Practical steps for common PC hardware questions using Speccy.
Read XMP/EXPO and verify effective MHz from base clock.
Use live sensors and fan RPM to spot throttling early.
Export to URL/XML for Reddit and tech support.
Read wear indicators and predict SSD health issues early.
Open Speccy and navigate to Memory. Note the “Type” field for DDR4 or DDR5, and review “DRAM Frequency.” For DDR modules, the effective rate is double the reported base. For example, ~1600 MHz base equals 3200 MT/s effective. Confirm XMP or EXPO status to ensure the memory is running at its rated speed.
Keep Speccy open while gaming or stress testing. Watch CPU and GPU temperature graphs and fan RPM. If temperatures climb toward vendor limits or fans ramp continuously, clean dust, improve case airflow, re‑paste the CPU, or adjust fan curves. Sustained temperatures beyond safe ranges indicate cooling or ambient issues.
Use the Snapshot feature to export a concise .txt or .xml report. When posting for help, publish a private URL to avoid attachment limits and to keep formatting clean. Include context like recent upgrades or crashes so helpers can correlate hardware with symptoms.
Check attributes such as reallocated sectors, media wearout indicator, and total bytes written. A “Good” overall S.M.A.R.T status suggests the drive is operating within normal thresholds. Back up immediately if critical attributes degrade or error counts rise quickly.
Export a .TXT snapshot and use Ctrl+F to quickly search for components or attributes like “PCIe,” “S.M.A.R.T,” or “RPM.” This helps you spot details fast when troubleshooting.
