“What processor have you got?” “How much RAM?” “Which version of Windows?” Sooner or later, a support person, a game, or a website you’re selling your laptop on will ask. Here’s how to find every answer in seconds, without opening the case.
1. The quick summary: Settings → About
Press Win + I and go to System → About (it’s at the bottom).
Under Device specifications you’ll see:
– Processor, e.g. Intel Core i5-1235U or AMD Ryzen 7 7840U
– Installed RAM, e.g. 16.0 GB
– System type: 64-bit is normal
Under Windows specifications you’ll see:
– Edition: Home or Pro
– Version, e.g. 24H2
– OS build
Click Copy next to either section to paste the details into an email.
2. Windows version, the fast way
Press Win + R, type winver and press Enter. A small window shows your exact Windows version and build.
3. Graphics card, disk and live usage: Task Manager
Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc and click Performance:
- CPU: name, speed, number of cores
- Memory: total RAM, speed and how many slots are used
- Disk 0, 1…: size and type (SSD or HDD)
- GPU: your graphics card’s name and its memory
4. Storage space
Go to Settings → System → Storage to see how much space is used and free on each drive.
5. Everything, in detail: System Information
Press Win + R, type msinfo32 and press Enter.
System Summary lists the manufacturer, model, BIOS version and much more. This is the place to look when a support technician asks for details.
6. Your serial number and model
You’ll often need these for warranty claims and driver downloads:
- Right-click Start and choose Terminal.
- Type this and press Enter:
Get-CimInstance Win32_BIOS | Select-Object SerialNumber
The model name is shown in Settings → System → About, at the top. It’s also on a sticker under laptops or on the back of desktops.
Does my PC meet a game’s or app’s requirements?
Compare these three things with the “minimum requirements” list:
| Requirement | Where to check |
|---|---|
| Processor (CPU) | Settings → System → About |
| Memory (RAM) | Settings → System → About |
| Graphics (GPU) | Task Manager → Performance → GPU |
Quick recap
Frequently asked questions
Is 8 GB of RAM enough?
For web browsing, email and Office, yes. 16 GB is more comfortable if you keep lots of tabs open, edit photos or play games.
How do I know if I have an SSD?
Open Task Manager → Performance → Disk 0. The type is shown at the top right. SSDs are much faster than HDDs.
John The Computer Man: plain-English computer help.
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