5 Minute HelpDesk – How to check your computer specifications

5 Minute HelpDesk – How to check your computer specifications

Not sure how to check your computer specs? People need to know the specifications of their computer system for various reasons. Most of the time, specs help people determine the compatibility of new components with existing ones when considering an upgrade. This is one of the most common queries our IT Helpdesk in Perth gets. So, we have compiled here a quick guide on how to check computer specs.

1. How to find CPU or processor specs?

Knowing the specs of your processor or CPU is the first step to upgrading your system. You can then choose components that are compatible with the particular kind of processor.

On Windows 10, you can easily get this information by following these steps:

• On the start menu, right-click on the Windows icon.
• From the options, click on ‘System’.
• Now look what it says alongside ‘Processor’ on the list. This is the specification of your CPU.

For Windows 7, the steps are slightly different as follows:

• Right-click on the ‘My Computer’ icon on the desktop.
• From the list of options, choose ‘Properties’. This will open up a new window listing the hardware specs of the computer along with CPU specifications.

2. How to find graphics card (GPU) specs?

This is important for professionals such as video editors, photo editors and 3D artists who need to work with high-definition content on computers. How to check computer graphics card specs is as follows:

• Right-click on the Windows icon on the Start menu
• From the list, select Device Manager

Now click on the arrow alongside ‘Display adapters’ to view the specs of the graphics card. It will most probably be something like Intel HD Graphics 4000 or AMD Radeon R9 M470.

If there are two options listed under graphics card, one will be the integrated graphics card in your system and the other will be the dedicated graphics card. The more powerful of the two will be the dedicated graphics card.

3. How to find motherboard specs?

Motherboard specifications let you know the manufacturer, its socket type and chipset. The steps involved in checking these specs are:

• In the search bar of Windows, enter ‘System Information’.
• From the System Summary tab that opens up, scroll down to locate ‘Motherboard Manufacturer’ or ‘Baseboard Manufacturer’.
• Click on it to get the information you need.

For example, the motherboard name may be listed as ASUS Z690-A, Gigabyte GA-AX370 or MSI B550M. Here ASUS, Gigabyte and MSI denote the name of the motherboard manufacturer and the rest of the alpha-numeric information indicates the chipsets.

Sometimes, the system may display only the manufacturer and not the chipset model. In this case, you can open up the system – in case it is a PC – to check the chipset model.

4. How to find memory (RAM) specs?

Finding out how much memory your computer has is a very easy task. Simply follow these steps:

• Right-click the Windows icon on the start menu
• From the list of options, choose ‘System’
• Scroll down the information to locate how much memory your system has.

Once you are armed with this information, you can determine if it is time to upgrade your memory.

Understanding the specs of your computer is integral when it comes to deciding if you need to upgrade the system or not. However, you must bear in mind that upgrading components does not mean simply purchasing new ones and placing them in your system. You need to consider whether your existing components will be compatible with the new components. For instance, the latest versions of processors may not work with older motherboards. Similarly, older versions of the power supply may not be capable of powering the newer graphics cards.

If many components in your existing system are due for an upgrade, maybe it is better to buy a new system. Get in touch with our IT Helpdesk for more queries.

Jargon Buster

RAM – Random Access Memory is a short term memory where data is stored temporarily as the processor needs it.
Motherboard – Is the main printed circuit board through which all components and external peripherals connect.
Graphics Card – Also called video card, is an integrated circuit or expansion card, that generates a feed of output images to a display device.