A program for identifying devices on a computer. Which program is better for determining computer hardware?

Whatever role your computer plays, it must work stably and without failures. Whether it is a gaming computer, a laptop for office tasks, or just a means of communication, in any case, symptoms such as freezing, stuttering, Windows blue screen of death and other unpleasant things should not bother the user. There are often cases when a user has been haunted by the same characteristic hardware problem for years, for example, in the middle of work a “hot” reboot suddenly occurs. Finding out its cause is quite difficult - it may be a problem motherboard, video cards, RAM, etc. An operating system error cannot be completely ruled out, which, by the way, many are accustomed to attributing to all the flaws in the operation of a PC. As for failures as a result of a software conflict, this assumption can only be verified by reinstalling the system, as well as using fresh drivers(remember that the latest drivers can always be found in the file archive). If after this the computer problems do not go away, you need to check all the components step by step. Programs that will help you do this will be discussed in today's review.

7Byte Hot CPU Tester 4.4.1 - CPU testing

During the testing process, the program checks most of the functions of the processor: the use of the first and second level cache is tested, the state of the processor is checked during complex calculations (determining the number "Pi", Fourier transform), when using multimedia instruction sets SSE, SSE2, SSE3, MMX and 3DNow !, system bus and memory bus, etc.

It is assumed that during the verification process the processor is subjected to maximum load. If all tests are successful, and during many hours of testing the computer does not freeze, turn off, reboot, or display a blue screen, we can assume that the device is functioning normally. When the program conducts various tests, the 7Byte Hot CPU Tester window displays a graph for monitoring the load on the processor (processors). The testing itself takes a lot of time and can last for several hours. The default program settings include testing the current configuration for six hours. If necessary, you can reduce this time. During the equipment check process, the hardware is so loaded that there can be no talk of any work on the PC at this moment. However, if you wish, you can change the test execution priority to a lower one. In addition, for each testing method you can choose your own task execution priority: for example, to test memory you can set the priority to low, and to check the chipset, on the contrary, to high.

RivaTuner 2.24 - monitoring video card performance

This small utility opens up enormous possibilities for configuring and testing the video adapter. Firstly, the program allows you to control the frequencies of video memory and core. Secondly, RivaTuner can control the speed of coolers, and it is possible to use separate operating profiles of cooling systems. The program allows you to configure video modes - picture resolution, screen refresh rate, etc. The utility allows you to control color rendering through low-level settings. In addition, this utility allows you to monitor the core temperature in real time and builds a graph of temperature changes. The program also automatically generates a report on the hardware condition. In the diagnostic report, the utility collects all information regarding the parameters of the video card - from the model name, manufacturer, amount and type of memory used to the error of the thermal diode and the version of the graphics core.

Video Memory stress Test 1.7 - bit-by-bit test of video memory

The utility tests video memory bit by bit, similar to how RAM tests are carried out. Video memory is accessed using DirectX, so the test is not tied to specific hardware and can be used on any DirectX-compatible video card. During testing, running third-party processes may use video card resources and interfere with the test. Therefore, the program provides the use of a bootable CD to check video memory without Windows boot. Floppy version boot image can be downloaded along with the installation script. In addition to testing video memory using DirectX, the program allows you to check video memory using NVIDIA's CUDA interface.

RightMark Audio Analyzer 6.2.3 - analysis of sound card performance

Many similar utilities for testing sound cards are limited to only the last test method. However, in fact, this particular measurement method cannot be considered accurate, since the recorded signal distortions in this case will not be due to total distortions at the input and output of the sound card. A necessary condition for checking the condition of the equipment is the presence of a duplex operating mode of the sound card being tested. Checking in the same way digital inputs and conclusions on sound card. Using RightMark Audio Analyzer, you can also test any audio equipment in asynchronous mode: record a signal from the analog or digital output of a DVD/CD/MP3 player as a WAV file, then record the file to disk or a portable player and re-record it from the output devices. Next, using the program, you can draw a conclusion about the quality of the audio path - look at the graphs, and also get acquainted with the report generated by the program. In the next article in this series we will talk about testing memory, optical drive, hard drive, monitor and network interface.

