Skip to content Download

Terms explained

DRAM frequency
Base clock of memory. DDR effective = 2× (DDR4/DDR5 double data rate).
XMP / EXPO
Intel/AMD memory overclock profiles. Enable in BIOS for rated RAM speed.
SPD
Serial Presence Detect — chip on RAM that stores timings and profiles.
Stepping
CPU revision. Helps identify microcode and compatibility quirks.
Multiplier
CPU core clock = BCLK × multiplier. Non‑K Intel CPUs have locked multipliers.
BCLK
Base clock. Usually 100 MHz. Affects CPU and sometimes RAM when overclocking.
JEDEC
Default memory standard. XMP/EXPO add higher profiles beyond JEDEC.
PCIe link
Width (x16, x8) and generation (4.0, 5.0). Mainboard tab shows GPU link.

Brief history

CPU-Z was first released in the late 1990s by Frank Delattre (CPUID). It has been a staple for PC enthusiasts, overclockers, and support forums for over two decades. The tool reads hardware identification data directly from CPU, chipset, and SPD chips — not from Windows labels — so it remains reliable for verification.

  • Windows — Full support since early versions; currently Windows 7 through 11.
  • Android — Separate app for phones and tablets; shows SoC, RAM, battery.
  • ARM64 Windows — Native build for Snapdragon X Elite/Plus and similar devices.

Beginner’s first run

1. Download and run

Get the installer or ZIP from the official site. Run cpuz.exe. No admin needed for portable.

2. Check the CPU tab

You’ll see processor name, cores, threads, and clocks. Idle clocks may be low; that’s normal.

3. Mainboard and Memory

Mainboard = motherboard model and BIOS. Memory = RAM type, size, and speed. SPD shows each stick.

4. Share if needed

Screenshot CPU, Mainboard, Memory (and SPD for RAM questions). Blur serials before posting.

Pro tips

Keyboard shortcuts

  • F9 — Switch clock method
  • Ctrl+Shift+S — Save report
  • Right‑click field — Copy value

Report types

Tools → Save report (.TXT or .HTML). Useful for inventories, remote support, or documentation.

Validation for records

Tools → Validate creates a file. Upload to valid.x86.fr for a permanent link. Used by HWBOT and overclockers.

cpuz.ini for freezes

If CPU-Z hangs, disable Sensor, DMI, or SMBus in cpuz.ini. Some hardware causes probe issues.

Screenshot checklist for forums

When a forum asks for “CPU-Z”, capture these tabs. Blur serial numbers before posting.

✓ CPU — Always include. Shows processor, cores, clocks.
✓ Mainboard — For driver, BIOS, and compatibility questions.
✓ Memory — For RAM speed, capacity, and channel mode.
✓ SPD — When the question is about XMP, timings, or module specs.
+ Graphics — Optional, for GPU or hybrid laptop issues.

Bench tab — interpreting scores

Single-thread vs multi-thread

The Bench tab runs a quick stress and shows scores. Single-thread reflects per-core performance; multi-thread scales with core count. Use for rough before/after overclock or upgrade comparisons — not for formal benchmarking.

Reference CPUs

Scores are relative to reference processors. Compare your CPU to the list to get a sense of performance tier. For serious benchmarks, use Cinebench, Geekbench, or PassMark.

IT and deployment

CPU-Z can be run silently from the command line for hardware inventories. Use the portable ZIP for USB-based audits or locked-down environments.

  • Text report — cpuz.exe -txt=report.txt creates a full text dump.
  • HTML report — cpuz.exe -html=report.html for readable, formatted output.
  • No GUI — Reports are generated without opening the main window. Useful for scripts and remote collection.

Resources

CPU-Z Validator

Submit and view validations

MemTest86

RAM stress testing

This guide

Tabs, validation, troubleshooting