Laptops have ironically become so valorized in our society that many customers are not even concerned with the kind of laptop they have. All that some customers care about is that their laptop connects to the internet and offers them basic functionality. Laptops are often purchased used or refurbished on today’s market due to the extra supply of certain models and the demand for cheaper models. This contributes to the general ignorance regarding laptops, as many customers receive a device without the original box. Acquiring laptops secondhand can also lead to the model number on the laptop being faded or obscured in some way. Yet, knowing what laptop you have can be very beneficial. Not only can it lead to more efficient customer support, but it also can make it easier for you to buy supporting computer equipment in addition to selling the computer in the future.
In this article, we discuss several techniques that customers can use to find out what laptop they have. Then, we explain how customers can use this information to enhance their laptop experience. Lastly, we offer our thoughts regarding the future of laptop identification.
Take Notes When You Buy the Laptop
One of the easiest ways to keep track of what laptop you buy is to take notes when you first purchase the machine. Whether you purchase a laptop in-store or online, you should receive the model number, the brand, and usually other pieces of information. Write this information down, both by hand and digitally. Then, if you ever forget what laptop you have, you can review these notes.
Alternatively, you can ask an employee at the store to record this information for you. If this is unavailable to you because you purchased the laptop online, you can always ask the seller to e-mail you a receipt that also lists what kind of laptop it is. Then, should you need to use this information in the future, you will have it on hand. In rare cases, you might encounter sellers that don’t know what kind of laptop they are selling, or know very little information about it. In these cases, ask them for all the information they have, including the year they purchased the machine, how much it originally cost, and any other identifying information they might have.
All of these can help you determine what laptop you end up receiving. Sometimes starting a Google search with simple information like a price, part of a name, and a visual description can lead you to identifying the model number of your laptop.
Check the Outside of the Laptop
What’s confusing about this process is that each computer company has its own set of information that it regards as important concerning each laptop. Additionally, each company will list this information in different places on the laptop. Thus, whenever you buy a new laptop, you have to be diligent about finding this information, as it will likely be in a new location. Some companies provide customers with model numbers, serial numbers, service tag numbers, product numbers, only numbers, or some combination of all of the above.
If you can find any of this information, then you are in luck. Write all of it down so you can use it later. However, finding it can be difficult, as it’s often featured in an obscure location in order to avoid taking attention away from the aesthetics of the laptop. Most laptops will feature this information somewhere on the back of the laptop. To access this, close your laptop and turn it over, placing it gently on a trustworthy surface. To determine what laptop you have, look for a collection of numbers that are often displayed below some kind of logo or etching. Sometimes this information is featured on a white sticker. Other times it’s engraved into the actual laptop. On some occasions, this information might be present but too small to read. You might need to purchase a cheap magnifying glass. Sometimes, manufacturers list this information on the battery of the laptop, which can be removed by pressing a mechanism on the laptop. If you think your laptop’s identifying information is listed on the battery, make sure you shut down the computer completely before you remove the battery.
Generally speaking, you should turn off the computer and close it while you are looking for any of this information. Even if you find it quickly, turning your laptop around in many positions makes it vulnerable to being dropped. Ultimately, if a computer is turned off and closed, accidents will likely have less disastrous consequences.
Check the Inside of the Laptop
When we say inside, we are referring to the software of the computer. If all else fails and you can’t find any identifying information on the surface of the laptop, it’s time to use the laptop’s software as a method to self-identify. This process will be different depending on what operating system your laptop runs. For Apple computers, this process is very easy. Users should select the “About This Mac” option under the Apple icon drop-down menu. Under the “Overview” tab, customers will see some crucial information listed about their Apple laptop, including the screen size, serial number, and processor that the laptop has.
Customers can then use this information in many ways, perhaps to fully access Apple’s customer support or to purchase a complementary accessory. For computers that run the Windows operating system, this process is also very easy. Customers simply select the System Information application, which can be located either on the desktop or by searching for it under the start menu. Once you’ve located the System Information application, there will be a “System Summary” tab that offers you critical information concerning the identity of your laptop.
Ask Your Digital Personal Assistant Perhaps one of the most cutting-edge ways to find out information concerning your laptop is to use the digital personal assistant that comes with some operating systems. Most modern operating systems come with some form of artificial intelligence, humanized in some way using a name like Siri or Cortana. Despite the bad reputation this technology can sometimes get, it can be helpful in certain situations.
One way of retrieving crucial information concerning your laptop is to simply ask the digital personal assistant. This can either provide you directly with information or can lead you to the location on your machine where you can find this information. On laptops with more advanced operating systems, customers might even be able to save time by having the digital personal assistant send the laptop information to a particular place. For example, many customers wondering what laptop they have need the information in order to access some customer service feature. Many customers will be able to have their digital personal assistant send this information to some customer service representative, so they can avoid having to write down a long list of numbers. Just keep this possibility in mind when you are trying to find out what laptop you have, as it might save you time and effort. In the same vein, make sure you check after your digital personal assistant, as an error in identifying your laptop could mean more work down the road. Some customers have their digital assistant read off these important numbers only to incorrectly copy them down. Alternatively, some customers ask their digital assistant to locate a certain number, yet the assistant mishears the user and provides a different number.
The key is to remain diligent and cautious throughout this process. Copying down a string of numbers and letters can actually be more error-prone than you might think. Try to do it right the first time so you avoid having to do any unnecessary work.
Our Final Thoughts on What Laptop You Have
We think that using various numbers and letters to represent your particular laptop is an antiquated process. We think manufacturers will gradually move away from this way of identifying products, or at the very least, distance customers from it. We think future laptops will communicate arcane data only through digital personal assistants. Customers will never have to find this information directly, which can be time-consuming. We think future laptops will be designed so that customers never have to deal with any part of their laptop that does not enhance their experience. Even locating a string of numbers and e-mailing a representative can take 5 minutes out of your day. In the future, each unit of time will be valorized to such a degree that customers will be reluctant to even spend a second locating their laptops’ model numbers.
Regardless, even if this process takes some work and effort, we think modern manufacturers have made figuring out what kind of laptop you have relatively easy. Of course, most of us unconsciously know what laptop we have, as we were likely told several times before we even purchased it. If you are resistant to many of the problem-solving techniques endorsed by modern day technologists, perhaps you should try meditating to uncover what laptop you have. Meditation can connect us to deeper stores of memory as well as filter out all the burdensome processes that are separating us from these memories. Try sitting in a comfortable position, closing your eyes and following your breath. Focus on the image of the laptop you have and let this hover in your mind’s eye for several minutes, perhaps repeating some
kind of mantra related to your laptop if you wish. Don’t force anything; just let the singularity of the laptop unfold in the darkness of your internal gaze. Even if this process does not yield certain information, it will still be health-promoting, and everyone these days is in need of better health.