How old is my computer? How to find out
Most computers don't show a birthday anywhere obvious. But the processor name gives you the year within a year or two, and the serial number on the sticker can tell you the exact date it shipped. Here's how to find both, and what the answer means for Windows 11 and upgrades.
Short answer
Check the processor first. Go to Settings > System > About and match the processor to the table below. For the exact date, look up the serial number on the maker's support site.
Check the processor
Go to Settings > System > About and find Processor. You can also open Task Manager (Ctrl + Shift + Esc), click Performance, then CPU.
On Intel Core chips, the number after the dash gives the generation. Core i5-4300U starts with 4, so it's 4th generation. Core i5-10210U has five digits and starts with 10, so it's 10th generation. A PC usually came out the same year as its processor or the year after.
| Processor | Example | Roughly from |
|---|---|---|
| Intel Core 2 Duo, Pentium Dual-Core | Core 2 Duo P8600 | 2006-2010 |
| Intel Core 1st gen | Core i5-520M (three digits) | 2009-2010 |
| Intel Core 2nd and 3rd gen | Core i5-2520M, i5-3320M | 2011-2012 |
| Intel Core 4th and 5th gen | Core i5-4300U, i5-5300U | 2013-2015 |
| Intel Core 6th and 7th gen | Core i5-6300U, i5-7200U | 2015-2017 |
| Intel Core 8th and 9th gen | Core i5-8250U, i5-9500 | 2017-2019 |
| Intel Core 10th and 11th gen | Core i5-10210U, i5-1135G7 | 2019-2021 |
| Intel Core 12th to 14th gen | Core i5-1235U, i7-13700 | 2021-2024 |
| Intel Core Ultra | Core Ultra 5 125U | 2023 on |
| AMD Ryzen 1000 and 2000 | Ryzen 5 2500U | 2017-2018 |
| AMD Ryzen 3000 to 5000 | Ryzen 5 4500U, 5600G | 2019-2021 |
| AMD Ryzen 6000 and up | Ryzen 7 7840U | 2022 on |
The 11th-gen names break the pattern a little (i5-1135G7 is 11th gen, i5-1235U is 12th), but the first two digits still give it away. For example, the ThinkPad T440 has a 4th-gen chip and came out in 2014.
Find the model and serial number
Press Windows + R, type msinfo32, and press Enter. The System Summary page shows:
- System Manufacturer and System Model: the brand and model. On Lenovo PCs, the model is a code like 20S6 followed by more letters and numbers. The first four characters are the machine type, which Lenovo's support site turns into a name like ThinkPad T15.
- BIOS Version/Date: more on that below.
For the serial number, look at the sticker on the bottom of a laptop or the back or side of a desktop. Dell calls it the Service Tag, a 7-character code. HP and Lenovo label it S/N.
If the sticker is worn off, Windows can read it. Open PowerShell and run:
Get-CimInstance Win32_BIOS | Select-Object SerialNumber, ReleaseDate
On Windows 10, the older command wmic bios get serialnumber in Command Prompt works too. Microsoft removed wmic starting with Windows 11 version 25H2, so use the PowerShell line there.
Look up the serial number
| Brand | Where to look it up | What it shows |
|---|---|---|
| Dell | Dell's support site: enter the Service Tag, then open the warranty details | The ship date |
| HP | HP's warranty check page, with the serial number | The warranty start date |
| Lenovo | Lenovo PC Support (pcsupport.lenovo.com), with the serial number | The warranty start date |
The warranty start date is usually within a few weeks of when the PC was first sold. On a used business PC, that's when the company bought it, which is exactly what you want to know. The page also shows the exact model and original specs, which is handy when you're buying memory or an SSD for it.
Check the BIOS date
The BIOS Version/Date line in System Information is a decent clue, with a catch. It's the release date of the BIOS version installed right now. If nobody has ever updated it, the date is usually a few months before the PC was built. If it has been updated, the date is newer than the computer.
You may also see advice to check the Original Install Date with the systeminfo command. I wouldn't trust it. It shows when Windows was last installed, and a reinstall or a big Windows update resets it.
On a Mac
Click the Apple menu and choose About This Mac. It shows the model and year, like Mac Pro (Late 2013). If that happens to be your Mac, here's what the 2013 Mac Pro is still good for.
What the age tells you
| If it's from | Windows | What I'd do |
|---|---|---|
| 2018 or later | Usually runs Windows 11 | Check with PC Health Check and upgrade. An SSD or more memory is money well spent. |
| 2013 to 2017 | Windows 10, with free security updates until October 12, 2027 | Worth an SSD if it's still on a hard drive. Plan for Linux or a replacement before 2027. |
| 2012 or earlier | Windows 10 at best, and often slow | Fine for Linux if it's 64-bit. ChromeOS Flex doesn't support processors this old. Otherwise, reuse or recycle it. |
Age isn't the whole story. A business laptop from 2014 with an SSD and 8 GB of memory can feel quicker than a budget laptop from 2019 with a hard drive. If yours feels slow, find out why before deciding it's too old.
Checking a used PC before you buy
Listings love to say "Core i5, 8 GB" and leave out the generation, which is the part that matters. An i5 from 2013 and an i5 from 2019 are very different computers. Before you buy:
- Ask for the exact processor model, or a photo of the Settings > About screen.
- Ask for the serial number or Service Tag and look it up yourself. You'll see the real model, the original specs, and when it first shipped.
- For Windows 11 without workarounds, stick to Intel 8th gen or AMD Ryzen 2000 and newer.
My guide to buying a refurbished PC covers the models worth shopping for and what to check when it arrives.
Questions about a computer's age
How can I tell how old my computer is?
The quickest clue is the processor. Go to Settings, System, About, and look at the processor name. An Intel Core i5-8250U is 8th generation, from about 2017 to 2018. For an exact date, look up the serial number on the manufacturer's support site, which shows the ship date or warranty start date.
How do I find out how old my Dell, HP, or Lenovo computer is?
Find the serial number (Dell calls it a Service Tag) on the sticker or with PowerShell, then enter it on the maker's support site. Dell shows a ship date under the warranty details. HP and Lenovo show the warranty start date, which is usually close to when the PC was first sold.
Does the BIOS date show when my computer was made?
Only roughly. The BIOS date in System Information is the release date of the BIOS version installed now. If the BIOS has never been updated, it's usually a few months before the PC was built. If it has been updated, the date will be newer than the computer.
How old is too old for a computer?
It depends on what you need. A PC from 2018 or later can usually run Windows 11. Older PCs can stay on Windows 10 with free security updates until October 12, 2027, and many run Linux or ChromeOS Flex well after that. A 10-year-old laptop with an SSD is still fine for web and email.
How do I find out what model my laptop is?
Press Windows + R, type msinfo32, and press Enter. System Manufacturer and System Model show the brand and model. On Lenovo PCs the model shows as a code, and the first four characters are the machine type, which you can look up on Lenovo's support site. The model is also printed on the sticker underneath.
