Mac Treat #180: About This Mac Gets a Facelift in Lion

The About This Mac feature on your Mac has always been a shortcut to the details and specs on your computer. It provides a quick reference if you need to know how much RAM is installed, your serial number, or processor speed at-a-glance.

Before I get to the snazzy new look in Lion, though, I want to point out a tip that’s inherent in all versions of OS X: When you first select About This Mac from the Apple menu, a window pops up with some basic specs, including the version of the OS. Just by clicking those words, the data will rotate through, giving you access to your serial number right there.

In that main window, there’s a button labeled More Info… that you can click to view your System Information. Here’s where Lion has made this much more user friendly! Visually, it’s a complete overhaul, with the old text lists making way for photos to help you understand what you’re looking at.

It’s not just prettier, though. Browse through the website-like menu navigation (click for screenshots of Overview, Displays, Storage, Memory, Support and Service.) and you’ll find links to user manuals, upgrade instructions, warranty check information, the Help Center and more.

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