How to Find Computer Hardware Specs: CPU, GPU, RAM, Motherboard, Hard Drive

If you are looking for information on your system’s hardware, there are other ways to do so without having to open it up. You may need information on your processor (CPU), the graphics card (GPU), how much memory (RAM) your system has, how many modules there are, what storage your hard drive/SSD is, or which model your motherboard is.

This information can be determined in Windows 10 and 11 without having to use third-party software.

This post discusses various methods for finding the above-mentioned information using the built-in tools and utilities in Windows. Whether you have a desktop computer or a laptop, the methods discussed in this post are valid for both.

How to Check Laptop/Computer Specs

Generally, the specifications of the different components within a laptop or a desktop computer can be found through various tools, individually. However, if you have purchased a stock PC and want to know its default specifications, you can just perform a Google search for the PC’s model.

To determine your computer’s manufacturing company and model, perform these steps:

1. Type in msinfo32 in Run to open System Information.
   
2. Here, in the System Summary tab, you shall find “System Manufacturer” and “System Model” in the right pane.
   

You may now use this information to find the default specifications for your stock PC right out of the factory.

How to Check Processor/CPU Specs

Information on your processor can be found at multiple locations within the operating system.

From System Information

Follow the steps below to find your CPU’s specifications through System Information:

1. Type in msinfo32 in Run.
2. Here, in the System Summary tab, you shall find “Processor” in the right pane.
   

In the Processor field, you will see your CPU’s model and its generation along with the clock speed and number of cores.

From Settings

Follow the steps below to find your CPU’s specifications through the Settings app:

1. Navigate to the following:
   Settings app >> System >> About
2. Here, you will see Processor information on the right side of the app.
   

Unlike System Information, the Settings app does not tell the number of cores your processor has.

From the Task Manager

Follow the steps below to find your CPU specifications through the Task Manager:

1. Open the Task Manager by pressing the Ctrl + Shift + Esc keys simultaneously.
2. Switch to the Performance tab and then click CPU on the left.
   
3. You can now see the processor’s specifications on the right side above the graph.
   

From DirectX Diagnostic Tool

The DirectX Diagnostic Tool in Windows is primarily used for information on the GPU and its associated drivers. However, it also gives other information. Follow the steps below to find your CPU specs from this tool:

1. Open the DirectX Diagnostics Tool by typing in dxdiag in Run.
   
2. Under the System tab, you shall find “Processor” with your CPU information.
   

Note that DirectX Diagnostic Tool states the number of logical cores only, not the physical cores, unlike System Information.

How to Check Graphics Card/GPU Specs

From Device Manager

Follow the steps below to find out your GPU’s specifications through the Device Manager:

1. Open up Device Manager by typing in devmgmt.msc in Run.
   
2. Expand Display adapters and there you shall see the name of the graphics card under it.
   

From DirectX Diagnostic Tool

More detailed information on your GPU can be found using the DirectX Diagnostic Tool. Follow these steps:

1. Open the DirectX Diagnostics Tool by typing in dxdiag in Run.
   
2. Here, switch to the Display tab. (You may see more than one Display tab, switch to either one).
   
3. In these tabs, you will find the information on your GPU, as well as the associated drivers.
   

From the Task Manager

Follow the steps below to find your GPU specifications through the Task Manager:

1. Open the Task Manager by pressing the Ctrl + Shift + Esc keys simultaneously.
2. Switch to the Performance tab and then click GPU on the left.
   
3. You can now see the GPU’s specifications on the right side above the graph.
   

Similar to the Device Manager, the Task Manager also gives out only the name of the graphics card. Thus, some users may prefer finding out the GPU’s specifications using the DirectX Diagnostic Tool.

How to Check Memory/RAM Specs

Like all other methods mentioned above, you can check your RAM details through different techniques. However, some of them only display the total amount of available RAM, while other methods give out details on the number of RAM modules installed.

From System Information

Follow the steps below to find out the specifications of your RAM through System Information:

1. Type in msinfo32 in Run to open System Information.
   
2. Here, in the System Summary tab, you shall find “Install Physical Memory (RAM)” in the right pane.
   

Below is the Installed Physical Memory (RAM) info. You can also find other information like “Total Physical Memory” and “Available Physical Memory.”

