How do I view my Mac's technical specifications (RAM, video card, etc.)?

Go to the Apple menu in the upper left-hand corner of your screen. Select "About This Mac" from the Apple menu. That screen will show:

• Operating System Installed - version of Mac OS X
• Processor Speed and Type - Intel or PowerPC (G4, G5)
• Total Memory (RAM) installed

Next click on the "More Info" button and the System Profiler will appear. System Profiler can tell you almost everything about your Mac - from what hardware is installed to every Application.

Here are the most commonly searched for technical specifications you can view in System Profiler on Apple computers.

• Mac Type or Model Name - Select Hardware and look under "Model Name"
• Serial Number - Select Hardware and look under "Serial Number"
• Is Bluetooth installed? - Select Bluetooth and see if any hardware settings are listed.
• What kind of discs (CD/DVDs) can my Mac burn? - Select Disc Burning and look under "CD-Write" and "DVD-Write" for the types of discs your Mac can create.
• Video (Graphics) Card Type - Select Graphics/Displays and look under "Chipset Model" for your video card's name.
• Memory (RAM) - Select Memory to see what memory cards you have installed and how many RAM slots  you have in your Mac. Learn more about how memory (RAM) affects your Mac.
• PCI Cards - If you have a Power Mac or Mac Pro, you can see what cards are installed and recognized by your Mac by selecting PCI Cards.
• Battery Health - Select Power to view the "Cycle Count" of your portable Mac's battery. Learn more about cycle counts with our tip on how to maximize the lifespan of your Apple Computer's battery.

Published February 18, 2010 5:50 PM
Last modified on February 19, 2010 3:36 PM