Short answer
- To check specs on a Windows PC, open Start, then Settings, then System, then About. Under Device specifications you will see the processor, installed RAM, and system type, and under Windows specifications you will see the Windows edition, version, and build. That one page answers most questions, and it is the page a support team or a software requirements list usually wants. For a deeper list, press the Windows key and R together, type msinfo32, and press Enter to open System Information. For live performance and the graphics card, press Ctrl, Shift, and Esc together to open Task Manager and select the Performance tab. No download is needed for any of these methods, because all of them are already part of Windows.
Why You Might Need Your PC Specs
A PC specification list describes the hardware inside the machine and the version of Windows running on it. The processor, memory, graphics card, storage, and operating system together decide which programs will run well, which will run slowly, and which will not run at all. If you are checking whether a game or program will run, you need the processor model, RAM, graphics card, storage free space, and Windows version, because requirements lists are written in exactly those terms. If you are planning an upgrade, you also need the motherboard model, so you can check what the machine can accept.
There is also a difference between a static specification and live performance. A static specification says what the hardware is. Live performance says what the hardware is doing right now. Settings and System Information give static specifications, while Task Manager gives live performance, with the hardware names shown beside the live graphs.
Before You Start: What to Write Down
Open a blank note before you start clicking and copy each value exactly as Windows shows it. Model names matter more than brand names alone, because two PCs with the same brand of processor and the same amount of RAM can still be very different machines. Copy the full processor line, the full graphics card name, and the exact installed RAM figure, including the unit.
Device name and model: (Settings, About, or System Information System Summary) Processor: (Settings, About, or System Information System Summary) Installed RAM: (Settings, About, or System Information System Summary) System type: (Settings, About; for example, 64 bit operating system) Graphics card: (Task Manager Performance, GPU, or DirectX Diagnostic Display tab) Storage total and free space: (Settings, System, Storage; system drive on main page, other drives under Advanced storage settings) Motherboard model: (System Information, System Summary, BaseBoard fields) BIOS version and date: (System Information, System Summary) Windows edition, version, and build: (Settings, About, Windows specifications)
One caution applies to every method: look, but do not change settings you do not understand. Settings, System Information, Task Manager, and DirectX Diagnostic are safe to browse. Device Manager is different, because it lets you disable or uninstall hardware, so treat it as a read only list.
Method 1: Settings, System, About (the Quickest Check)
Settings is the method Microsoft presents first in its own guide to checking PC specs. Press the Windows key and I together to open Settings, or select Start and then Settings. Select System, then scroll to About. On Windows 10 the About entry sits in the left hand navigation list. On Windows 11 the System page shows About near the bottom of the page.
Under Device specifications, Processor gives the full processor model and its speed, Installed RAM gives the total memory fitted in gigabytes, and System type states whether Windows is a 64 bit or 32 bit operating system. Under Windows specifications, read the Edition, Version, and OS build lines. Edition tells you which edition of Windows is installed, such as Home or Pro. Version tells you which feature release is installed, and OS build gives the precise build number.
The About page has one notable gap: it does not show your graphics card or your individual storage drives. If your question is about graphics, skip ahead to Task Manager or DirectX Diagnostic. If it is about storage capacity or free space, use the Storage method later in this article. For processor, RAM, system type, and Windows version, the About page is complete, and it is the fastest answer to the most common form of this question.
Method 2: System Information, msinfo32 (the Full Inventory)
When the About page is not detailed enough, System Information is the next tool to open. Press the Windows key and R together to open the Run dialog, type msinfo32, and press Enter. You can also type System Information into Start search and select the app. The window opens on System Summary, a single page overview of the machine. According to an archived previous versions Microsoft Learn document for Windows Server 2012 and Windows 8, the msinfo32 command opens the System Information tool to display a comprehensive view of the hardware, system components, and software environment on the local computer. That description still matches current Windows behavior.
Start with the System Summary lines. System Manufacturer and System Model identify who made the PC and which model it is. BIOS Version and Date gives the firmware version. Installed Physical Memory gives total RAM, and Available Physical Memory gives how much is free at this moment, so do not confuse the two when you copy your total. The summary also includes BaseBoard fields, which name the motherboard product and manufacturer.
Use the left hand tree to go deeper when you need one component rather than the whole machine. Under Components, the Display section lists the graphics adapter, and the Storage section lists drives and controllers. Under Software Environment, you can see drivers, running tasks, and startup programs, but that section is not part of a hardware specification list. System Information can also save its report through File, then Export, or File, then Save, but a full export contains serial numbers and installed software, so read the privacy section near the end of this article before you send one.
