Finding out the motherboard make and model inside your computer isn't always the easiest challenge: Unlike the graphics card, it's not listed in Device Manager, and not everyone wants to open their desktop (or laptop) to Check the make and model of your motherboard. Take a look at the circuit inside.
You might want to know the make and model of your motherboard for a variety of reasons, whether you're troubleshooting a problem, considering upgrading your computer, or selling it to someone else. Here's how to find key information on Windows, macOS, and Linux.
Check your motherboard on Windows
Use the Start menu to search for and launch the Windows built-in System Information utility. Under System Summary , you will see three entries related to your motherboard: Backboard Manufacturer, Backboard Product, and Backboard Version. It tells you everything you need to know about the motherboard inside your PC, except its unique serial number.
To obtain this information, go to the Command Prompt by typing "cmd" in the Start menu search box and selecting the "Command Prompt" entry. Type "wmic baseboard get Product,manufacturer,version,serialnumber" and press Enter and you will get the three digits of information we saw earlier along with the serial number.
This should mean you're adequately protected, but many third-party utilities will provide you with the same information. These tools are handy for getting complete system spec lists that are easier to understand than the raw information Windows spits out, and one of the best free options is CPU-Z: It lists motherboard specs along with details about your computer. Install the memory and processor.
Another equally well-regarded tool is HWiNFO, which is free for personal use. In addition to giving you a comprehensive breakdown of all the key components within your system, including the motherboard, this utility also displays processor and memory usage in real time so you can see how your PC is performing against the demands of your system.
Check your motherboard on macOS
On a Mac, the motherboard is called the logic board, and finding details about it is harder than ever. If your Mac was launched before April 2021, you can get your computer's serial number by using the old method: Open the Apple menu and select "About This Mac."
The serial number is listed along with the primary chipset, amount of RAM, and version of macOS it's running. Next, you'll need to plug this serial number into an online database, such as the one provided by replacement experts PowerbookMedic: This will reveal a wealth of information about your Mac, including motherboard details.
However, as EveryMac points out, Apple has been using serial numbers to prevent individual Macs from being identified since April 2021, making it harder to figure out what the motherboard is. However, you can use the EveryMac website to get more Mac specs based on your model, model identifier, order number, or EMC number, and EveryMac provides detailed instructions for finding these numbers on the physical hardware or in the documentation you got with your purchase. . Bought a Mac.
The way modern Macs and MacBooks are built, the logic board and everything fastened to it is actually a complete assembly: as long as you know which chipset your Mac is running and which model of computer you have (via About unit ), this should cover all your troubleshooting, repair and sales needs. If you do need more information about your motherboard, iFixit's teardown might be helpful.
Check your motherboard on Linux
Finding out what type of motherboard you have on your Linux computer is fairly simple. You need to launch a terminal window and type "sudo dmidecode -t 2" and press Enter . Enter your user account password, press Enter again, and you will see all the details of your motherboard (here called the baseboard), including manufacturer, product name, and serial number.
The dmidecode command dumps information from DMI (Desktop Management Interface) tables or SMBIOS (System Management Basic Input and Output System). If you want to see more details about the components running on your Linux operating system, try the "sudo dmidecode | more" command.
Another related command you can enter in a terminal window is "lspci", this simply lists all the PCI (Peripheral Component Interconnect) buses on your system, so you should get more details on the different hardware bits connected to the motherboard information (such as processor, graphics card, and wireless controller).
If you're not comfortable using the terminal, you can use third-party tools to provide a more user-friendly experience while retrieving detailed information about your motherboard's specifications (as well as those of other system components). HardInfo and CPU-G are a few tools worth testing on Linux systems.
Check your motherboard box
You do have one other option for identifying the motherboard inside your computer: its box. If you purchased a pre-built computer, you most likely also received the motherboard box, which contains various spare connectors and an instruction manual inside; if you built your own PC, purchasing the motherboard is also part of the package.
Every motherboard box is different, but the brand and model shouldn't be hard to find - they'll probably be printed on the front of the package. Look carefully and you should be able to find some useful extra information about the motherboard, including the types of CPUs it supports.
This is certainly useful if you're building your own computer, as you don't want to buy components that aren't compatible with your main motherboard. You should also be able to find the board's serial number somewhere on the packaging - this will most likely be near the barcode on the box.
Finally, if you can see the motherboard itself through a case window or with the computer open, the motherboard's make and model will be printed prominently on the motherboard, usually somewhere near the center. If none of the other methods listed here help you identify which motherboard you have, try taking a look.