Clicking on this button will launch an application called either System Information in Lion and later, or Apple System Profiler for earlier versions (these are located in Applications > Utilities). Here's where things differ a bit depending on which OS X version is running. Getting back on topic… you get your official model designators by clicking on the More Info… button in the About This Mac panel.
If you would rather copy/paste the serial number, in a moment I will show you another place where you can do this. You should jot this number down, both for support reasons and perhaps for insurance purposes.
If you point and click on the "Version" line just below the Apple OS X logo, you will be able to flip through additional information, including the serial number – another vital piece of information. Let's pause here a moment while I point out a little-known feature. For all OS X users, in the first panel that appears, you are already presented with lots of valuable information: the OS X version number, the processor type and speed, and the amount and specifications of the RAM memory currently installed. This is especially important when you call for technical support as you are often asked to provide the information shown here.
The About This Mac panel is the gateway to all the technical specifications as well as other useful information pertaining to your particular machine. Selecting About This Mac in the Apple menu gets you to all your Mac's technical specifications.
Go to the Apple menu and select About This Mac. In fact, starting with Lion, they are displayed in a more visually informative, much "friendlier" manner. So, where does one find all this critical information? Allow me to show you.ĭepending on whether you use OS X Snow Leopard and earlier, or Lion and later, the details for machine specifications are presented a little differently.
And so, we have yet another example of needing to identify precisely which model Mac we want to upgrade (hopefully). As we have seen in OS X upgrades in the past, and more recently when upgrading to Mountain Lion, certain Mac models drop off the support list for the new Big Cat. Armed with this information, there is no question as to exactly which of the many Mac variants you own, and the chances of purchasing the wrong parts are diminished.īut there is more to this than concern for hardware parts compatibility. When servicing a Mac or purchasing parts and upgrades, there are a couple of important pieces of information to have at hand which help identify your specific Mac model. Servicing instructions and procedures have also been revised. On most MacBook and MacBook Pro models, you will find this information inside the battery compartment.Īs the entire Macintosh product line has evolved, physical specifications for RAM memory and other components have changed as well. On most iMac Models, this little visual guide is etched onto the bottom of the pedestal base. On the contrary, with many of the recent iMac models, as well as MacBook and MacBook Pro models (prior to the ones with sealed batteries), Apple has included friendly diagrams depicting the procedure for replacing the RAM memory modules. For the past several Macintosh model iterations, Apple has not discouraged end-users from performing their own RAM replacement. For many Mac users, there comes a time when a RAM memory or disk drive upgrade is an appealing luxury or simply a necessity.