There are various programs for identifying hardware and diagnosing PCs, both paid and free, fully functional and with limited functionality. Some allow you to test the performance of the computer as a whole and its individual components, such as the CPU and GPU, RAM, hard drive, and so on. Let's look at the most popular and trusted user programs for identifying computer hardware.

It is also known as Everest. Once upon a time the program was free, but now it is paid. However, you can use it completely free for the first 30 days, and this time is enough to identify all your hardware on your computer, carry out diagnostics and view detailed information on it. You can also check the temperature of the processor and video card.

Using the AIDA64 program you can obtain the following information:

• Installed devices: hard drives, random access memory (RAM) modules, system (motherboards), CPUs, audio cards and video cards, etc., as well as data on component manufacturers.
• Technical characteristics: CPU frequency, amount of random access memory (RAM), information about the graphics processor (GPU).
• AIDA64 also reads data from all sensors installed in the computer, such as the temperature of the processor, hard drive, video card. Shows the voltage of some components.

In AIDA64 you can see all the details about the operating room Windows system, system files, installed programs and their licenses.

AIDA64 can also test your computer's performance:

• Speed ​​of reading and writing random access memory (RAM) from the processor.
• Copying information between RAM cells through the processor cache.
• Etc.

All received data about installed hardware on a PC using AIDA64 can be exported to a convenient HTML reading file. You can download it on the official website:

A free utility designed to obtain detailed information about your hardware. Of course, the amount of data in this program is much smaller, but, as a rule, this is quite enough. It is intended for ordinary users, and not for professionals who need all the smallest details about every piece of hardware installed in their computer.

Using Speccy you can get the following information:

• All details about the CPU: clock frequency, name, family, etc.
• GPU information: name, working resolution, condition, year of manufacture, etc.
• RAM: name, capacity, operating frequency, manufacturer.
• Hard drive: name, volume, temperature, file system, etc.;
• Checking the temperature of the processor and video card.

Eat portable version Speccy, which does not require installation on your computer. Program website: piriform.com

CPU-Z

Another free utility. But, as the name suggests, its main purpose is to obtain detailed information about the computer processor. In addition, it allows you to find out about the installed system (motherboard), BIOS version, and more.

In addition, there is a version of CPU-Z for devices running Android OS. Download here: cpuid.com

It is designed to read information from all sensors installed in the computer: temperature, voltage, cooler rotation speed. Download HWMonitor from the same site as CPU-Z.

As practice shows, users are only satisfied with the capabilities of their own computer for the time being - sooner or later they have to resort to an upgrade. Everything is banally simple - new versions of the OS and applications used, as a rule, require more and more resources. The easiest way to update your PC is to purchase a new system unit with modern hardware, which is not difficult if you have the money. However, this is not always reasonable - often to increase productivity it is enough to resort to replacing individual components.

To choose an upgrade strategy, you need to find out what hardware is installed and understand what the computer lacks to perform better. fast work- processor power, video system capabilities, memory capacity, hard drive read/write speed, etc. But this is only one side of the coin. After purchasing a new system unit or upgrading an old one, you will need to quickly find out whether the “filling” of the system unit corresponds to what was stated at the time of purchase (without opening the unit itself, since there may be a seal on it), evaluate how much the performance has increased, and understand whether the computer is really stable works.

Any professional assembler (and all overclocking enthusiasts) can easily solve the listed problems, since they have in their arsenal many diverse and highly specialized information and diagnostic tools. For an ordinary user to acquire similar decisions nothing, but it is still necessary to install a simple comprehensive utility to obtain information about the hardware and test the computer. These are the programs we will consider in this article.

Retrieving Hardware Data

Theoretically, any information diagnostic utility is capable of recognizing the “stuffing” of a system unit. However, not every program is able to identify new models of processors, video cards and other hardware (it all depends on the completeness of the database and the regularity of its updates), and the amount of information on the identified components can vary - from minimal to exhaustive.

