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Do you want to check the specs of your Ubuntu Linux computer? This guide will teach you various methods to do that.

It is crucial to state that this guide focuses on the Ubuntu 22.04 LTS Linux-based operating system. Therefore, the steps provided may be slightly different on other versions of the Linux operating system.

Option 1: View Linux PC Specs via the GUI

As most of us know, most of the Linux distributions offer a graphical user interface (GUI), including the Ubuntu OS. Thus, you can check your computer’s specs through the settings on the Ubuntu graphical user interface.

The following procedures and images demonstrate how to achieve that.

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  1. First, click the Show applications button on the Ubuntu dock. Then, input “settings” in the search field and select the Settings icon from the search result.
Alternatively, open the quick access panel at the top right corner and select Settings from the displayed options.
Check Computer Specs In Linux Through GUI
  1. When the Settings window opens, click About on the window’s left pane.
  1. Finally, on the About page, you will find the specifications of your computer.
Check Computer Specs In Linux Through GUI

Option 2: Check the Specs of a Linux PC Through the Terminal

Another way to view the specs of your Ubuntu Linux-based computer is through the terminal. In fact, there are numerous commands you can use to display your computer’s specs via the terminal.

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However, this section will demonstrate how to use two of these commands. These commands include the lshw and hwinfo commands.

Hence, in the first sub-section below, I will provide steps to check your Ubuntu Linux computer’s specs using the lshw in the terminal. Meanwhile, the next sub-section will teach you how to use the hwinfo command to check your computer’s specs.

Display a Computer’s Specs Using the Ishw Command

The lshw command provides brief information about multiple specs on your Ubuntu PC, like CPU, RAM, storage, USB controllers, and network adapters. Moreover, it extracts the information from various /proc files on your Ubuntu Linux computer.

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Hence, follow the steps below to find your Ubuntu computer’s specs via the terminal using the lshw command.

  1. On the Ubuntu desktop area, right-click any free space and left-click Open in Terminal from the displayed options. You may also use the Ctrl + Alt + T keyboard shortcut to open the Ubuntu terminal.
Check Computer Specs In Linux Through The Terminal
  1. After opening the terminal in Ubuntu, input the command below and press the enter key on your keyboard. Therefore, you will be prompted to input your PC’s password – do that and press the enter key again.
sudo lshw -short
While typing your password in the Ubuntu terminal, characters won’t be visible.
  1. Consequently, the specifications of your Ubuntu Linux computer should appear.

Check Computer Specs Using the Hwinfo Command

The hwinfo command is another command people use to check the specifications of their Ubuntu Linux computer. Moreover, this command provides more specs info compared to the lshw command we discussed above.

So, follow the steps below to learn how to use the hwinfo command to check the specs of your Ubuntu Linux PC.

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  1. Right-click any free space on the Ubuntu desktop and left-click Open in Terminal from the displayed options. Alternatively, you can also use the Ctrl + Alt + T keyboard shortcut to open the Ubuntu terminal.
Check Computer Specs In Linux Through The Terminal
  1. In the Ubuntu terminal, execute the command below to install the hwinfo utility. However, before the command runs, you will be prompted to input your password – do that and press the enter key.
sudo apt install hwinfo
  1. Following that, a couple of info regarding the installation will appear. Then, you will be asked if you want to continue with the installation – type “y” and press the enter key to continue.
Check Computer Specs In Linux Through The Terminal
  1. Subsequently, the hwinfo utility should begin to install.
  1. After installing the utility, run the following command to check your computer’s specs.
Check Computer Specs In Linux Through The Terminal
  1. Finally, the specs of your Ubuntu Linux computer should appear in the terminal.
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Frequently Asked Questions

1. Is Ubuntu Linux?

Ubuntu is a distribution of the Linux operating system based on Debian and is composed mostly of free and open-source software. So, we can say Ubuntu is a Linux operating system.

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2. How do I know the RAM installed in Ubuntu?

Follow the steps below to check the amount of RAM installed on your Ubuntu computer via the GUI.
a) First, click the Show applications on the Ubuntu dock.
b) Then, input “settings” in the search field and select the Settings icon from the search result.
c) When the Settings window opens, click About on the window’s left pane.
d) Finally, on the About page, you will find the amount of RAM installed on your Ubuntu computer.

3. What command can I use to check the specs in a Linux system?

One of the many commands you can use to check the specs of a Linux system is the lshw command. Execute the “sudo lshw -short” in the Linux terminal, then input your computer’s password and press enter.

Hence, the specs of your Linux PC should appear.

4. Is Linux free?

Yes, every distribution of the Linux operating system is totally free.

Conclusion

Checking the specs of your Ubuntu Linux computer helps you understand the hardware resources available on your PC. It also aids in understanding and managing the performance of your computer.

Thankfully, I illustrated various methods to check the specifications of an Ubuntu Linux computer in this guide. To be precise, we learned how to execute this task through the settings in the Ubuntu GUI.

This guide also taught us how to use two different commands to check an Ubuntu computer’s specs via the terminal.

I hope you found this guide helpful. If you found this guide helpful, click on “Yes” beside the “Was this page helpful” question below.

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Finally, visit our Linux how-to page to find more Linux guides.

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