How To Find Your Computer Model | Quick ID Steps

What Your Model Name Tells You

Your model name is a shortcut to the right drivers, the right parts, and the right guides. Shops and support tools match replacements and firmware by that string. When you know it, you can pick RAM that fits, order a battery that snaps in, and download the exact touchpad or Wi-Fi driver your machine needs.

That model string is printed by the firmware and the operating system. It might include a family name plus a dash code, or a mix of letters and numbers. If you built a desktop from parts, the case shows one brand while the Baseboard or chassis has another. If you bought a laptop, you will usually see a short retail name and a longer internal identifier. Both help when you search a vendor page or a parts catalog.

• Match parts — Use the string to buy a battery, keyboard, storage caddy, or charger that fits.
• Find firmware — Search vendor pages using the exact model for BIOS and device driver downloads.
• Check lifespan — On Chromebooks, the model maps to an update window and a board code.

How To Find Your Computer Model On Windows

If you run Windows, the built-in tools give a clean readout. This section walks through quick menus first, then commands. It keeps clicks light and avoids extra apps. You can follow one path and stop as soon as you see a clear model string.

1. Open System Information — Press Windows+R, type msinfo32, and press Enter. In the window, read System Manufacturer and System Model. You can save a text report from the File menu. Official steps.
2. Use PowerShell — Press the Windows key, type PowerShell, then run: Get-CimInstance Win32_ComputerSystem | Select-Object Manufacturer, Model. This replaces older WMIC scripts. Cmdlet docs • WMIC retired.
3. Run DxDiag — Press Windows+R, type dxdiag, and open the System tab for a fast overview. It is handy when support asks for a report. How to open DxDiag.
4. Check Settings — Go to Settings > System > About for device specs. Some vendors also show the model here. Microsoft guide.
5. Read the label — Flip a laptop over or check the rear of a desktop case for a sticker with the product name or SKU. If it is worn, the box label often still has a clean print.

When Windows Will Not Boot

• Enter UEFI/BIOS — Use the firmware hotkey your vendor shows during startup. Many BIOS pages list a Product Name or Model. ASUS example • HP example.
• Check the chassis — The printed sticker on the shell or the box usually names the model and series.

For admins, PowerShell is the current route. WMIC was retired, and Microsoft points to CIM cmdlets instead. Keep a short one-liner ready for handoffs, or build a script that logs the value with the asset tag. The Win32_ComputerSystem class exposes the Model property that most vendors fill. Class reference.

Find Your Computer Model Fast — Cross-Platform Methods

This table gives the quickest path on each platform plus a single command or tool that surfaces the same string. Pick the route that fits your screen or your access level.

Platform	Fastest Menu Path	Command Or Tool
Windows	Run → msinfo32	Get-CimInstance Win32_ComputerSystem
macOS	Apple menu → About This Mac	System Information → Hardware Overview
ChromeOS	Settings → About ChromeOS → Additional details	Diagnostics or chrome://system
Linux	—	sudo dmidecode -s system-product-name

Mac: About This Mac And System Information

On a Mac, the name and year are one click away. Open the Apple menu and choose About This Mac. The window shows the Mac model and the chip. Click System Report to open the deeper view; Hardware Overview lists the Model Name and the Model Identifier, which helps with parts lookup. If the notebook will not start, the model name may be printed on the bottom case near the hinge, and the serial number can be checked on Apple’s site to reveal the model. Apple steps.

1. Open About This Mac — Apple menu → About This Mac. Read the model line in the window. Guide.
2. Open System Report — Click System Report, then read Model Identifier under Hardware Overview. More detail.
3. Use the serial — If needed, enter the serial on Apple’s coverage page to confirm the model.

Chromebook: About ChromeOS, Diagnostics, And Labels

Chromebooks show device info in Settings and in a built-in diagnostics view. Some pages show a friendly retail model; others show a board code. The board maps to a model list that hardware makers and admins use. If Settings is not available, the chassis sticker gives the retail name and the full model number.

1. Open About ChromeOS — Select the time → Settings → About ChromeOS → Additional details. Path.
2. Use Diagnostics — Search for Diagnostics to open the app for system details, or type chrome://system in the browser. Diagnostics • chrome://system.
3. Read the label — Check the bottom shell or shipping box for the make and model code.
4. Map a board code — If you see a code name, compare it with Google’s Chromium device list to match the retail model. Device list.

Linux: Terminal Methods That Work

Most Linux systems can read model strings from the SMBIOS table. The direct route uses dmidecode. On newer distributions you may also see model and vendor via hostnamectl status. If a string is blank, you might be inside a virtual machine or the vendor did not populate a field. Run with root when the command asks for it.

• Show the product name — sudo dmidecode -s system-product-name (tool page).
• Show vendor and version — sudo dmidecode -t system for a fuller block.
• Read a quick summary — hostnamectl status on systemd machines (man page).

If you built your own desktop, match the motherboard model printed on the PCB with the string in the output to cross-check. That cross-check helps when a case badge does not line up with the board inside.

Practical Notes For Labels, Boxes, And Vendor Apps

Hardware makers often ship a plain label with the product name and a longer SKU. That sticker can fade, and sleeves can cover it. Keep a photo in your password manager or inventory notes so you can read it later without removing the case.

• Keep the box — The side panel often lists the full model and the part number in clear print.
• Install the vendor helper — Apps like SupportAssist, HP Support Assistant, or Lenovo Vantage can read the model and fetch drivers. Dell • HP • Lenovo.
• Back up the readout — In Windows, export System Information; on ChromeOS, save Diagnostics details; on macOS, copy the Hardware Overview.

If you sell or donate a PC, remove personal data before you share a screenshot that shows a serial. The model is fine to share; the serial is not.

Bookmark this section if you teach others how to find your computer model. Clear steps and one-line commands save time for you and for the person on the other side of the chat.

Finally, if you came here searching how to find your computer model because a parts site asked for it, the fastest path is the Windows System Information window or the Mac About pane. If you use Linux or a Chromebook, the one-line commands above will give you a clean string you can paste into a support form.