Among the solutions considered, the program has the most detailed information AIDA64, which knows almost everything about any hardware, including the most latest news. For example, this utility will be able to recognize Intel 510 and 320 solid-state drives and video cards that have recently appeared on the market AMD Radeon HD 6790 and NVIDIA GeForce GT 520M, five new mobile video cards of the Quadro M series from NVIDIA, etc.

Using AIDA64, you can easily find out everything about the processor, motherboard, video card, network adapter, drives (including the latest SSDs) and input devices, multimedia, as well as ports, external connected devices and power management. The program is able to determine the type of flash memory, controller model (reading SMART information of controllers manufactured by Indilinx, Intel, JMicron, Samsung and SandForce is supported) and data transfer speed. Moreover, the utility recognizes USB controllers 3.0 and devices compatible with this new standard.

The volume of data provided by AIDA64 is impressive - access to it is provided from a tree-like menu of sections that combine the main modules of the program. Yes, through the section Computer it is easy to obtain aggregate information about hardware components, the system and BIOS, as well as data on processor overclocking, power supply features, the state of system hardware monitoring sensors, etc. (Fig. 1).

Rice. 1. Summary information about the computer (AIDA64)

Other “hardware” sections provide more detailed information - so in the section System board there is detailed information about the central processor, motherboard, memory, BIOS, etc. In the section Display it is easy to obtain information related to graphical interface system (in particular, information about the video adapter and monitor - Fig. 2), and in section Multimedia learn about multimedia capabilities systems (multimedia devices and installed audio and video codecs).

Rice. 2. Video card information (AIDA64)

In the section Data storage information about hard drives and optical drives, as well as the logical and physical structure hard drives, values ​​and statuses of SMART parameters. Get information about network adapters can be found in the section Net, and about buses, ports, keyboard, mouse, etc. - in the section Devices. In addition, from the menu Service panel opens AIDA64 CPUID(Fig. 3), which displays data about the processor, motherboard, memory and chipset in a compact form.

Rice. 3. AIDA64 CPUID panel

Program SiSoftware Sandra is also very informative and allows you to get comprehensive information about almost all hardware components computer system. In particular, the utility displays summary data about the computer as a whole (Fig. 4) - that is, basic information about the processor, motherboard, chipset, memory modules, video system, etc. (tab Devices, pictogram System information).

Rice. 4. Summary information about the computer (SiSoftware Sandra)

Along with summary information, in the tab Devices The utility also provides more detailed information about the motherboard and processor, display and video adapter (Fig. 5), memory, buses and devices installed in them, disks, ports, mice, keyboard, sound card, etc. As for the readings of various types of monitoring sensors, then to obtain them you will need to launch not the information module, but the diagnostic module Environment Monitor(tab Tools). This module provides display of text and graphic information about processor temperature, fan speed, voltage, etc.

Rice. 5. Video system information (SiSoftware Sandra)

Utility PC Wizard provides access to information about the main hardware modules installed in the computer: motherboard, processor, video card, memory, I/O ports, drives, printers, multimedia devices, printers, etc. All this data is available on the tab Iron. By activating the icon on it General information about the system, you can determine in one click what exactly is available in system unit(Fig. 6) - what motherboard, what processor, etc. Other tab icons Iron will help you obtain more detailed information about components (Fig. 7); The amount of data provided is quite sufficient for the average user. In addition, through the menu Tools → Overclocking information you can find out whether any of the system components (processor, bus or memory) have been overclocked, and if so, to what limits, and also take readings from some sensors.

Rice. 6. General information about the computer (PC Wizard)

Rice. 7. Graphics subsystem data (PC Wizard)

Utility HWiNFO32 It will also allow you to learn a lot of interesting things about the hardware of your computer. Immediately after starting it starts diagnostic studies and after a few seconds it displays a window System Summary with compact display of data about the processor, motherboard, memory, chipset, disks, etc. (Fig. 8). This window can be called up on the screen while working with the utility by clicking on the button Summary. In addition, HWiNFO32 displays detailed information about the processor, motherboard (Fig. 9), memory, video adapter, etc. in the corresponding tabs - Central Processors, Motherboard, Memory, Video Adapter etc. Data on the processor, memory modules, motherboard, buses and disks is quite detailed, information on other devices is more modest. If necessary, it is easy to obtain readings from the touch sensors installed on the motherboard (temperature, voltage, etc.) by clicking on the button Sensors.