From Settings App

Follow the steps below to find out the specifications of your RAM via the Settings app:

1. Navigate to the following:
   Settings app >> System >> About
2. Here, you will find “Installed RAM” which states the total installed RAM and the available RAM.
   

From Task Manager

Perform the following steps to find information on your system’s RAM using the Task Manager:

1. Open the Task Manager by pressing the Ctrl + Shift + Esc keys simultaneously.
2. Switch to the Performance tab and then click Memory on the left.
   
3. You can now see the total RAM installed on your computer in the right pane, above the graph.
   

You can also find live information from the Task Manager on your RAM, such as its current consumption, and how much is still available for use.

From Command Prompt

The following steps will give you the information on your system’s RAM, stating the capacity of each RAM module individually.

1. Open Command Prompt by typing in cmd in Run.
   
2. Now paste the following command to get your RAM specifications:
   wmic MEMORYCHIP get DeviceLocator, MemoryType, TypeDetail, Capacity, Speed
   

You will now see your RAM information in the Command Prompt. The “capacity” is stated in bytes, and each row defines a different module. The image above in step 7 shows that there are 2 RAM modules inserted into our machine.

How to Check Hard Drive/SSD Specs

The first order of business when it comes to the storage device is to know whether you have a regular hard drive installed, or is it a Solid State Drive (SSD). If you are not sure, here are 4 ways to determine the type of storage device on your computer.

From System Information

Follow the steps below to find your storage device’s specifications through System Information:

1. Type in msinfo32 in Run.
2. From the left pane, navigate to the following:
   Components >> Storage >> Disks
3. Here, in the right pane, you will find all other information relevant to your storage drive(s). If you have more than one disk in your computer, each section will state the information about one disk.
   

System Information provides information on the disk(s) and the partitions on it. Here you can find all sorts of information on the storage device(s), such as the manufacturer, total capacity, capacity on each partition, etc.

From Disk Management Console

Follow the steps below to obtain specifications on your storage drive(s) using the Disk Management Console:

1. Type in diskmgmt.msc in Run to open the Disk Management Console.
   
2. Here, you shall see each disk in the lower section of the console. Right-click on the disk that you want information on, and then click Properties from the context menu.
   
3. From the Properties window, switch between different tabs to find information on your storage device.
   

From Settings App

You can also find information on your storage device from the built-in Settings app in Windows. Here is how:

1. Navigate to the following:
   Settings app >> System >> Storage >> Advaned storage settings >> Disks & volumes
2. You will find the available disks in your PC on this page. Expand the one that you want information on, click it again, and then click Properties.
   
3. Here you shall find the specifications for your hard drive/SSD.
   

From Task Manager

Follow the steps below to find your hard drive specifications through the Task Manager:

1. Open the Task Manager by pressing the Ctrl + Shift + Esc keys simultaneously.
2. Switch to the Performance tab and then click Disk on the left. You may have more than one “Disk” stated on the left, depending upon the number of disks you have.
   
3. Here, you will find the specifications of each disk on the right side of the window.
   

How to Check Motherboard Specs

From System Information

Follow the steps below to get information on your motherboard without having to open up your PC:

1. Type in msinfo32 in Run.
   
2. Here, in the System Summary tab, you shall find “BaseBoard Manufacturer,” “BaseBoard Product,” and “BaseBoard Version” in the right pane.
   

On some computers, you may see the word “motherboard” in place of “BaseBoard.”

From Command Prompt

Follow the steps below to get specifications on your system’s motherboard using the Command Prompt:

1. Open Command Prompt by typing in cmd in Run.
2. Now paste the following cmdlet to obtain the relevant information:
   wmic baseboard get product,Manufacturer,version,serialnumber
   

The command above will now display the specifications of your PC’s motherboard.

So far, we have discussed all possible methods of obtaining the information usually required, regardless of the reason.

That said, not everyone wants to perform these steps and would rather prefer to get all their information in one place. For that, you may refer to third-party software that gathers and states your system specifications in an organized manner.

Here are 10 tools to check every hardware detail of your computer, which works with both desktops and laptops.

Closing Words

You may require your hardware specifications if you are selling your PC and want to list its details, or maybe you need to check if some software is supported and whether your system meets the minimum requirements.

Regardless, some users may prefer to obtain this information without involving third-party software. You may perform the operations discussed in this post to obtain the relevant information using the built-in tools and utilities in Windows.