Check CPU, RAM, Storage and GPU in Windows 11 and macOS

You can check a laptop's specs without installing anything. On Windows 11, open Settings, then System, then About to see the processor and RAM, and use System Information (msinfo32) or PowerShell for more. On a Mac, choose the Apple menu, then About This Mac, and click System Report for the full list.

Who this is for and what you will have at the end

This guide is for anyone who needs to know what is inside a laptop: before buying RAM, before selling it, when a game or app lists system requirements, or when a support agent asks for a serial number. By the end you will have a short spec sheet for your own machine: processor, memory, storage, graphics, operating system version and serial number.

Each step uses tools that ship with the operating system. Where a tool does not show a particular detail, the guide says so rather than guessing. Pricing and model recommendations are outside the scope here.

What to write down

Copy these into a note as you go:

Windows 11

Settings: the quickest look

Microsoft's support page for finding information about your device gives these steps:

1. Right-click Start and select Settings.
2. Choose System, then About.
3. Read the device name at the top, with the model name just below it.
4. Under Device specifications, read the processor, installed RAM, and whether Windows is 32-bit or 64-bit.
5. Under Windows specifications, read the edition and version of Windows.

You can also open the page directly with the link ms-settings:about. For Windows 11 requirements questions, see Windows 11 hardware requirements and the TPM check.

Storage

Open Settings, then System, then Storage, or use the link ms-settings:storagerecommendations. If you have more than one drive, select Advanced storage settings, then Storage used on other drives, to see them all. For help when the drive is nearly full, see Windows 11 slow PC fixes and SSD vs HDD explained.

System Information (msinfo32)

Microsoft describes System Information as a detailed view of hardware, system components and the software environment. To open it:

1. Press Win+R.
2. Type msinfo32 and press Enter. You can also search for System Information in the Start menu.

Microsoft's tip is to open it as an administrator to get accurate driver and service reporting.

Task Manager

Press Ctrl+Shift+Esc, or right-click Start and select Task Manager. Microsoft says Task Manager shows running apps and CPU, memory, disk and network usage. Its Performance section also includes GPU performance. This is the best place to see how much of each resource is in use right now, which tells you more than the installed amount when a laptop feels slow.

PowerShell: serial number and graphics

PowerShell reads hardware information from Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI) through the Get-CimInstance cmdlet, which takes a -ClassName parameter. Open Windows Terminal or PowerShell and run these.

Serial number from the BIOS class:

Get-CimInstance -ClassName Win32_BIOS | Select-Object Manufacturer, SMBIOSBIOSVersion, SerialNumber

Microsoft documents SerialNumber as the assigned serial number of the element, and SMBIOSBIOSVersion as the BIOS version reported by SMBIOS.

Graphics adapter name and driver version:

Get-CimInstance -ClassName Win32_VideoController | Select-Object Name, DriverVersion, CurrentHorizontalResolution, CurrentVerticalResolution, CurrentRefreshRate

Name is the label of the adapter and DriverVersion is the video driver version. Laptops with both integrated and dedicated graphics show one row for each. Microsoft notes that hardware that is not compatible with the Windows Display Driver Model returns inaccurate values for this class. The class also has an AdapterRAM property, but it is stored as a 32-bit number, so treat it with caution for graphics cards with a lot of memory and use Task Manager's Performance tab to confirm dedicated memory instead.

If the serial number comes back blank or as a generic placeholder, check the label on the underside of the laptop or the original box. Some builds and refurbished units do not store it.

Mac

About This Mac

Apple's guide says to choose Apple menu, then About This Mac. You can also go to System Settings, then General, then About. The window shows the model name and the serial number. Entering the serial number at checkcoverage.apple.com confirms the model and shows coverage, which also works for a warranty check. If you plan to sell, see how to check your phone's warranty and trade-in value for the same coverage page in use.

In General, About, Apple lists these controls:

• The Name field, where you can rename the Mac.
• A Details button to check warranty and service coverage.
• The macOS version number, which you can click to see the exact version.
• Links to Display Settings and Storage Settings.