Rice. 8. Summary information about the computer (HWiNFO32)

Rice. 9. Video card information (HWiNFO32)

Program Fresh Diagnosis allows you to find out information about any iron components, although not always detailed. For example, on the tab Hardware System you can find out about the motherboard, processor, cache memory, buses, BIOS, CMOS memory, etc. Section Device contains information about the video card (Fig. 10), peripheral devices (keyboard, printer, monitor, optical drives, etc.) and ports. In the section Multimedia combines data on various multimedia devices, DirectX, audio and video codecs.

Rice. 10. Video card data (Fresh Diagnose)

Performance Evaluation

Before upgrading, you need to evaluate the performance of the computer and its individual components in order to understand which hardware needs to be replaced immediately, and which components can wait until better times (after all, in a crisis, not everyone decides to completely upgrade). This is quite simple to do by conducting a couple of specific benchmark tests in the environment of a suitable diagnostic utility. After buying a new computer or upgrading an old one, it also doesn't hurt to test it to make sure that the computer has become more productive. Of course, you can feel the result of modernization during regular work in applications, but for the sake of completeness, it is better to ensure that performance improvements are achieved using tools specifically designed for this purpose.

When conducting tests, to obtain a more objective assessment, it is better to close all applications, not use the mouse and keyboard, run the same test (in the same version of the utility) several times and focus on the average result. In addition, it is worth keeping in mind that the same synthetic tests in different utilities are implemented in a far from identical way, so the programs show different results. And you shouldn’t take the results obtained literally, since they do not reflect real performance, but only indicate the level of performance when performing strictly specific tasks. Nevertheless, conducting such testing makes it possible to understand how outdated the hardware components installed in your computer are in comparison with reference samples, as well as to evaluate the level of performance before and after the upgrade, which is what interests us in this article.

The programs of greatest interest from a testing point of view are AIDA64 and SiSoftware Sandra, some of whose benchmarks are used even by professionals in various hardware testing techniques. The capabilities of the other utilities discussed in the article are limited in this regard, although they also provide some test functionality.

In the program AIDA64 a wide range of benchmark tests is presented. Yes, in the section Test united 13 synthetic tests, the first four of which evaluate memory performance - read/write/copy speed (Fig. 11), and also measure latency (testing the average time the processor reads data from RAM). The remaining tests in this section evaluate processor performance in integer and floating point operations when creating archives ZIP format, when performing encryption using the AES cryptoalgorithm, etc. (tests CPU Queen, CPU PhotoWorxx, CPU ZLib, CPU AES, CPU Hash, FPU VP8, FPU Julia, FPU Mandel, FPU SinJulia). All tests compare performance with other systems, including the latest ones.

Rice. 11. CPU performance evaluation (CPU Queen test; AIDA64)

Via the menu Service Three more benchmark tests are available: Disk test, Cache and memory test And Monitor diagnostics. The disk test measures the performance of hard drives, solid state drives, optical drives, etc. The cache and memory test measures the bandwidth and latency of the processor cache and memory (Figure 12). In the test Monitor diagnostics The display quality of LCD and CRT monitors is checked.

Rice. 12. Cache & Memory Benchmark; AIDA64

In terms of testing for a wide range of users, more interesting program SiSoftware Sandra, with which you can not only evaluate the performance of your PC in comparison with other reference computer configurations, but also test your computer to see if it needs an upgrade. Modules designed for testing the most important computer subsystems are combined on the tab Benchmarks. A whole group of synthetic tests is designed to test the processor - arithmetic and multimedia tests, multi-core efficiency tests, power efficiency tests, cryptographic performance and GPGPU cryptography. Several tests are responsible for testing physical drives - including a file system test, as well as modules for testing physical disks, removable/flash drives, CD-ROM/DVD and Blu-ray optical drives. Tests are provided to test memory: test bandwidth memory, memory latency test and cache and memory test. In addition, there are tests to evaluate visualization speed and video memory performance, an audio/video encoding/decoding test, a network bandwidth test, an Internet connection speed test, etc. When testing a number of components (processor, RAM, etc.), results are displayed in comparison with reference models that are more or less similar in characteristics. At the same time, it is possible to independently select standards for comparison, including the most modern ones (Fig. 13), which is very convenient and allows you to quickly understand how outdated the hardware components installed in the computer are and which models are best to replace them with.

