How to Check Computer Configuration

Today's WikiHow teaches you how to view your computer's hardware configuration, such as processing speed or memory capacity.

On Windows

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Open Start. You can click the Windows icon located in the lower left corner of the screen or press the key ⊞ Win.

On Windows 8, hover over the upper-right corner of the screen and click the magnifying glass icon.

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Type system information(system information). The computer will start searching for files that match the results.

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Click System Information . This application has a computer image, located first on the search window. The System Information window will open.

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Click System Summary . This task is located in the upper left corner of the System Information window. You'll see your computer's configuration pop up on the right side of the window.

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See your computer's specifications. For example, you can see which processor your computer uses by looking at the information to the right of the "Processor" heading.

Another interesting piece of information here is the computer's installed RAM (random access memory).

The number to the right of the "System Type" heading represents the number of bits in the system: x64 is equivalent to 64-bit, while x86 is associated with 32-bit operating systems.

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Open Start and type device managerin. The Device Manager program will appear near the top of the Start window.

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Click Device Manager . The program logo looks like a camera next to a printer. The Device Manager window will open, from here you can check your computer's graphics card.

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Click > to the left of Display adapters . You'll see the Display adapters option near the top of the Device Manager page.

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Search for your graphics card. It will appear under Display adapters . Once you know the name and specifications of your video card, you will know which certain programs can run on your computer.

You will probably see two entries here. Any item whose processor brand matches your computer's processor (for example, Intel) is the graphics card built into the machine.

On Mac

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Click the Apple menu. This menu is shaped like an apple, located in the upper left corner of the screen.

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Click About This Mac . This option is near the top of the drop-down menu. The About This Mac window will open, all information about the Mac computer's processor, RAM and graphics unit is displayed here.

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Click System Report . This action is at the bottom of the About This Mac window. The System Report window will appear.

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Click to the left of the Hardware section. This option is in the left panel of the System Report window.

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Select the hardware category to view. Under the Hardware section , you'll see a list of the hardware that makes up your Mac; When you click on a category, the configuration of that department will appear in the panel on the right side of the System Report window.

For example, if you want to check the video card number, click Graphics/Displays .

You can click Memory to get a more general view of RAM on your Mac.

To view the processor configuration, click the Hardware section .

Update 25 October 2023
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