hwinfo as a Linux alternative to CPU-Z
Updated
Our verdict
hwinfo is a solid replacement for CPU‑Z for Linux users who need a quick, non‑intrusive snapshot of CPU, memory, and motherboard details. It pulls the same core data that CPU‑Z shows—CPU model, core count, clock speeds, cache sizes, RAM type and speed, chipset, BIOS version—and does so from the command line, making it ideal for scripts or remote servers. It is best for users who prefer terminal tools or need to run the check on headless machines.
- License
- GPL-2.0+
- Price
- Free
- Latest version
- 26.0
- Rating
- —
What works the same
- Both report CPU model, core count, clock speeds, and cache sizes
- Both provide RAM type, size, and speed
- Both give motherboard chipset and BIOS/firmware version
- Both are command‑line utilities that can be scripted
- Both are free and open source
What is different
- hwinfo shows a broader range of devices (PCI, USB, network, storage) that CPU‑Z does not
- CPU‑Z offers a graphical interface; hwinfo is purely text
- hwinfo does not export to the .txt format used by CPU‑Z; it outputs plain text or XML
- CPU‑Z includes a small set of extra diagnostics (e.g., temperature sensors) that hwinfo may not expose
- CPU‑Z is available on Windows only; hwinfo is Linux‑only
Opening your CPU-Z files
CPU‑Z saves its data in a plain text report that can be copied to a file, but hwinfo does not read or import CPU‑Z files. To compare results, run both tools side‑by‑side and manually compare the output. No direct import/export exists.
Switching from CPU-Z to hwinfo, step by step
- Install hwinfo via your distro’s package manager (e.g., apt install hwinfo).
- Run "hwinfo --short" to get a concise summary of CPU, memory, and motherboard data.
- Redirect the output to a file with "hwinfo --short > hwinfo.txt" for later review.
- If you need the same format as CPU‑Z, use "hwinfo --short | grep -E 'CPU|Memory|Chipset|BIOS'" and manually format the text.
- Compare the output with a saved CPU‑Z report to ensure all key fields match.
Key features of hwinfo
- Displays detailed CPU architecture and flags
- Lists memory modules and sizes
- Provides PCI and USB device information
- Shows network interface details
- Reports storage device and partition info
- Outputs data in various formats for scripting
How to install hwinfo on Linux
sudo apt install hwinfosudo apt install hwinfosudo dnf install hwinfosudo pacman -S hwinfosudo zypper install hwinfoFrequently asked questions
Does hwinfo support remote execution via SSH?
Yes, you can run "ssh user@host hwinfo --short" to get the same hardware snapshot from a remote machine.
Is hwinfo safe to run on a production server?
It is lightweight and non‑intrusive; it reads system files and does not modify any configuration.
Can I get a JSON output from hwinfo?
hwinfo can output XML; you can convert the XML to JSON with a script, but it does not provide JSON natively.
3 other alternatives to CPU-Z
CPU-XCPU-X is a free, open‑source tool that collects detailed CPU, motherboard, and system information on Linux…Open sourceFreeFlatpakCPU-X vs CPU-Zlshwlshw is a command‑line tool that lists detailed hardware information on Linux systems.Open sourceFreelshw vs CPU-ZinxiA command-line system information tool that reports hardware, kernel, and OS details in a human-readable…Open sourceFreeinxi vs CPU-Z