Rice. 13. CPU performance evaluation
(arithmetic test; SiSoftware Sandra)

Two interesting test modules are presented on the tab Tools- these are modules Performance index And Analysis and recommendations. Using the test Performance index The overall performance of the computer is assessed during arithmetic and multimedia tests of the processor, determination of memory bandwidth, as well as testing of physical disks and a video card (Fig. 14). Reference models of components for comparison are selected by the program or the user. Module Analysis and recommendations provides a detailed analysis of the PC for possible upgrades. At the end of this analysis, the program produces a list of recommendations on which hardware components are best replaced in order to improve performance (Fig. 15), and draws attention to possible problems (for example, the difficulty of adding memory due to all slots being occupied, too high temperature processor (and suggests checking cooling), etc.).

Rice. 14. Assessing overall computer performance (SiSoftware Sandra)

Rice. 15. Computer analysis for upgrade (SiSoftware Sandra)

Utility PC Wizard also includes certain functionality for testing hardware (tab Test). With its help, you can clearly evaluate the overall performance of your computer (icon Global Performance) in comparison with other configurations and based on the test results, understand which of the subsystems in terms of performance significantly fall short of the selected (from a preset list) reference sample - that is, they need to be updated, and which are quite on par (Fig. 16).

Rice. 16. Assessing overall computer performance (PC Wizard)

PC Wizard also has a number of synthetic tests that allow you to evaluate the performance of the processor, L1/L2/L3 caches and memory in general (evaluating bandwidth, timing), as well as the video subsystem, hard drive, optical drive, etc. In particular, for The processor is equipped with basic tests Dhrystone ALU, Whetstone FPU and Whetstone SSE2, which allow us to evaluate its performance in integer and floating point operations. Test results are displayed in text and graphical form; in a number of tests, it is possible to compare the results obtained with the test results of the selected reference subsystem (Fig. 17).

Rice. 17. CPU testing (PC Wizard)

Utility HWiNFO32 is able to evaluate the performance of the processor (CPU, FPU, MMX), memory and hard drive during express testing (button Benchmark). Test results are presented in two versions - in numerical form and in the form of a comparative chart. The diagram contains many reference components, including modern ones, so it is easy to understand how the processor (or other component) installed in the computer is inferior in performance to modern models (Fig. 18).

Rice. 18. CPU performance evaluation (HWiNFO32)

Program Fresh Diagnosis has tools for determining the performance of individual system components. These are seven synthetic test modules in the section Benchmarks. With their help, you can evaluate the performance of the processor (Whetstone, Dhrystone and multimedia tests), memory, video system, hard drives, optical drives and network adapter. Test results are presented in comparison with basic systems and are presented in the form of visual histograms. True, in our opinion, they are not very useful, since outdated ones are chosen for comparison reference systems(Fig. 19).

Rice. 19. CPU testing (Fresh Diagnosis)

Checking your computer for stability

Unfortunately, it is not a fact that the updated computer will be stable in operation. Why? There are many reasons - for example, the power supply may not cope well with the increased load due to the replacement of the processor or video adapter with newer models.

If such a picture occurs, then the situation should be dealt with as soon as possible - that is, before the appearance of obvious signs instability in the form blue screen“death”, etc. This means that you need to find out the temperature of the processor, motherboard and other important hardware and understand whether any component is overheating under load, and also evaluate how the computer generally behaves under stressful conditions. This can be done by conducting stress testing.

Most stability tests place an intensive computational load on the various blocks central processor, system memory, graphics processor and system logic set - that is, they force the computer to work under stressful conditions. Unfortunately, none of these tests by itself guarantees 100% system stability, but if the test reveals a failure in the system or was not completed, then this is a clear signal that you need to pay attention to the hardware.

