How to Check CPU Information on Linux? CPU Info Commands
Last Updated :
23 Jul, 2025
Checking of CPU data helps system administrators in learning about performance profiles, hardware constraints, and resource planning. CPU information assists developers in optimizing software for given architectures, resolving performance problems, and analyzing system use.
Linux offers many different ways to fetch CPU information ranging from basic commands to complex applications. By undertaking all these methods, you are able to fetch great information into your CPU and customize it also.
The specific commands and tools mentioned in this guide may vary depending on your Linux distribution. However, the underlying concepts and approaches remain consistent across distributions.
The actual commands and tools are given in this article it will differ depending on your Linux distribution. Yet, the given principles and methods are the same across distributions.
Note: The Linux command line provides powerful tools like lscpu
and cat /proc/cpuinfo
to access detailed CPU information, including cores, threads, and architecture. These commands are efficient and don't require additional software, making them ideal for quick diagnostics and system analysis
Following are the 11 commands to fetch detailed information about your CPU directly from the command line. These procedures are efficient, need no extra tools, and offer information on your system's hardware setup.
1. Using lscpu
Command:
The lscpu command in Linux offers detailed CPU information on the CPU architecture and specifications. It is one of the most used Linux CPU information commands to check processor information quickly.
Syntax:
lscpu
lscpu command to see cpu informationThe given command will verify CPU details in Linux and show the below information:
- Number of CPUs and threads
- Byte order
- CPU cores, sockets, and cache details
- CPU flags (indicating features like virtualization, AES support, etc.)
Displays CPU layout with core/thread mapping:
lscpu -e
lscpu Options:
in place of options provide the below argumentThese are all the options available to use with lscpu command to see to see various CPU information -
Option | Description |
---|
-a, --all | Include online and offline CPUs in output (used with -e or -p ). |
-B, --bytes | Display sizes in bytes instead of human-readable format. |
-b, --online | Show only online CPUs (used with -e or -p ). |
-C, --caches[=list] | Display CPU cache details; customize columns using a list. |
-c, --offline | Show only offline CPUs (used with -e or -p ). |
--hierarchic[=when] | Use subsections in output; options: never, always, auto. |
-e, --extended[=list] | Display detailed CPU info; customize columns with a list. |
-J, --json | Output data in JSON format. |
-p, --parse[=list] | Format output for parsing; customize with a list. |
-s, --sysroot directory | Gather data for a specified Linux system root. |
-x, --hex | Use hexadecimal format for CPU sets. |
-y, --physical | Show physical IDs for topology elements (e.g., core, socket). |
--output-all | Include all available columns (used with --extended , --parse , or --caches ). |
2. Viewing /proc/cpuinfo
/proc/cpuinfo file contains the CPU Information of every CPU core and they also show the processor type which is used by your system. This command display the Vendor_id, CPU family, model, model name, microcode, Cache size, Supported flags (features such as virtualization or AES support) etc.
cat /proc/cpuinfo
/proc/cpuinfo file- Processor: In this it indicates each processor by number (e.g., 0 for single-processor systems).
- CPU Family: Indicates processor type (e.g., 6, 486) which is useful for identifying architecture and choosing compatible packages.
- Model Name: Shows the processor's common/project name.
- CPU MHz: It displays the processor's speed in MHz up to thousandths of a decimal.
- Cache Size: Indicates the level 2 memory cache size.
- Siblings: Number of sibling CPUs on the same physical CPU (relevant for hyper-threFlags: Lists processor features, like FPU and MMX support.
Note: This command is useful when you need to check CPU specs in Linux or analyze CPU performance. For those who want to monitor CPU usage in Linux, htop and top command can give you real-time usage information.
3. Using top and htop command
The top and htop commands are used to track a system's CPU usage or CPU utilization and processes in real time. top and htop both report information on memory usage, but htop offers additional information graphical display and interactive interface for improved system monitoring.
top # The top command provides a real-time view of CPU usage by all running processes.
Displays information about the top CPU processes and memory utilizationNote: Use top when you need to to look quickly at CPU and memory usage.
If htop is not present in linux we can install by using command
sudo apt install htop
htop
Displays information about all running processes, including the user who started the process, the command used to start it, and the process's start timeNote: If you need detailed insights into CPU utilization, prefer htop over top.