Method 3: Task Manager, Performance Tab (Live View and Graphics Card)
Task Manager is the best built in tool for two jobs at once: confirming the graphics card model and seeing what the hardware is doing right now. Press Ctrl, Shift, and Esc together to open Task Manager, then select the Performance tab. Microsoft describes this view as a live view of system performance and hardware activity, showing CPU speed, GPU type, Wi-Fi adapter details, disk usage, and real time graphs. Each component gets its own entry in the left hand list: CPU, Memory, Disk, Network, and GPU.
Select CPU first. The name at the top right is the full processor model, and the view also shows the number of cores and logical processors, the base speed, and the current utilization percentage. Utilization is a live figure, so a high figure at one moment means the processor is busy at that moment, not that it is weak. Select Memory next. The top right shows total installed RAM, and the view shows how much is in use, how much is available, and how many memory slots are used. Select GPU next. The name at the top right is the graphics card model, which is the line the About page does not show, and the view also shows dedicated GPU memory, the video memory fitted on the card itself. Select Disk and Network to see each drive, its model name, and its live activity, and the active network adapter and its live speeds.
Method 4: DirectX Diagnostic, dxdiag (Graphics and Gaming Details)
DirectX Diagnostic, known as dxdiag, is the built in tool most often recommended for graphics and gaming specification questions, and Microsoft lists it alongside Settings, System Information, and Task Manager in its own guide. Press the Windows key and R together, type dxdiag, and press Enter. The tool opens on the System tab, which repeats the operating system, processor, memory, and DirectX version. The DirectX version line matters for games, because a game requirements list may name a minimum DirectX version, and this is the quickest place to confirm it.
Select the Display tab for the graphics details. The Device section names the graphics card, its manufacturer, and its chip type. The Drivers section gives the driver version and date, which is the information a graphics troubleshooting guide usually asks for. The Display section also shows the current display mode, meaning the screen resolution and refresh rate in use, which is a display setting rather than a graphics card specification. If your PC has more than one graphics adapter, dxdiag may show more than one Display tab, one for each adapter. As with System Information, dxdiag can save its report through the Save All Information button, and the same privacy caution applies.
Method 5: Device Manager (One Component at a Time)
Device Manager lists every hardware device Windows recognizes, grouped by type. To open it, right click the Start button and select Device Manager, or type Device Manager into Start search and select the app. Expand a category to see the devices inside it. Under Display adapters you will find the graphics card or cards. Under Disk drives you will find each storage drive by model name. Under Network adapters you will find the Wi-Fi and wired network adapters. Under Processors you will find one entry per logical processor, so do not report that count as the number of physical processor chips.
Device Manager also shows a status for each device, and a warning symbol beside a device means Windows has a problem with it, such as a missing driver. That status is diagnostic information, not a specification, but it is worth noting if you are checking specs because something is not working. Treat Device Manager as a viewing tool for this task: none of its update, disable, or uninstall options is part of checking specifications.
Method 6: Storage Settings (Capacity and Free Space)
A processor or graphics card question is about a model name, but a storage question is usually about two numbers: how much space the drive holds in total, and how much is still free. Settings gives both numbers most clearly. Open Settings, select System, then select Storage. The page shows the system drive with its total capacity and used space. For other drives, select Advanced storage settings, then Storage used on other drives, or open Disks and volumes. For a requirements check, the free space figure is the one that matters, because a game or program needs enough free space to install, plus working room beyond the install size itself. Name the drive letter. Do not confuse total capacity with free space: a drive with a large total capacity may have far less free, and it is the free figure that decides whether a large install will fit.
Method 7: Command Prompt, systeminfo (Copyable Text Output)
For readers who prefer text they can copy and paste, the systeminfo command gives a detailed configuration list in Command Prompt. An archived previous versions Microsoft Learn document for Windows Server 2003 through 2012 and Windows XP through Windows 8 describes systeminfo as displaying detailed configuration information about a computer and its operating system, including operating system configuration, security information, product ID, and hardware properties such as RAM, disk space, and network cards. That description still matches current Windows behavior. To use it, type Command Prompt into Start search and open the app, type systeminfo, and press Enter. The output lists the host name, operating system name and version, system manufacturer and model, processor, BIOS version, total and available physical memory, network adapters, and installed updates, among other lines. The advantage of systeminfo is that its output is plain text, so you can select the lines you need and paste them into a note. Use it as an alternative to System Information when you want text output, not as an extra step every reader must take.
Reading the Results: What Each Specification Means
Processor, often written as CPU: the main calculation chip in the PC. Its model name encodes the maker, the product family, and the generation. Clock speed, measured in gigahertz, describes how many cycles per second the processor runs at, but it is not a complete measure of speed on its own, because different processor designs do different amounts of work per cycle. When you compare a processor with a requirements list, compare the full model name first.