Provided in AIDA64 system stability test (available through the menu Service) is intended for stress testing of the processor (testing cores separately is allowed), memory, local disks etc. (Fig. 20). The test results are displayed on two graphs: the upper one shows the temperature of the selected components, the lower one shows the processor load level (CPU Usage) and the CPU Throttling mode. Mode CPU Throttling is activated only if the processor overheats, and it should be understood that activating this mode during testing is an alarm signal calling for attention to the operation of the cooling system. During testing, system heating is controlled by continuously monitoring the temperature.

Rice. 20. CPU stress testing (AIDA64)

In addition to temperature, the graphs of which are displayed on the first tab during stress testing, on other tabs the program presents other useful information - about fan speed, voltage, etc. It should be borne in mind that the system stability test in AIDA64 can last indefinitely, so it is stopped manually, making sure that everything works fine (after 30 minutes), or when suspicious results are detected (for example, severe overheating one of the components).

Using stability test SiSoftware Sandra(tab Tools), stress testing can also be performed (Fig. 21). It will allow you to navigate the stability of the system and identify its weak points by analyzing the operation of the processor, memory, physical disks and optical drives, energy efficiency, etc. Testing lasts for a specified period of time or without taking it into account - in this case the number of times it is run is indicated selected test modules. During testing, the utility monitors the system state and stops the process if errors occur or in case of overheating (critical temperatures are set by default or manually).

Rice. 21. Stability test (SiSoftware Sandra)

Utility features PC Wizard in terms of system stability testing (test System Test Stability from the menu Tools) are limited to CPU and motherboard testing. During testing, the processor is loaded to its maximum and operates under such conditions. for a long time, during which the temperature of the processor and motherboard are measured at certain intervals, and the results are displayed on a graph (Fig. 22).

Rice. 22. Testing the processor for stability (PC Wizard)

Brief overview of utilities

AIDA64 (Extreme Edition) 1.60

Developer: FinalWire Ltd

Distribution size: 11.7 MB

Price:$39.95

The AIDA64 program is an updated version of the well-known information diagnostic solution EVEREST, designed for diagnosing hardware and software computer resources and versatile computer testing. The utility can be launched from a hard drive, CD/DVD/BD disks, as well as from flash drives. The program is presented in two editions: AIDA64 Extreme Edition and AIDA64 Business Edition, the AIDA64 Extreme Edition is designed for home users. The utility is regularly updated and supports the vast majority of modern models.

SiSoftware Sandra 2011 (Lite)

Developer: SiSoftware

Distribution size: 53.3 MB

Price: free (for personal and educational use)

SiSoftware Sandra Lite is the best of the free information diagnostic programs. It provides detailed information about the computer and any of its hardware and software components, and also allows you to test your PC for performance, the need for an upgrade, etc. The utility can be used to analyze, diagnose and test a PDA or smartphone. The program is available in several editions; for home use, the free edition of SiSoftware Sandra Lite is sufficient. The utility is updated quite regularly and supports the vast majority of modern models.

PC Wizard 2010.1.961

Developer: CPUID

Distribution size: 5.02 MB

Price: for free

PC Wizard is an information diagnostic utility used to diagnose hardware and software components and conduct various testing. In the basic version, the program runs from the hard drive, it can be downloaded from portable devices- for example from a flash drive ( special version Portable PC Wizard). The utility is not updated as often as we would like ( latest update from August 2010), although it supports many modern models(of course, we are not talking about new products).

HWiNFO32 3.71

Developer: Martin Malik

Distribution size: 2.26 MB

Price: for free

HWiNFO32 is an information diagnostic utility that allows you to obtain detailed information about PC hardware and test the performance of the processor, memory and hard drives. The program is updated monthly - as a result, all new products that appear on the market are included in its database in a timely manner. There is a special portable edition of the utility that can be launched from a removable USB drive or other portable device.

Fresh Diagnosis 8.52

Developer: FreshDevices.com

Distribution size: 2.08 MB

Distribution method: freeware (http://www.freshdiagnose.com/download.html)

Price: free (registration required; tests cannot be used in the unregistered version)

Fresh Diagnose is an information diagnostic utility designed to obtain information about all hardware and software components of a PC, as well as testing it. The program is regularly updated and supports many modern models, but its shortcomings include a poorly thought-out interface and poor-quality Russian-language localization (therefore, it is wiser to use it with an English-language interface).