4. Checking Core Count with nproc
When we analyze the CPU information, it is necessary to know the number of available processing units (cores). A quick method of finding out the number of CPU cores in your system use the nproc command. This is particularly useful when optimizing system performance or distributing resources in multi-threaded applications.
nproc
Output indicates that the system has 12 CPU cores available5. Usingdmidecode
dmidecode
is a strong command-line utility that provides CPU information in detailed format on Linux such as processor specs, CPU model, architecture, CPU usage Linux, and supported upgrades. It parses system hardware information from the DMI/SMBIOS table, including components, serial numbers, BIOS
revision, and supported upgrades which making it useful for system administrators.
Why Use dmidecode?
- It provides in-depth hardware information, such as CPU specs Linux.
- Fetches BIOS revision, serial numbers, and supported upgrades.
- Useful for checking Linux CPU information command without opening the system physically.
dmidecode
When to Use dmidecode?
- When lscpu or /proc/cpuinfo is not giving full information.
- To verify Linux check processor compatibility and CPU usage Linux information.
- When diagnosing CPU issues or upgrading hardware.
6. Using hwinfo
The hwinfo command is a good utility that allows users to test CPU data in Linux, delivering a detailed analysis of system hardware, such as processor specifications. It is especially helpful for system administrators who want to locate CPU model in Linux, track CPU usage in Linux, or create extensive hardware logs to diagnose and troubleshoot issues.
If hwinfo is not install in your system use the commands:
sudo apt install hwinfo
hwinfo
System's hardware informationUsage: hwinfo [OPTIONS]. Running without options equals hwinfo --all --log=
To get detailed Linux CPU information command, run the below command:
hwinfo --cpu
The above command gives a full CPU summary, including processor model, clock speed, cache size, etc. It is a alternate for the lscpu command in Linux and gives more insight into hardware configurations.
Following are all the options you can use with hwinfo command to see to see different CPU information -
Option | Description |
---|
--<HARDWARE_ITEM> | Probe specific hardware (e.g., CPU, disk, netcard). |
--short | Display a summary of the hardware. |
--only DEVNAME | Show details for specific devices. |
--save-config SPEC | Save device configuration to /var/lib/hardware . |
--map | Display disk name mappings after changes. |
--log FILE | Save the output log to a specified file. |
--help | Display usage and help information. |
Examples:
- hwinfo --disk: Show all disks.
- hwinfo --short --block: Display block device summary.
- hwinfo --disk --save-config=all: Save disk config.
7. Using inxi
The inxi command is a powerful tool for getting Linux CPU information
as well as kernel
, memory, hardware, and system specs. It is used extensively for troubleshooting, hardware identification, and system evaluation.
inxi
System InformationTo display CPU information on Linux, run the below command:
inxi -C
CPU informationWhy Use inxi for CPU Information?
- It provides comprehensive CPU specs in an easy-to-read format.
- Helps in the identification of the CPU model, cores, architecture, and utilization.
- Can be used for system benchmarking and diagnostics.
- Works across multiple Linux distributions
For more options to get more details using ixni regarding CPU or system hardware
inxi [options]
Following are all the options available with inxi command to view to view various CPU information -
Option | Description |
---|
-A | Show audio/sound card details. |
-b | Display basic system info (short form). |
-B | Show battery data and condition. |
-C | Display full CPU details, including speed. |
-D | Provide full disk info (model, size, usage). |
-G | Show graphics card and display server info. |
-m | Display memory (RAM) details. |
-N | Show network card details. |
-S | Display system info (host, kernel, distro). |
-v | Set verbosity (0-7) for detailed output levels. |
-w | Add weather info for the system's location. |
Advanced Options | |
-x / -xx / -xxx | Show extra details for various components. |
-z | Enable security filters for sensitive data (IP, MAC). |
--help | Show help menu with usage details. |
8. Usinglshw
The lshw command is an efficient and effective tool used for extracting elaborate CPU details in Linux, memory, firmware, mainboard, CPU architecture, cache, firmware and bus specifications. This command offers an good view of the system hardware and thus is a very good alternate for the lscpu command in Linux.
