How to check your PC specs in Windows before an upgrade

Make a small parts list you can actually use

You do not need an expert report to prepare for a PC upgrade. You need the exact names of your main parts, the space on the drive you use and a sentence about what you want to improve.

Start with CPU, GPU, system RAM, motherboard or complete computer model, storage, PSU and monitor resolution. Mark anything you cannot identify as unknown instead of guessing.

Exact names matter. “Core i7” covers many processors. “SSD” does not identify the drive or connection. “650 W PSU” does not tell you which cables fit it. A little precision now can prevent the wrong purchase later.

This note is also useful for a future GTA VI comparison. It does not itself prove compatibility; the requirements guide explains the information needed on the game’s side.

Before you start

Keep a plain text note open, or write the fields on paper. You can complete most of the list without opening the computer or installing another utility.

The paths below use built-in Windows tools. Labels can vary between Windows versions. If a page looks different, search Windows for the named tool rather than assuming your PC lacks the information.

This is an inspection task. You do not need to format disks, initialize drives or change firmware settings. Leave unfamiliar controls alone while gathering facts.

If you have a laptop or prebuilt, find its complete model from the product label or manufacturer’s support information. That model helps identify upgrade support when Windows only gives a broad component name.

Step 1: CPU, RAM and Windows

Open Settings > System > About. Record the full processor name, installed RAM and system type. Then note the Windows edition and version shown for the device.

The CPU is the main processor. RAM is temporary working memory for Windows and applications. These are different fields, so do not write one combined “memory and processor” description.

Keep every important part of the model name, including suffixes. Two processors in the same family can differ. If you copy a name from Windows, paste it into your note rather than shortening it to the part you recognise.

A hypothetical entry might read: “CPU: Example Processor 1234F; RAM: 16 GB; system type: 64-bit; Windows version: as shown in About.” The invented processor name only illustrates the format, not a product recommendation.

Step 2: find the graphics card

Open Task Manager, then its Performance section. Look at the GPU entries. A machine may show more than one, especially when it has integrated graphics and a separate graphics card.

Record each model and identify which one handles your game. Do not assume GPU 0 always means the faster card. If needed, inspect the game process and the GPU activity while that game is running.

You can also press Windows + R, type dxdiag and open the display tabs. Keep the graphics model and useful driver information, particularly if you are measuring a problem before a change.

Record dedicated graphics memory separately from shared memory. Shared memory is not simply extra local VRAM you can add to the card’s number. The RAM versus VRAM guide explains the distinction.

For a desktop card, software may identify the GPU but not the exact cooler model sold by the card maker. Find the board partner’s full model through the label, box or verified purchase record before checking dimensions.

Step 3: identify the motherboard or complete machine

Press Windows + R, type msinfo32 and open System Information. Start with the system summary. Look for the system manufacturer, system model and baseboard fields where available.

For a self-built desktop, the baseboard model may help locate the motherboard manual. Confirm a revision if it matters to the support information. For a prebuilt, the complete computer’s support page can be more useful than searching for a similar-looking retail board.

Some fields can be generic or incomplete. If Windows shows an unhelpful name, mark it and use the physical label or computer documentation. Do not invent a retail motherboard model from the chipset alone.

System Information can export a report, but a complete report is more than most buying questions need. Select the useful fields for advice and keep unrelated environment details out of a public post.

Step 4: record RAM configuration if a memory change is planned

Installed capacity is the starting point. A RAM purchase also needs the supported generation, module type, available slots and permitted configuration.

Task Manager’s Memory page can show useful details such as speed and slots used on some systems. Confirm purchase-critical details with the motherboard or computer manual because software may not explain every physical restriction.

Laptop memory may be replaceable, partly soldered or entirely soldered. A desktop may have several slots but different supported arrangements. More empty spaces do not automatically mean every module combination is approved.

Record the module model from documentation or an accessible label when needed. Do not assume a second kit will run at the original kit’s advertised settings just because the labels seem similar.

Step 5: record the right drive and its free space

Open This PC in File Explorer or Settings > System > Storage. Write down the volume letter, total capacity and free space for the intended game destination.

A letter such as D: describes a volume. It may be one partition on a physical drive. Two letters do not always mean two different devices, and one volume can sometimes involve a more complex arrangement.

For a simple desktop, you can map the volume to a disk in Disk Management. Search for “Create and format hard disk partitions,” or press Windows + R and run diskmgmt.msc. Find the partition with the recorded letter and the disk row containing it.

Use this view to inspect. Do not click initialize, format, delete, shrink or extend to complete a parts list. Those actions change storage and can affect files.

Optional: map a drive letter with PowerShell

If you prefer a direct read-only query, open PowerShell and replace D with the intended volume letter:

$partition = Get-Partition -DriveLetter D
$disk = $partition | Get-Disk
$partition | Select-Object DriveLetter, DiskNumber, PartitionNumber, Size
$disk | Select-Object Number, FriendlyName, Manufacturer, BusType, Size

The first query finds the partition behind the letter. The second follows it to the disk object. The selected output keeps the model-related fields and omits the serial number from this example.

Record the friendly name and bus type when useful. If the result is generic, virtual, pooled or inconsistent with the computer’s documentation, do not force it into a simple SATA or NVMe label. Some layouts need platform-specific information.

The size values from these commands are in bytes. For a quick storage budget, the free-space figure shown in Windows is easier to use. Keep the units clear instead of mixing raw command output with a GB input.

Step 6: connect storage facts to the upgrade question

A useful entry could say: “Game library on D:, free space measured today, physical drive model confirmed, intended expansion slot not yet checked.” That tells you what you know and what remains to do.

Total capacity and free space answer different questions. An SSD can be large but nearly full. Another volume may have room, but it only helps the library after a supported move or destination change.

The storage planning guide helps decide what belongs where. The storage budget calculates room for new installs and a chosen reserve.

Before choosing a new drive, read the M.2 compatibility guide. The current device’s shape or a Windows label does not prove every replacement works in the available slot.

Step 7: add the PSU and physical fit details

Ordinary Windows tools generally cannot provide the exact PSU model and cable set you need for a buying check. Use the supply’s accessible label, original documentation or a verified parts list.

Shut down, disconnect power and follow the computer’s access procedure before opening the case. Do not open the PSU housing. If reaching the label needs unfamiliar disassembly, use documentation or suitable help.

For a GPU purchase, record the case model and usable space with current cooling and drive hardware installed. The clearance worksheet covers all four directions. The PSU guide checks the supported connection.

A complete inventory does not require dismantling everything. It requires enough verified information for the change you are actually considering.

Step 8: add the monitor and the goal

Open Settings > System > Display to record the active resolution. Advanced display information can help identify refresh settings. Also note the monitor model if the purchase depends on its capabilities or connections.

Write the experience you want beside those facts: smoother current-game play, more library room, quieter use or better multitasking. Include the game and settings when the issue is specific.

A monitor’s maximum refresh rate is not automatically your required frame rate in every game. Your target can balance image quality, smoothness and budget.

For a repeated performance complaint, use the frame-time tutorial before deciding which part is responsible.

Keep a compact final note

Leave serial numbers, account details and unrelated personal paths out of shared notes. Update the parts list after a real hardware change rather than every time you see a new product announcement.

You now have a record that makes advice and buying decisions much clearer. The next step is comparing a supported change with the actual problem, using the upgrade decision guide.

Sources and references

• Microsoft: Windows device specifications and storage
• Microsoft: Disk Management
• Microsoft Learn: Get-Partition
• Microsoft Learn: Get-Disk
• Microsoft DirectX team: GPU reporting in Task Manager