Every computer user at least once in his life is faced with the task of finding out the exact hardware characteristics of his computer. The most common case is when you need to find out whether the computer satisfies system requirements program that you plan to install, or it is already outdated and needs to be modernized immediately. In today's post I will talk about some ways to get the information you are looking for.

Let's start, as usual, from the beginning, that is, from the download. On most computers, immediately after the POST procedure (“beeping” at startup), the BIOS displays brief information about the main hardware (processor type and frequency, operating and permanent memory). This stage goes by quickly, so in order to have time to review the information provided immediately when the help screen appears, you should press the “Pause-Break” button.

However, the issued BIOS information quite meager, it is enough only for the most unassuming user. More data is provided at the operating system level, using the built-in System Information applet. To call it, just press WIN+R, enter “msinfo32” in the line that appears and click “OK”. The second way to access the same applet is to click “Start”, select the menu All Programs > Accessories > System Tools > System Information.

This utility provides much more information. In addition to data about the processor, memory and storage media, it shows installed in the computer network devices and input/output devices. In addition to describing hardware capabilities, the System Information applet provides information about a number of software settings current operating system (swap file size, running services, startup, list environment variables and some others).

Speccy

But often the capabilities “built” into the operating system alone are not enough (this is especially true for professionals working in graphics, involved in CAD design, or simply fans of modern and highly demanding games). Here they come to the rescue third party utilities. Let's look at a few of them. The first of today's set is the free Speccy program. You can use it like this:

1. Download the program installer from the link. Run it
2. On the first screen you will be asked to select the installer language. Do this and click "Next"
   
3. Next, decide whether to place labels and automatic update utilities
   
4. The next screen is a hidden attempt at monetization on the part of the program developers. Uncheck the boxes () prompting installation third party programs, and click on the “Install” button
   
5. The final screen will notify you that the installation is complete and will prompt you to run the program immediately
   
6. After starting the program, you will see its start window. The General Information tab displays a brief summary, much like the System Information applet.
   
7. On the "Operating System" tab you can see information about installed system, service packs, available .Net Framework platforms and system uptime
   
8. On the " CPU" provides a wealth of information about the "heart" of your computer. In addition to the name and clock speed provided by the system, the Speccy utility reports on the technical process by which the processor crystal is made, its bus and core frequencies, stepping and supported virtualization instructions
   
9. The “RAM” tab, in addition to the amount of available physical and virtual memory reports the type of RAM and its latency (delays between clock cycles)
   
10. The “Motherboard” tab displays information about the motherboard model, chip manufacturer and BIOS, hardware revisions of the chips, as well as the capacity of expansion connectors
    
11. In the section " Graphics devices» the user will see the characteristics of the existing monitor and graphics accelerator
    
12. The Storage tab provides an overview of the persistent storage devices installed on your computer. Both the hardware characteristics of the disks are indicated (their type, connection interface, data exchange speed and capacity), as well as data on the available partitions and the current drive layout
    
13. If your system has CD drives installed, information about them is available in the " Optical storage»
    
14. Speccy is pretty succinct when it comes to information about installed audio recording and playback devices. In fact, it only reports that the microphone and speakers are present as such
    
15. On the " Peripherals» details the characteristics of installed imaging, printing and pointing devices (printers, scanners, mice, touchpads and cameras)
    
16. Last tab, “Network”, tells the user about the available network adapters and their current settings
    

There are situations when you need to know exact model video card or any other component. Not all necessary information can be found in the device manager or on the hardware itself. In this case, they come to the rescue special programs, which help not only to determine the model of components, but also to obtain a lot of additional useful information. In this article we will look at several representatives of such software.

Both advanced users and beginners can use this program. It helps not only to obtain information about the state of the system and hardware, but also allows you to carry out some configuration and check the system with various tests.

Everest is distributed absolutely free, does not take up much space on your hard drive, and has a simple and intuitive interface. Get general information can be done directly in one window, but more detailed data is located in special sections and tabs.

