How to Check Laptop Generation

With so many different models and generations of laptops on the market, it can be tricky to see which one you have — and if it’s capable of meeting your needs. 

In this article, you’ll learn how to check the generation of your notebook.

Let’s see how. Read on!

What Does Laptop Generation Mean?

Ever seen a listing saying a particular laptop is the 4th or 5th generation of the model? Laptop brands use this to signal to customers that they have improved an existing model. For example, a 2023 Lenovo laptop is a new-and-improved 2022 version, and therefore the next generation.

This is the actual laptop generation or the iteration of the same model. But when people search for laptop generation, they usually mean the CPU generation… which is a whole other number. When figuring out your laptop’s performance capabilities, just remember to check the CPU. A newer-generation processor usually means better performance, and this is what you’re ultimately after.

Confusing? Maybe a little bit… this is why we dedicated a whole article just for this topic.

3 Ways to Check Your Laptop Generation in Windows

There are several ways to check CPU generation, depending on the operating system. 

Here are three ways you to check your laptop’s generation in Windows:

1. Check a Laptop’s CPU Generation in Task Manager

On Windows 10 and 11:

1. Press the Ctrl+Shift+Del keys to open the Task Manager. (Use Ctrl+Shift+Esc for Windows 7)
2. Next, click on the “Performance” tab.
3. In the Performance tab, look for the “CPU” section and find the “Name” field. This will tell you the type of processor your laptop has.

2. Check the Generation of a Laptop with Properties under “This PC“

On Windows 7 and above:

1. Right-click on the “This PC” or “My Computer” icon and select “Properties” from the menu.
2. In the Properties window, look for the “System” section and find the “Processor” tab.

3. Check the Laptop Generation with Start Menu

On Windows 7, 10 and 11:

1. Click on the Start button in the bottom left corner of your screen.
2. In the Start menu, type “System Information” into the search field and press Enter.
3. In the System Information window, look for the “System Summary” section and find the “Processor” field. This will tell you the type of processor your laptop has.

How to Check Laptop Generation in Linux 

1. Open a terminal window by pressing the Ctrl+Alt+T keys on your keyboard.
2. Type either of the following commands:
   • cat /proc/cpuinfo
   • lscpu
3. Press Enter.

These commands will display a list of information about your processor, including its model and generation.

Checking Laptop Generation Using macOS 

1. Click the Apple icon in the top left corner of your screen.
2. Select the “About This Mac” option from the menu.

In the window that appears, you’ll find information about your laptop’s model name and number as well as its processor type.

What Do All Those CPU Numbers Mean?

Look at the numbers in the processor’s model name to determine the generation.

Different processor manufacturers have different naming conventions for their processors. Still, generally, you can find the CPU’s generation by looking at the first few digits of its model number.

For example, in an Intel Core processor, the first (or first two) digits usually represent the generation of the processor. For instance, the Intel Core i7-12800H is a 12th-generation CPU.

With AMD Ryzen CPUs, the first digit after the processor series typically denotes its generation. For example, the Ryzen 9 7960X processor is a 7th-generation CPU.

Here are a few more examples of processor model numbers and their generations (bolding added for emphasis):

• Intel Core i7-8700K (8th generation)
• AMD Ryzen 7 3700X (3rd generation)
• Intel Core i9-10900K (10th generation)
• AMD Ryzen 5 5600X (5th generation)

Now it’s time to see what the letters mean after the numbers in the processors name. We wrote a concise article about processors.

Conclusion

The capabilities and limitations of different CPU generations can significantly impact a computer’s performance, especially for creative work and gaming. 

As we discussed, older processor generations don’t have enough power to deliver the best possible user experience compared to newer ones.

Are you not happy with your current laptop’s performance? Find out if you can upgrade the CPU in your Laptop.