Know what computer we are using it is, among other things, vitally important information when you go to install software and games and when you need to go and talk to a technician for its repair, so as not to fall from the clouds, so as not to look naive.
Even without going to know the model of each piece mounted inside, the important things to know about your PC are basically three: what type of architecture does the processor have (whether 32 bit or 64 bit), what type of system operating we are using (whether 32bit or 64bit) and the Windows version, which can be 7, 8 or 10 (and which build of Windows 10), Home or Professional and so on.
Where to find the Windows version
To know this basic information on our PC the fastest way expects to open the menu Start at the bottom left, search for the word Computer and, in the search results, it should appear Computer or This PC depending on the Windows version in use; to get the information to right-click on This PC or Computer and select the item Property.
In the window that opens we will get useful information on the operating system installed, the processor (32 bit or 64 bit), the RAM memory installed and the type of system (32 bit or 64 bit). Keep in mind that a PC can have a 64-bit processor, but have 32-bit Windows installed, while on a PC with a 32-bit processor you can never install 64-bit Windows. If in doubt or if you have difficulty finding this window, we can also go to the Control panel Windows, always searchable from the Start menu, and click on the icon System.
How to get information on PCs with Windows 10
In Windows 10, there is also another way of knowing which computer we are using by going and the version of Windows by opening the PC Settings. From the Start menu, click the icon of Settings, let’s go upstairs System, and, on the next screen, we open the menu System information.
In this case, it is also possible to know what version of Windows 10 is installed, that if the PC is updated (visible from the Build number), the type of processor present, and if Windows 10 is 64-bit (version now recommended) or 32-bit.
Windows 10, in fact, unlike other editions, is updated by Microsoft every 6 months with a new version and the number 204 is nothing more than a date, (means April 2020).
Alternatively, from the Start menu, press on the search bar, write winver.exe and press Enter to bring up the screen information and indication of the Windows version.
Other methods of obtaining information about the computer
Another quick way to get information about the computer we are using it is via command prompt. From the Start menu, search for the word cmd and run the command prompt. In the black screen, paste the following command
System Info
As a result, we will have: the brand of the computer, the model number, the name of the PC and the type of system, the brand of the manufacturer of the computer and the type of PC in use, all information about the version of Windows 10, the build, the processor architecture and more, the command to use is
Other commands to get information on the computer in use are then:
wmic computersystem get model, name, manufacturer, systemtype
wmic csproduct get name, vendor, identifyingnumber, version to find out the brand of the computer manufacturer
wmic computersystem get model to find out the model and brand of the laptop.
Programs to know information about the PC
If we want to use a program to get all the information about the computer, the best one around is Speccy, made by the same manufacturers of Ccleaner.
By starting this program we will be able to obtain useful information on the operating system in use, on the processor model we are using (so as to obtain if it is 32-bit or 64-bit), and other information on hardware components such as RAM, amdre card, graphics, storage and optical discs present.
Another similar program that we can use on any computer is HWiNFO, also available for free in a portable version.
By opening this program we will immediately get a summary screen with the characteristics of the processor, video card, RAM, and operating system present so that we can immediately retrieve the information we need. Closing the screen in the foreground we will access the actual program, where there are the cards of the various hardware components present on our computer.
As an alternative to the programs seen so far, we can also use CPU-Z as a tool to check the components present on the PC in use.
If we want to install a 64-bit operating system, first of all, we need to check that the processor supports this type of instructions, otherwise we will not be able to perform anything. After verifying, we can also install 64-bit Windows 10 and benefit from greater system security; in this regard, we can also read our guide on how Switch from Windows 32-bit to Windows 10 64-bit, for free.
Conclusions
What we have shown you are the best methods to check which version of Windows we are using and what type of computer we have, so that we can immediately orient our choice on 64-bit programs (now widespread and recommended by all manufacturers, also because inherently safer).
And if you want to have more details on your PC, then we can find all full computer specifications with System Information, a tool included by Microsoft in every Windows system.
The same information, made easier to read, can also be obtained through programs to check the computer hardware and therefore also know details about the video card, the sound card, the motherboard, and other internal parts.
To find out what is the latest version of Windows 10 released by Microsoft (so as to understand if our computer needs updating) just read our guide on What is the latest version of Windows 10.