can also find and update drivers in the Device Manager.
Advertisem*nt
Method 2
Method 2 of 3:
Using Windows 7
Download Article
1
Click the Start menu. This will be in the bottom left corner.
2
Right-click Computer. You can find this on the right side of the Start menu.
- A pop-up window will open.
3
Click Properties. This will be at the bottom of the pop-up window.
- A new window will open.
4
View your computer specifications. You'll be able to check your Windows version underneath Windows edition. Under System, you can find: manufacturer, model, rating, processor, installed memory (RAM), and system type.
Advertisem*nt
Method 3
Method 3 of 3:
Using Mac Ventura or Earlier
Download Article
1
Click the Apple menu. You can find this at the top-left corner.[2]
- Use this method to check computer specifications on your Mac or MacBook.
2
Click System Settings. On Monterey and earlier, this will be System Preferences….
3
Click General. This will be next to the cog icon. You may need to scroll down to find it.
4
Click About. This will be on the right of the window.
5
View your specifications. You'll be able to see your Mac's name, chip, memory, serial number, coverage, macOS, and displays.
6
View a system report. With a system report, you'll be able to view some additional information about your Mac. Do the following:
- Click the Apple menu.
- Click System Settings or System Preferences.
- Click General.
- Click About.
- Click System Report.
- View your computer's installed or connected hardware, network connections, and software.
Advertisem*nt
Expert Q&A
Search
Question
How do I get to the system command center?
Luigi Oppido
Computer & Tech SpecialistLuigi Oppido is the Owner and Operator of Pleasure Point Computers in Santa Cruz, California. Luigi has over 25 years of experience in general computer repair, data recovery, virus removal, and upgrades. He is also the host of the Computer Man Show! broadcasted on KSQD covering central California for over two years.
Luigi Oppido
Computer & Tech Specialist
Expert Answer
You can either hold the Windows key and hit the pause break button, or press Command-Shift-Escape all at once.
Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
Thank you for your feedback.
If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission.Support wikiHowYesNo
Not Helpful 0Helpful 3
Question
What hardware specifications would I focus on to determine performance/reliability?
Community Answer
Ram amount, processor speed, video card, and motherboard would be a good start.
Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
Thank you for your feedback.
If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission.Support wikiHowYesNo
Not Helpful 11Helpful 44
Question
What do I have to look for in the system specification while trying to download a new program?
Sujan Shrestha
Community Answer
Look for processor speed and type, RAM, storage and graphics.
Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
Thank you for your feedback.
If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission.Support wikiHowYesNo
Not Helpful 13Helpful 38
See more answers
Ask a Question
200 characters left
Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered.
Advertisem*nt
Video
Tips
When shopping for a computer online, you should be able to find the specifications listed in the description (if not the title) of the posting.
Thanks
Helpful4Not Helpful1
If you haven't yet purchased the computer on which you want to check specifications, you can usually find the specs listed on the computer's packaging, in the computer's manual, or on the computer's in-store display plaque.
Thanks
Helpful2Not Helpful2
Submit a Tip
All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published
Submit
Thanks for submitting a tip for review!
Advertisem*nt
You Might Also Like
Advertisem*nt
References
About This Article
Co-authored by:
Luigi Oppido
Computer & Tech Specialist
This article was co-authored by Luigi Oppido and by wikiHow staff writer, Rain Kengly. Luigi Oppido is the Owner and Operator of Pleasure Point Computers in Santa Cruz, California. Luigi has over 25 years of experience in general computer repair, data recovery, virus removal, and upgrades. He is also the host of the Computer Man Show! broadcasted on KSQD covering central California for over two years. This article has been viewed 2,478,400 times.
How helpful is this?
Co-authors: 31
Updated: April 10, 2023
Views:2,478,400
Categories: Setting Up Your Computer | Computer Hardware
Article SummaryX
Windows:
1. Open the Start menu.
2. Click Settings.
3. Click System.
4. Click About.
macOS:
1. Open the Apple menu.
2. Click About this Mac.
Did this summary help you?
In other languages
Spanish
Russian
German
Portuguese
French
Indonesian
Dutch
Chinese
Arabic
Hindi
Thai
Korean
Turkish
- Send fan mail to authors
Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 2,478,400 times.
Reader Success Stories
Anonymous
Nov 30, 2016
"Wanted to know why one particular program keeps crashing on this new 16 GB RAM i7 laptop. Needed computer details,..." more
More reader storiesHide reader stories
Is this article up to date?
Advertisem*nt
