There are several reasons why you might want to check the model and specifications of your laptop. You may be compared with your old laptop and the one you intend to upgrade to. You might be tested to see if your laptop can run a video game based on its specs. We’ll walk you through a few quick steps to figure out your laptop’s model number and specs in this guide.
Regardless of why you want to know your laptop’s model number and specs, you can usually find them fairly easily.
Here’s How to Figure Out Your Laptop’s Model Number
By looking at your laptop’s model number, you can find troubleshooting information. The model number of your laptop is usually easy to find.
- Flip your laptop upside down. Your computer has a small logo and text at the bottom. You can usually find the model of your laptop here. Model and brand are sometimes listed together (for example, “Acer Aspire 5517”), while other times brand and model number are listed separately.
Laptops do not always have this information on the bottom. It is sometimes possible to find the model number of a laptop by removing the bottom panel. Generally, however, you can find your model in the Control Panel in these cases.
- Type “control panel” into the search bar at the bottom of your screen to find the control panel. In the search results, you will find the Control Panel app.
- Choose “System and Security” as the first option.
- Click the “System” link.
- You will see information about your computer. Here you can find the brand and model of most computers.
What You Need to Know About Your Laptop’s Specifications
Obtaining the specs of your computer can be done in another way if you only need to know its CPU, GPU, or RAM.
Here’s How to Find Your CPU
It is very straightforward to find out what processor you have in Windows 10.
- Right-click the Windows button in the lower-left corner. A list of options will appear.
- Click “System” in the middle section.
- You should now be on the “About” page. Halfway down, you’ll see a section titled “Device Specifications.” Your laptop’s CPU will appear next to “processor.”
- You can also see your RAM size on the “Device Specifications” page.
A Look at Your Motherboard
The motherboard of a laptop is rarely something you need to check. If you need to, no matter what the reason, you can take a few simple steps.
- You’ll find a search bar that says “system information” at the bottom of your screen.
- In the results, you’ll find an app called “system information”. Click on it
- A long list of details will appear. Near the bottom of the page, you’ll find information called “Base Board Manufacturer”. This is the brand of your motherboard. You’ll see “Base Board Model,” or “Base Board Product,” which is the motherboard model number a few lines down.
- Your System Information panel will also tell you how much memory you have installed, in addition to what CPU and GPU you have.
Checking GPU Performance
GPUs are essential for playing games. Your laptop’s GPU is important if you’re comparing it to another model or checking whether it meets a game’s requirements. Follow these steps to find it:
- Windows’ icon can be found in the lower left corner of the screen. Click the icon with the right mouse button. There will be an options menu.
- Select “Device Manager.”
- You will now see a list of drop-down menus. You can view the names of all the devices on your computer as well as those connected via USB and Bluetooth.
- At the top of the page, click the “Display Adaptors” menu.
- Here you will find the GPU. You may have two options: one for your standalone GPU and one for the integrated graphics in your CPU. If there are two options, note the standalone GPU.
Getting an Idea of How Much RAM You Have
You can also find out how much RAM your laptop has using most of the methods listed above. Alternatively, you can check your system’s RAM by following these instructions:
- At the bottom of the screen, right-click the Windows start button.
- Select “system” from the menu.
- You will be taken to the “about” page. The amount of RAM you have is listed under “Device specifications”. Usually, it is referred to as “installed RAM.”
Upgrade Your Laptop – Is it Possible?
After reviewing your laptop’s specifications, you may wish to upgrade its components. Laptops, however, cannot be upgraded like desktop PCs.
It is usually pretty straightforward to upgrade the RAM and storage in a laptop. Furthermore, external GPUs can boost graphics performance.
When your laptop is too old to run your favorite games, you’ll need more than just additional memory and an SSD upgrade. If that’s the case, you might benefit from upgrading your laptop. (Check out our guide to Best Good Budget Gaming Laptop: Top 10 Picks).