How to Check Hardware Specs in Ubuntu?

This article provides a comprehensive guide on how to view the hardware components and specifications of an Ubuntu system. Whether you are troubleshooting performance issues, upgrading your components, or simply curious about your machine’s internals, Ubuntu offers several powerful ways to inspect your hardware. We will cover both user-friendly graphical interface (GUI) applications for desktop users and robust command-line interface (CLI) tools for terminal enthusiasts and server administrators.

Checking Hardware via the Graphical Interface (GUI)

For users who prefer a visual approach without typing commands, Ubuntu provides built-in and easily installable graphical utilities to view system information.

• Settings App (Built-in): The quickest way to see a basic overview of your system is through the default settings. Open Settings and click on the About section at the bottom of the left sidebar. Here, you will find your processor model, total memory (RAM), graphics card, and disk capacity.
• Hardinfo (System Profiler and Benchmark): If you need a detailed, categorized breakdown similar to Windows Device Manager, hardinfo is an excellent tool. It displays comprehensive data about your operating system, CPU, storage, and connected peripherals. You can install it by opening a terminal and running sudo apt install hardinfo, then launching “System Profiler and Benchmark” from your applications menu.

Checking Hardware via the Command Line (CLI)

The terminal offers the most detailed and granular information about your hardware. These commands are invaluable for remote server management or advanced troubleshooting.

• lshw (List Hardware): This is a powerful, built-in utility that extracts detailed information on the hardware configuration of the machine. Running it by itself generates a massive wall of text, so it is best used with specific flags:

• sudo lshw -short: Displays a compact, easy-to-read summary of all hardware paths and devices.

• sudo lshw -C memory: Isolates specific hardware classes (e.g., replace memory with display, network, or cpu).

• lscpu (CPU Architecture): To dive deep into your processor’s capabilities, simply type lscpu. This command fetches detailed information from the system files, displaying the CPU architecture, number of cores, threads, clock speed, and cache sizes.

• free -m (RAM Usage and Capacity): To quickly check your total, used, and available physical memory and swap space in megabytes, use the command free -m.

• lsblk and df (Storage Devices): To view your hard drives and solid-state drives, use lsblk. It lists all block devices, their partition structures, and their sizes in a clear tree format. To see disk space utilization and mount points, use df -h.

• lspci and lsusb (Peripheral Buses): To inspect devices connected to your PCI and USB buses—such as graphics cards, network adapters, and external drives—use lspci and lsusb respectively. For example, running lspci | grep -i vga is the standard way to quickly identify your dedicated graphics card.

Summary of Quick Commands

For quick reference, here is a consolidated list of the most common terminal commands used to audit Ubuntu hardware: