CPU-XLinux
vs
CPU-ZWindows
CPU-X as a Linux alternative to CPU-Z
Updated
Our verdict
CPU‑X is a solid, lightweight alternative to CPU‑Z for Linux users who need quick hardware details. It shows CPU model, core count, clock speeds, cache, RAM type and speed, motherboard chipset, and BIOS version, all in a single view or via a command‑line dump. The GTK and NCurses interfaces make it handy for both desktop and server use. It’s best suited for users who prefer a native Linux tool without extra dependencies, especially those who already use terminal‑based workflows.
- License
- GPL-3.0+
- Price
- Free
- Latest version
- 5.4.1 (September 27, 2026)
- Rating
- —
What works the same
- Both display CPU model, core count, clock speeds and cache sizes
- Both report memory type and speed
- Both provide motherboard chipset and BIOS version information
- Both offer a quick, non‑intrusive read‑only view of system hardware
What is different
- CPU‑X is a native Linux application; CPU‑Z is Windows‑only
- CPU‑X has a command‑line dump mode for scripting; CPU‑Z lacks this
- CPU‑X can output plain text or CSV; CPU‑Z only shows a GUI
- CPU‑X supports both GTK and NCurses; CPU‑Z has only a Windows GUI
- CPU‑X is open source under GPL‑3.0+; CPU‑Z is proprietary
Opening your CPU-Z files
CPU‑Z stores its data in a proprietary .txt format that CPU‑X cannot read directly. CPU‑X can export its own data to plain text or CSV, but there is no built‑in way to import or view existing CPU‑Z files. Users would need to copy the relevant text manually if they want to compare the two outputs.
Switching from CPU-Z to CPU-X, step by step
- Install CPU‑X from your distro’s package manager (e.g., apt install cpu-x).
- Run
cpu-xto launch the GTK interface, orcpu-x -cfor NCurses mode. - Use the dump option
cpu-x -dto generate a plain‑text report for scripts. - Export the report with
cpu-x -d > report.txtorcpu-x -d > report.csvif CSV is preferred. - If you need to compare with old CPU‑Z data, copy the text from the CPU‑Z window into a file and compare manually.
Key features of CPU-X
- Collects CPU, motherboard, BIOS, and chipset data
- Supports both GTK and NCurses interfaces
- Command‑line dump mode for scripting
- Cross‑platform: works on Linux and BSD
- Built with CMake, written in C++
- Free and open source under GPL‑3.0+
- Available in major distro repositories
- Can output data to plain text or CSV
How to install CPU-X on Linux
flatpak install flathub io.github.thetumultuousunicornofdarkness.cpu-xsudo apt install cpu-xsudo apt install cpu-xsudo dnf install cpu-xsudo pacman -S cpu-xsudo zypper install cpu-x