How to Check Computer Specs on PC, macOS, and Linux

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See detailed hardware & software specifications for any computer
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Whether you're looking to upgrade your current computer, trying to fix a problem with your device, or looking to try a new game or program, it's important to know your computer's specifications. The most important specs to know are your operating system, your CPU, your GPU, and the amount of RAM that you have. In this article we'll go over how to check your computer specifications on Windows, macOS, and Linux.

Checking Computer Specs

  • On Windows, open dxdiag or System Information to locate your computer specifications.
  • On macOS, click the Apple menu and select About This Mac > More info… to see your specs.
  • On Linux, open the Terminal and type "inxi -b" (as long as inxi is installed) to see your computer's specs.
Method 1
Method 1 of 4:

Using dxdiag on Windows

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  1. 1
    Type dxdiag in the taskbar search bar. Click on dxdiag in the window that pops up. If you're on an older version of Windows or you don't see anything pop up, open Run (by either typing "Run" into the taskbar search bar or by pressing ⊞ Win + R ), then type "dxdiag" and press ↵ Enter .
    • Once you open dxdiag, it will take a few seconds for the window to load your computer's information.
  2. 2
    Look under the System tab. The System tab is the default tab that opens when dxdiag opens. There are a few important specs to locate in this tab:
    • Operating system: Your exact operating system will be listed here, including whether your OS is 32- or 64-bit.
    • Processor: This is your CPU, or central processing unit. The exact type of CPU will be listed, including the number of cores your CPU has.
    • Memory: This is your RAM, or random access memory. The number will be displayed in MB. You'll want to convert it to GB, which involves moving the decimal point three places to the left.
      • For example, if it says you have "32768MB RAM," that means you have 32.768 (or about 32) GB RAM.
    • DirectX Version: Your DirectX version is only really important if you play games, but it's something to note on this tab.
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  3. 3
    Click the Display 1 tab. This tab will give you your computer specs regarding your graphics. Look for these items under the "Device" header on the left:
    • Name: This is the name of your GPU, or graphics processing unit.
    • Display Memory (VRAM): Your VRAM is only really important if you play games, but this is where you can locate it. You'll want to convert it to GB (so 7949 MB of VRAM converts to 7.9 GB).
      • If you have multiple displays connected to different GPUs, you can click Display 2 or Display 3 to view that information.
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Method 2
Method 2 of 4:

Using System Info on Windows

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  1. 1
    Type System Info in the taskbar search bar. Click on System Info in the window that pops up. If you're on an older version of Windows or you don't see anything pop up, open Run (by either typing "Run" into the taskbar search bar or by pressing ⊞ Win + R ), then type "msinfo32" and press ↵ Enter .
  2. 2
    Look for your computer's specs. By default, the "System Summary" tab will be selected when you open System Info. This tab has a lot of your computer's specs, so scroll through the list and look for these items specifically:
    • OS Name: The name of your operating system. You can see the specific version and build under Version (right below it).
    • System Type: This will tell you whether your computer is 32-bit or 64-bit.
    • Processor: This is your CPU, or central processing unit. The exact type of CPU will be listed, including the number of cores your CPU has.
    • Installed Physical Memory (RAM): This is the amount of memory your computer has. Unlike dxdiag, System Info lists this in GB.
  3. 3
    Expand Components and click Display . This section will display your graphics card specs. Look for the item that says Name (it's the first one on the list). This is your GPU (or graphics processing unit).
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Method 3
Method 3 of 4:

Using System Report on Mac

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  1. You can find this at the top-left corner of your Mac’s screen.
  2. 2
    Click About This Mac . It's the top option on your Apple menu.
  3. 3
    Click More info… . If you're on macOS Monterey or earlier, you can skip this step, as the More info… button doesn't exist.
    • You can see your Mac's chip and RAM in the About This Mac window as well as the About window that opens when you click More info… You'll get more in-depth information if you continue to view your System Report.
    • You can also view your operating system in the About This Mac window. Depending on your version of macOS, the OS name will be listed either at the top of the window, or right above the More info… button. It will always say "macOS" before the OS name, however. [1]
  4. 4
    Click System Report for detailed specs. You’ll see a lot of basic specs in the window that opens up after you click More info… , including your Mac’s chip/processor type, memory, serial number, current OS, display type, and hard drive space. To see even more in-depth information, scroll to the bottom and click System Report . This will pull up a list of the hardware (and more) installed on your Mac. [2]
  5. 5
    Expand the Hardware tab on the left. This will show all of the hardware on your device, and will also pull up the hardware overview on the right-hand side of the window.
  6. 6
    Look for your chip and RAM under "Hardware Overview." Look for these items specifically:
    • Chip: This is the name of your chip. You might see one of the Apple M-series chips, or an Intel chip if your Mac is older. This chip is a combination CPU (central processing unit) and GPU (graphics processing unit).
    • Total Number of Cores: This lists the number of cores your chip's CPU has.
    • Memory: This is the amount of RAM (or random access memory) your computer has. It's listed in GB.
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Method 4
Method 4 of 4:

Using the Terminal on Linux

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  1. 1
    Open Terminal. The easiest way to check your system specs on Linux is to use a line command. You can either open Terminal from your desktop, or you can press Ctrl + Alt + T to open it on most Linux systems. [3]
  2. 2
    Install inxi. The inxi command allows you to see all of your computer's specs with one simple command, but you must install it first. [4] If inxi is already installed on your computer, you can skip to the next step. To install inxi, run one of the following commands, depending on your Linux installation:
    • Fedora, CentOS, Mageia, etc.: $ sudo dnf install inxi
    • Debian, Elementary, Linux Mint, etc.: $ sudo apt install inxi
  3. 3
    Run the command inxi -b -m . This will return the specs for your computer in the Terminal window. Look for the following items: [5]
    • System: Under the System header, the Host item will show your Linux distro as well as if your device is 32-bit or 64-bit.
    • CPU: Under the CPU header, the Info item will tell you your computer's CPU (or central processing unit) model, as well as the number of cores and average speed.
    • Graphics: Under the Graphics header, your GPU (or graphics processing unit) will be listed next to Device-1 (or Device-2, etc., if you have more than one display with more than one GPU).
    • System RAM: Lists the total amount of system RAM (or random access memory) available.
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Expert Q&A

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  • Question
    How do I get to the system command center?
    Luigi Oppido
    Computer & Tech Specialist
    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.
    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.
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    Not Helpful 6 Helpful 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.
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    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 wikiHow
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  • 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.
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    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 wikiHow
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      References

      1. ↑ https://support.apple.com/en-us/109033
      2. ↑ https://support.apple.com/guide/macbook-air/mac-resources-service-and-support-apd7bd1310b3/2025/mac/15
      3. ↑ https://ubuntu.com/tutorials/command-line-for-beginners#1-overview
      4. ↑ https://opensource.com/article/22/9/linux-inxi-command
      5. ↑ https://smxi.org/docs/inxi-man.htm

      About This Article

      Article Summary X

      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 .

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