You may wonder why a 64-bit based app is not running on the machine you are using. This is why it is crucial to acknowledge the processor architecture, for installing the operating system or running 3rd-party apps without hassle.
While on a 64-bit system, you can run both 32-bit & 64-bit programs, but 64-bit apps are incapable to run on a 32-bit system.
In this article, I will guide you on how to determine the CPU arc on Linux straightway. Let’s dive in.
How to Check CPU Architecture on Linux
32-bit (x86) & 64-bit (x86-64, AMD64 & IA64) are the 2 main CPU architecture types we use in modern days. As a 64-bit processor has more data path & memory address width than a 32-bit, it can process more data than a 32-bit version.
OS & other apps based on 32-bit have to be rewritten to work on a 64-bit processor. That way & along with the compatibility mode feature, 32-bit apps can run on a 64-bit system. But the opposite —64-bit on 32-bit is not workable.
So, how to find the CPU arc on Linux?
Three popular commands lscpu, uname -m & hostnamectl are used to discover the processor architecture on all Linux distros like Ubuntu, Kali, Linux Mint, Pop!_OS, etc. These cmds are very convenient to know about the CPU info.
Before you move on to the actual process, one thing to note is that you have the authority to manually control your CPU processes through Linux, such as determining processor affinity.
Here are the steps to use the commands to get info about the CPU arc:
1. With lscpu Command
Lscpu is the command I usually use to check CPU info. This command is a CPU architecture information helper that displays the CPU architecture info on the cmd console. Press Ctrl+Alt+T to open up the terminal. Then type the command as follows & hit enter,
The output will show the CPU architecture.
From this result, you can see that the architecture is showing x86_64 which indicates the processor is 64-bit.
Additionally, CPU op-mode(s) displaying 32-bit & 64-bit indicates that the chip supports both instructions.
You can continue with the following methods to verify the result.
2. With uname -m Command
This command’s uname provides info on the Linux system & kernel version, while the latter -m is used to get the machine HW name.
Open the terminal & type as follows,
From this sample result, it indicates that the processor is based on 64-bit architecture.
3. With hostnamectl Command
This command displays details of the current machine. After opening the terminal, type the command as follows,
From this example result, it shows the architecture as i686. This usually means the chip is based on a 32-bit kernel.
Besides these, you can also use cat /proc/cpuinfo command. From the result, in the flags section, you will see lm—Long Mode (64-bit), or tm—Transparent Mode (32-bit) that tells you about the CPU architecture.
Though people use Linux for a better experience, you may need to switch to a Mac or Windows system for specific purposes. In that case, if you want to check the processor architecture, continue reading to know the process.
That said, not only can you check the CPU architecture, but you can also check the CPU temperature on Linux. It goes even further and lets you configure power management on the Linux Mint distro.
Besides, for intended purposes, you can easily customize and configure the Linux Mint workspace.
How to Check CPU Architecture on Mac & Windows
For macOS systems, to determine the processor architecture, you have to find the processor name.
Here are the steps to verify CPU architecture on Mac:
- Select About This Mac by opening Apple Menu.
- Left-click on System Report.
- Locate the Processor Name.
If you use an M1 or M2 chip, then you will find Model Number & Chip, instead of processor name. In addition, those chips are based on 64-bit architecture.
However, if the processor name shows that you have an intel chip, then you can identify the chip architecture by following the table below.
| 32-bit | 64-bit |
|---|---|
| Intel Core Solo | Intel Core 2 Duo |
| Intel Core Duo | Intel Quad-Core Xeon |
| - | Dual-Core Intel Xeon |
| - | Intel Core i3 |
| - | Intel Core i5 |
| - | Intel Core i7 |
| - | Intel Core i9 |
For Windows users, press Win+R, then type & enter msinfo32 in the run box. From the System Summary, find System Type. If it is x64-based PC, then the chip is based on 64-bit architecture. But if it shows x86-based PC, then the architecture is 32-bit.
FAQs
What is Linux distro?
Linux distro (shortened from distribution) is an OS developed by programmers. These distros have a Linux kernel, terminal, management system, installer & other services.
How to check CPU temp on Linux?
Open the terminal on Linux & type sudo apt install lm-sensors. Hit enter & give the admin password if required. After downloading the package, type sensors-detect on the terminal & then sensors. After that, the terminal will show CPU temp.
Can CPU run at 100% usage?
CPU can run at 100% usage when required, like during heavy gaming or CPU-intensive productivity works. However, in idle states, running 100% of usage indicates virus attacks or continuous antivirus scanning.
Final Thought
Finding CPU architecture on Linux requires some command lines in the terminal. You can use lscpu, uname -m, or hostnamectl to get the architecture info.
In this article, I described with example output, how you can get CPU architecture. If you have any further queries, please leave a comment.