Memory, written as RAM: the short term working space the PC uses while programs run. When you open a program, its working data sits in RAM, and when you close the program, that space is freed. More RAM lets the PC keep more programs and more data open at once without slowing down to use the much slower storage drive as overflow. RAM is measured in gigabytes, and installed RAM on the About page is the total fitted, not the amount free at this moment.
Graphics card, written as GPU: the part that handles pictures, video, and the visual parts of games and creative programs. A PC may have graphics built into the processor, which shares system RAM, or a separate graphics card with its own dedicated video memory, or both. The separate card is normally the more powerful of the two, and it is the one a game requirements list refers to. Dedicated video memory, shown in Task Manager under GPU, is the memory on the card itself, separate from system RAM, so do not add the two together.
Storage: measured in gigabytes or terabytes, with two qualities that matter, capacity and type. Capacity is how much data the drive can hold, and free space is how much of that capacity is still unused. A solid state drive, known as an SSD, stores data in flash memory with no moving parts, so it starts the PC and loads programs quickly. A hard disk drive, known as an HDD, stores data on spinning disks, so it is slower to load programs.
Motherboard and BIOS: The motherboard model appears in System Information as the BaseBoard product, and it matters mainly for upgrades. The BIOS version appears there too. A separate Amberaisle article covers motherboard identification in more detail.
Display, network, and battery: the remaining lines for laptops in particular. Display resolution and refresh rate appear in dxdiag on the Display tab, and network adapters appear in Task Manager under Network. Note battery health separately from processor and memory when you list a laptop.
Comparing Your Specs With Software Requirements
Three common mistakes are easy to make. First, compare the full model names, not just the brand or the headline number: a different model with a similar clock speed is not automatically equivalent. Second, check every line on the requirements list, not just the one you expect to fail: a PC can pass the processor and RAM lines and still fall short on graphics card, storage free space, or Windows version. Third, keep minimum and recommended requirements apart: a minimum requirement usually means the program will run, not that it will run well, while a recommended requirement describes the specification for a comfortable experience.
Work through the comparison line by line. Processor: does your full model name match or exceed the listed model? Memory: is your installed RAM at least the listed figure? Graphics card: does your graphics card model match or exceed the listed card, and is your dedicated video memory at least the listed figure if one is given? Storage: is your free space on the drive where the program will install at least the listed install size, with room to spare? Operating system: does your Windows edition and version meet the listed minimum? DirectX version, where a game lists one: does dxdiag show at least that version? If one line fails, that line names the upgrade or the reason to choose a lighter alternative.
When a Field Is Blank, Missing, or Looks Wrong
Three situations confuse readers. The first is a field that reads Not Available in System Information. That usually means the tool could not read that value from this hardware or firmware, not that the hardware is missing. Checking the same item in a second tool often resolves it. The second situation is a RAM figure on the About page that is slightly lower than the amount printed on the memory packaging. Part of the installed memory can be reserved for hardware, including graphics built into the processor, so the usable figure can be a little lower than the fitted total.
The third situation is a specification that disagrees between two tools, for example a processor speed that looks different in Settings and in Task Manager. Processor speed varies with workload, because modern processors raise and lower their speed as demand changes, so a live speed in Task Manager will differ from the base speed printed in Settings. When two tools disagree, ask whether the value is a fixed specification or a live measurement. If a fixed specification disagrees across tools, or a device shows a warning in Device Manager, that is the point to involve support.
Sharing Your Specs Safely
A specification list feels harmless, and most of it is, but a full system report contains details you should not post in public. Processor model, RAM total, graphics card model, and Windows version are safe to share with a support forum or a seller, because they describe the machine type rather than your identity. Device name, device ID, product ID, serial number, network adapter addresses, and the full list of installed software are different: they can identify this specific machine or reveal what you use it for, and they are not needed for an ordinary compatibility question. Share the short template list from the start of this article, copied by hand, and do not attach a full System Information or dxdiag export to a public post. If a support technician asks for a full export, send it to that technician directly, not to a public thread. The same caution applies when you sell a PC: a buyer needs the processor, RAM, graphics card, storage capacity, and Windows version, but does not need your device ID, serial number, or software list.
If the PC in Question Is a Mac
This article is written for Windows PCs, but this short section covers the equivalent Mac steps. On a Mac, choose the Apple menu in the corner of the screen, then choose About This Mac. The window that opens shows the Mac model name, chip or processor, memory, startup disk, serial number, and macOS version. Apple Support describes About This Mac as showing an image of the Mac followed by its model name, with the serial number also shown. For more detail, hold the Option key while choosing the Apple menu, then choose System Information, and select Hardware in the sidebar for the model identifier and part number. A Mac model name, such as a MacBook Pro with a year, is a stronger identifier than a Windows model name alone, because Apple ties a fixed set of specifications to each model and year. Do not mix the two systems in one note.
