How to check my laptop manufacturing date

Not sure of hold old your computer/laptop is? In this post, we’ve highlighted a handful of different methods that you can use to tell hold old your computer is.

Whether you’re wondering how old your computer/laptop is because you think it might be time for an upgrade, or you want to check if your system is still under warranty, there are a few easy ways to tell how old your system is.

In this guide, we’ve outlined four different ways that you can tell how old your computer is.

1. Check Your Computer or Laptop’s Serial Number (If Available)

If you bought a pre-built system from a company like Dell or HP, or you have a laptop, the chances are that there is a sticker somewhere on your computer that has a serial number on it. On a desktop computer, the serial number will likely be found on the back of the computer. For a laptop, the serial number will likely be found on the underside of the chassis.

One you’ve found your system’s serial number, simply type it into Google and the manufacturer’s website should show up and they should have information about your computer—including an approximate manufacturing date.

2. Check Your BIOS Version via Command Prompt: systeminfo.exe

Running the systeminfo.exe commmand prompt will pull up a bunch of information on your computer and that can be used to help estimate how old your system is.

This prompt will also tell you the ‘Original Install Date’ of Windows, but this date can be misleading since Windows resets the install date listed every time there is a big Windows update released. For instance, I know that my computer was build in December of 2017, however, the ‘Original Install Date’ in the systeminfo.exe prompt shows ‘8/13/2019’.

So, the better way to check via systeminfo.exe is to look at the ‘BIOS Version’ listed. For mine, it says American Megatrends Inc. 0408, 8/31/2017. That is pretty close to the date that I built my computer and is close enough to give a good idea of how old the computer is.

Here’s the step-by-step process to pulling up your system’s info via command prompt:

1. In the Windows search box in the taskbar, type cmd and hit enter.
2. Once the Command Prompt window has opened, type systeminfo.exe and hit enter.
3. Scroll down until you see ‘BIOSVersion:”
4. Check the date listed

If you have updated your BIOS since you have purchased your computer, though, that might not give an accurate date. And, if you bought your computer used, there’s no guarantee that the BIOS was not updated by the previous owner. So, even after you check the date that is displayed after ‘BIOS Version’ it is a good idea to cross-check the date with some of the other methods listed here.

3. Check Your CPU’s Release Date

Another way that can give you a rough estimate of how old your computer is is to check what CPU you have and then see when that CPU was first manufactured.

This method won’t give you a super accurate date of how old your computer is. New CPUs come out every year or so, but some computer manufacturers do use older generation processors in their budget-oriented systems and there is the possibility that the system you bought sat on a shelf (or—if you bought it online—in stock) for any given amount of time.

But, generally, checking your CPUs original release date can at least give you a ballpark range of how old your computer is—especially if you cross-check it with the methods listed in this guide.

Here’s how to check your CPUs original release date:

1. In the Windows search box in the taskbar, type sysinfo and hit enter.
2. Your CPU will be listed next to ‘Processor’
3. Take your processor name and search for it in Google
4. Click on the manufacturer’s website (either Intel or AMD)
5. Somewhere on that page, there should be an initial release date of your processor

For my processor (Intel Core i7-8700K), Intel lists an original release date of Q4’17, which falls right in line with when I built my computer.

Again, this method isn’t perfect, but it can help you narrow down hold old your system is.

4. Check the ‘Date modified’ Dates of the Folders in Your (C:) Drive

Another way that you can use to help you tell how old your computer or laptop is, is to check the ‘Date modified’ dates of the folders in your computer’s (C:) drive.

This is another method that isn’t full-proof and it is possible that you will see items in your (C:) drive that are actually older than what your computer is. But, again, this can be a good method to cross-check the information you’ve found using the methods listed above.

Here’s how to check you (C:) drive’s folders:

1. In the Windows search box in the taskbard, type file explore and hit enter.
2. In the File Explorer on the left-hand sidem click on ‘This PC’
3. Then, double-click on ‘Local Disk (C:)’
4. Check the ‘Date modified’ dates listed after the folders
5. You can also hit the ‘Date modified’ tab twice to sort by the oldest items

For me, the folder for my processor (Intel) lists a date of 12/19/2017, and there is a text file called ‘audio’ that lists the same date. If I go into the ‘Windows’ folder and sort by the oldest items, the oldest folder there has a date of 12/19/2017.

However, in the main (C:) drive, there is an item ‘msdia80.dll’ (it’s a part of the Microsoft Visual C++ 2005 Redistributable Package and is a necessary file) that has a ‘Date modified’ date of 12/1/2006. Obviously, I know my computer isn’t that old. So, beware of taking the oldest file in your (C:) drive and assuming that was the date your system was manufactured.

Ultimately, finding out how old your computer is can be as simple as checking the serial code of the system, punching it into Google, and seeing approximately when it was manufactured. Or, it can be as difficult as using the other three methods listed above and cross-checking them to get a general idea of when your system was built.