System Report

To see the full inventory of installed and connected hardware, open System Settings, then General, then About, and click System Report. Alternatively, hold the Option key and choose Apple menu, then System Information. Apple says the report covers installed and connected hardware, network connections including IP addresses and connection speed, and software such as the operating system, apps and kernel extensions.

Use File, then Show More Information or Show Less Information to change the length. You can print or save the report with File, then Print or File, then Save, and File, then Send to Apple sends it to Apple.

For live memory usage on a Mac, use Activity Monitor.

Serial number methods

Apple lists several ways to find the model name and serial number:

1. About This Mac, as above.
2. System Information: hold Option, open the Apple menu, choose System Information and select Hardware in the sidebar. This shows the serial number, model identifier and model number (part number). The File menu also has Speak Serial Number.
3. Sign in at account.apple.com, select Devices in the sidebar, and click the Mac's name.
4. Terminal: run the command below and read the value after IOPlatformSerialNumber. If the Mac will not fully start, you can open Terminal from the Utilities menu in macOS Recovery.

ioreg -l | grep IOPlatformSerialNumber

5. The label on the underside of the Mac, near the regulatory markings, or the barcode on the box. Apple warns that the printed serial number might no longer be active if the logic board was replaced during a repair, so use another method if the numbers disagree.

If you have a model identifier such as MacBookPro18,1, Apple has "Identify your Mac" articles by Mac type that map it to a model name.

Verification: do the numbers make sense

Cross-check what you collected:

• Compare the model name with the manufacturer's specification page for that exact model. Configurations differ in memory and storage options, so a model page can list several RAM sizes. Trust the numbers on your own machine.
• Confirm the operating system version matches what Settings or About shows.
• For Windows, compare Task Manager's Performance view with Settings, System, About for RAM.

Troubleshooting

PowerShell says Get-CimInstance is not recognized

The cmdlet is only available on Windows. Run the command in Windows PowerShell or PowerShell on a Windows laptop, not in a Mac or Linux shell.

SerialNumber is empty on Windows

Some systems report a blank or placeholder value. Use the label on the laptop, the box, or the maker's support site.

System Information opens but fields are missing

Open it as an administrator, as Microsoft recommends, to get accurate driver and service reporting. Search for System Information in Start, right-click it and choose Run as administrator.

The graphics adapter shows a basic name

If the name looks generic, the vendor's graphics driver may not be installed. Check Windows Update and the laptop maker's support page for the correct driver. For display issues, see Windows 11 black screen fix.

The Mac serial number on the label does not match

Apple says a logic board replacement can make the printed serial number inactive. Use About This Mac or account.apple.com for the current serial number.

Closing checklist

• Windows: Settings, System, About for model, CPU, RAM and Windows version.
• Windows: Settings, System, Storage for drives and free space.
• Windows: msinfo32 for the detailed view, and Task Manager's Performance tab for live use.
• Windows: PowerShell with Win32_BIOS for the serial number and Win32_VideoController for graphics.
• Mac: About This Mac for model name and serial number, System Report for the hardware list.
• Save your notes somewhere other than the laptop itself.

References

• Microsoft Support, Find information about your Windows device: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/experience/find-information-about-your-windows-device
• Microsoft Support, System configuration tools in Windows: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/view-your-system-info-a965a8f2-0773-1d65-472a-1e747c9ebe00
• Microsoft Learn, Get-CimInstance: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/powershell/module/cimcmdlets/get-ciminstance
• Microsoft Learn, Win32_BIOS class: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/win32/cimwin32prov/win32-bios
• Microsoft Learn, Win32_VideoController class: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/win32/cimwin32prov/win32-videocontroller
• Apple Support, Find your Mac model name and serial number: https://support.apple.com/en-us/102767
• Apple Support, Get system information about your Mac: https://support.apple.com/guide/mac-help/get-system-information-about-your-mac-syspr35536/mac