It has support for various hardware information sources, such as DMI, OpenFirmware, PCI/AGP, CPUID, IDE, SCSI, and USB on systems that support them. If you want to discover CPU model in Linux or view processor information, the lshw command comes convenient.
lshw
List Hardware InformationCommand to Get CPU Information in Linux with lshw:
sudo lshw -class processor
Linux CPU information, including the processor's9. Frequency Scaling with cpufreq-info
The cpufreq-info command gives information regarding CPU frequency scaling in Linux, enabling one to monitor CPU usage in Linux. It is helpful in the determination of the current processor speed and cpufreq settings, and it can prove to be valuable in performance optimization and troubleshooting processor problems.
In case cpufreq-info is not available on your system, download it by:
sudo apt install cpufrequtils
Then, run the following command to get CPU info in Linux and analyze CPU scaling behavior:
cpufreq-info
CPU frequency scalingThe above command show the real-time information regarding CPU scaling policies, minimum and maximum frequencies, and the current CPU speed. If you are optimizing performance or troubleshooting CPU speed problems, this is a must Linux CPU information command.
Below are all the options you can use with cpufreq-info command to view to view various CPU information -
cpufreq-info [options]
Option | Description |
---|
-c / --cpu | Specify CPU to query. |
-e / --debug | Show debug information. |
-f / --freq | Display current CPU frequency. |
-w / --hwfreq | Get CPU frequency from hardware (root required). |
-l / --hwlimits | Show minimum and maximum allowed CPU frequencies. |
-d / --driver | Display the kernel driver in use. |
-p / --policy | Show the current CPU frequency policy. |
-g / --governors | List available frequency governors. |
-a / --related-cpus | CPUs sharing the same hardware frequency. |
-a / --affected-cpus | CPUs with coordinated frequency changes. |
-s / --stats | Display CPU frequency statistics. |
-y / --latency | Show maximum frequency change latency. |
-o / --proc | Display /proc/cpufreq -like output. |
-m / --human | Provide human-readable output. |
-h / --help | Show help information. |
10. Exploring /sys
Filesystem
One of the most useful method to check CPU information on Linux is by analyzing the /sys
filesystem. This method provides the real-time CPU statistics and is also especially useful for accessing the low-level processor details such as CPU frequency, cache sizes, and core utilization.
If you want to get CPU info on Linux, you can retrieve the current frequency of each CPU core in kilohertz (kHz) using the following command:
cat /sys/devices/system/cpu/cpu*/cpufreq/scaling_cur_freq
Each number represents the current frequency of a CPU core.
Why Use the /sys Filesystem?
- It provides detailed the CPU specs in Linux, including real-time frequency adjustments.
- It is useful for analyzing CPU performance, scaling, and processor efficiency.
- It helps developers and system administrators with fine-tuning CPU management.
11. Using hardinfo
It is a GUI based tool for Linux which provides the detailed hardware and system information which includes the CPU, memory, storage, and network. It also allows users to run simple benchmarks for performance evaluation.
For installation use the command:
sudo apt install hardinfo
Run the command:
hardinfo
Show hardware information in GUI
After Running the command system information tab application open:
After click on summary tab see the information regarding processor, memory, OS, display etc.
For more details regarding CPU information or system information navigate to processor in devices field:
For performing benchmark test scroll down and go to the Benchmarks tabs:
Available Benchmark Tests:
- CPU Blowfish: Tests the CPU's ability to perform cryptographic Blowfish operations.
- CPU CryptoHash: Evaluates the CPU's hashing performance.
- CPU Fibonacci: Measures how efficiently the CPU calculates Fibonacci numbers.
- CPU N-Queens: Tests CPU performance by solving the N-Queens problem.
- FPU FFT: Assesses the Floating Point Unit (FPU) performance using Fast Fourier Transform operations.
- FPU Raytracing: Evaluates FPU performance by rendering a ray-traced image.
Also Check:
Conclusion
Knowing how to display CPU details in Linux is significant for system monitoring, performance enhancement, and resolving issues. Executing vital Linux CPU information commands such as lscpu command Linux, cat /proc/cpuinfo, nproc, and top allows one to get details of CPU architecture, cores, threads, CPU speed, and real-time usage of CPU on Linux.
Discovering CPU model Linux or learning how to check CPU specs Linux, these commands provide an efficient and quick method of obtaining CPU info Linux without needing extra software. Whether you need to Linux verify processor type, measure system performance, or identify hardware problems, learning these commands guarantees efficient system management and resource allocation.
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