Quick Troubleshooting Table
Problem: Settings will not open, or the About page is blank. Next step: use System Information instead. Press Windows key and R, type msinfo32, and press Enter.
Problem: The About page shows processor and RAM but no graphics card. Next step: this is normal, not a fault. Open Task Manager, select Performance, then GPU, or run dxdiag and select the Display tab.
Problem: System Information shows Not Available for a field. Next step: check the same item in a second tool, such as Task Manager for the graphics card or Settings for RAM. If the field is still blank everywhere, note it as Not Available rather than guessing a value.
Problem: Task Manager shows no GPU entry. Next step: confirm you are on the Performance tab, and scroll the left hand list. On a PC with only integrated graphics, the entry may be named for the integrated graphics rather than a separate card.
Problem: A requirements list names a specification you cannot find anywhere. Next step: check whether the name is a display setting, a network detail, or a driver version rather than a hardware model, and use the matching section: dxdiag Display for display mode, Device Manager for adapter names, dxdiag Drivers for driver version.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I check specs on a PC quickly?
Open Start, then Settings, then System, then About. Under Device specifications you will see the processor, installed RAM, and system type, and under Windows specifications you will see the edition, version, and build. Add Task Manager Performance, GPU, if you also need the graphics card, because the About page does not list it.
How do I check my graphics card on a PC?
Press Ctrl, Shift, and Esc to open Task Manager, select the Performance tab, then select GPU. The name at the top right is the graphics card model. Alternatively, press Windows key and R, type dxdiag, press Enter, and select the Display tab, which names the card and gives its driver version and date.
How do I check RAM on a PC?
Open Settings, then System, then About, and read Installed RAM under Device specifications. That figure is the total memory fitted in the machine. For live detail, open Task Manager, select Performance, then Memory. Use the installed total for a requirements comparison.
How do I check the processor on a PC?
Open Settings, then System, then About, and read the Processor line under Device specifications, which gives the full model name and speed. Task Manager under Performance, CPU, adds the core count and current speed. Copy the full model name when you compare it with a requirements list.
How do I check storage specs on a PC?
Open Settings, then System, then Storage, and read the total capacity and free space for the system drive. For other drives, select Advanced storage settings, then Storage used on other drives, or Disks and volumes. For the drive model name, open Device Manager and expand Disk drives, or open System Information and look under Components, Storage.
How do I check specs on Windows 10 compared with Windows 11?
The methods are the same, with one navigation difference. On Windows 10, About sits in the left hand navigation list in Settings. On Windows 11, About sits near the bottom of the System page.
How do I check specs on a PC without downloading anything?
Use only the methods in this article, because every one of them is already part of Windows: Settings, System Information, Task Manager, DirectX Diagnostic, Device Manager, Storage settings, and the systeminfo command. None of them requires a download, an account, or a purchase.
Why does my PC show two graphics cards?
Many PCs have two graphics adapters: integrated graphics built into the processor, and a separate graphics card with its own memory. Windows lists both. A game or demanding program normally uses the separate card, so copy the separate card for a requirements comparison.
What specs do I need to check before buying a game or program?
Check the processor model, installed RAM, graphics card model and dedicated video memory, storage free space on the install drive, Windows edition and version, and the DirectX version if the game lists one. Compare each line with the requirements list, keeping minimum and recommended requirements apart.
Should I share a full system report online?
No, not in a public place. Share only the short list a helper needs: processor model, RAM total, graphics card model, storage free space, and Windows version. Send a full export only directly to a support technician who has asked for it.
Sources & references
- Microsoft Windows, "How to Check PC Specs". https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/learning-center/how-to-check-pc-specs
- Microsoft Learn, "Msinfo32" (archived previous versions document for Windows Server 2012 and Windows 8; description verified as still matching current Windows behavior). https://learn.microsoft.com/ja-jp/previous-versions/windows/it-pro/windows-server-2012-r2-and-2012/cc731397(v=ws.11)
- Microsoft Learn, "Systeminfo" (archived previous versions document for Windows Server 2003 through 2012 and Windows XP through Windows 8; description verified as still matching current Windows behavior). https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/previous-versions/windows/it-pro/windows-server-2012-r2-and-2012/cc771190(v=ws.11)
- Apple Support, "Find your Mac model name and serial number". https://support.apple.com/en-us/102767