Do you know how to check the laptop manufacturing date? It’s one thing to buy a laptop in the year, but it’s a whole other thing to figure out when it was manufactured.

Finding out when your laptop was manufactured could give you a better idea about how old it is and the components that are installed inside. There are a whole host of different things that you need to know about the manufacturing date of your laptop.

Typically, you will want to know the manufacturing date of your device because it will help you claim the warranty. Or, if you are buying a used laptop, you might want to at least know the manufacturing date so you can figure out whether the device is worth the money you are paying for it.

It’s not easy to buy a used laptop without doing a bit of research on your own first, so it’s recommended that you check the laptop manufacturing date.

Thankfully, there are a variety of different options available to you when it comes to checking the laptop manufacturing date. If you are confused, here are six simple ways to check the manufacturing date of your device.

1. Check System Information in Windows

While there is a way to check the date directly from the hardware side of things, you should know you can also check the date using the system information in Windows.

If your operating system is powered by Windows, you should just open the Start Menu and write “system information.” You can also do the same by pressing the Windows button and typing the words.

Then, a system summary is going to open, and from there, all you need to do is check for the BIOS version or the date mentioned from the numerous items that will be listed in the table. Here, you will also find the name of the manufacturer and the date in which the laptop was made.

There’s also another way to access this information: just press the Windows key + R, and that’s going to take you straight to the screen with the information about your laptop.

If your laptop is still powered by the original operating system your manufacturer installed, the date of installation will also give you a better idea. Usually, the date of installation is the same as the date of manufacture.

To figure this out, you need to first type CMD in the startup menu. From there, type “systeminfo,” and press Enter. As soon as you do that, a whole host of details about your laptop are going to be shown on the screen.

Here, you will also find the original installation date of your laptop too. It’s a great way to figure out more details about the computer.

You might have an old laptop in the house, and you might be interested in finding out when it was manufactured. But, contacting the manufacturer isn’t going to do the trick; they simply won’t be able to help you.

Instead, the easiest way to figure this out is through the search engine on your laptop. Thanks to advancements in technology, there are now quite a few ways by which you can figure out the manufacturing date of your laptop.

You can search online on any of the popular search engines, and find the date of manufacture of your laptop. But, if the information you come across does not seem conclusive, you might want to get in touch with an organization that specializes in computer history.

They might be able to help you, considering the fact that they have resources dedicated primarily to this sort of thing.

1. Contact the Manufacturer and Tell Them the Serial Number

Contacting the manufacturer doesn’t always have to be difficult; you might want to approach them with the serial number of your laptop. As you can see, the first thing you need is the serial number of your machine.

The serial number is important whenever you contact the manufacturer, as it will help you claim a warranty, find information about your laptop, and generally get details about the machine.

Ideally, the serial number is placed at the bottom of the laptop, so you have to first turn it around. Usually, you will find a label or the serial number will be laser printed on the underside. But, if you don’t find it, don’t worry.

You need to check the battery compartment as well. Remove the battery, and look underneath. The label might be placed underneath the battery compartment.

Usually, most manufacturers provide tools on their website to help people figure out the date of manufacture by simply inserting the serial number.

If that isn’t present on the manufacturer’s website, all you have to do is email them or call them and give them the serial number.

There is another way to get the laptop manufacturing date: check the BIOS. The Basic Input and Output System is designed to control the flow of information between the software and the hardware on your device.

It’s installed during the manufacture. When you get to the BIOS screen, you can easily get access to the product number, the serial number, along with the date of manufacture.

1. Check the Type of Motherboard

Another excellent way to figure out the manufacturing date of your laptop is to check the type of motherboard. Determining the date of manufacture of a Windows laptop is difficult, because most laptops are upgradeable, and you can easily change almost all of the components.

However, if you want an accurate solution, you should check the serial sticker installed on your motherboard. Just open your laptop, and look on the serial number.

Just add the serial number into any search engine, and you will be able to get the information about when the laptop was manufactured.

1. For a MAC Laptop, Look at the “About this MAC”

Apple has been releasing a wide range of excellent computers in the past, and if you own a Mac laptop, you might want to check the “about this Mac” settings.

To do that, you need to first close all of the running programs, and then click on the Apple Icon. From there, just tap on About This Mac, and you will get all the relevant information at your disposal.

The version listed below the Mac OS X is where you want to double click. The serial number will be shown right there. You can use that serial number and find out more details directly from Apple’s website. This will allow you to figure out when your laptop was manufactured.

Sometimes, finding the manufacturing date of your laptop is as simple as just turning it backward and looking at the underside. You might be able to find the manufacturing date of the laptop etched at the bottom.

However, in some cases, you might have to go the extra mile and follow the steps given above to find the date of manufacture. These are just a few things you should know about finding the manufacturing date of your laptop on your own.