AIDA32

This representative is one of the oldest and is considered the progenitor of Everest and AIDA64. The program has not been supported by developers for a long time, and no updates have been released, but this does not prevent it from properly performing all its functions. Using this utility, you can instantly obtain basic data about the state of your PC and its components.

More detailed information is located in separate windows, which are conveniently sorted and have their own icons. You don’t have to pay anything for the program, and the Russian language is also present, which is good news.

AIDA64

This popular program is designed to help diagnose components and conduct performance tests. It combines all the best from Everest and AIDA32, improves it and adds several additional functions that are not available in most other similar software.

Of course, you will have to pay a little for such a set of functions, but this will only need to be done once; there are no annual or monthly subscriptions. If you can’t decide on a purchase, then a free trial version with a monthly period is available on the official website. Over such a period of use, the user will definitely be able to draw a conclusion about the usefulness of the software.

HWMonitor

This utility does not have such a wide range of functions as previous representatives, but it has something unique. Its main task is not to show the user all the most detailed information about its components, but to allow them to monitor the condition and temperatures of the hardware.

The voltage, loads and heating of a specific element are displayed. Everything is divided into segments to make it easier to navigate. The program can be downloaded absolutely free from the official website, but there is no Russian version, but even without it everything is intuitive.

Speccy

Perhaps one of the most extensive programs presented in this article in terms of functionality. It combines a lot of different information and ergonomic placement of all elements. Separately, I would like to touch upon the function of creating a system snapshot. Other software also has the ability to save test or monitoring results, but most often this is only in TXT format.

It’s simply impossible to list all the features of Speccy, there are really a lot of them, it’s easier to download the program and look through each tab yourself, we assure you that learning more and more new things about your system is a very interesting thing.

CPU-Z

CPU-Z is a narrowly focused software that is focused only on providing the user with data about the processor and its state, conducting various tests with it and showing information about RAM. However, if you need to get exactly this information, then additional features simply won't be needed.

The developer of the program is the CPUID company, whose representatives will be described in this article. CPU-Z is available for free and does not require a lot of resources and hard drive space.

GPU-Z

Using this program, the user will be able to obtain the most detailed information about installed graphics adapters. The interface is designed as compactly as possible, but at the same time all the necessary data fits in one window.

GPU-Z is perfect for those who want to know everything about their graphics chip. This software is distributed absolutely free of charge and supports the Russian language, however, not all parts are translated, but this is not a significant drawback.

System Spec

System Spec - developed by one person, freely distributed, but there have been no updates for quite a long time. This program does not require installation after downloading to your computer; you can use it immediately after downloading. She provides large number useful information not only about the hardware, but also about the state of the system as a whole.

PC Wizard

Currently this program is not supported by developers, and therefore no updates are being released. However, the latest version can be used comfortably. PC Wizard allows you to find out detailed information about components, track their condition and conduct several performance tests.

The interface is quite simple and clear, and the presence of the Russian language helps you quickly understand all the functions of the program. You can download and use it absolutely free.

SiSoftware Sandra

SiSoftware Sandra is distributed for a fee, but for its money it provides the user with a wide range of functions and capabilities. What’s unique about this program is that you can connect to your computer remotely, you just need to have access to do so. In addition, it is possible to connect to servers or simply to a local computer.

This software allows you to monitor the state of the system as a whole and find out detailed information about the hardware. You can also find partitions with installed programs, various files and drivers. All this can be edited. Downloading the latest version in Russian is available on the official website.

BatteryInfoView

A narrowly focused utility whose purpose is to display data about the installed battery and monitor its condition. Unfortunately, she can’t do anything else, but she completely fulfills her task. Flexible configuration and a number of additional functionality are available.

All detailed information can be opened with one click, and the Russian language allows you to master the software even faster. You can download BatteryInfoView from the official website for free, and there is also a crack with installation instructions.

This is not full list all programs that provide information about PC components, however, during testing they showed themselves to be quite good, and even a few of them will be quite enough to receive all possible detailed information not only about the components, but also about the operating system.