Basic Parts Of Computer
Hardware and Software are the two basic parts of a computer system. Hardware is any part of a computer system you can see or touch. Peripheral A peripheral is any piece of hardware attached to a computer, such as a printer. Software is a set of electronic instructions that tell a computer what to do. Here’s a rundown of the components shown in the figure: Console: The main computer box is the console, although it may also be called the system unit. Monitor: The monitor is the device where the computer displays information, its output. Keyboard: It’s the thing you type on; it’s the.
How many basic parts of a computer are there? 50?The answer astounds most people when they first hear it: Seven including the computer case. Yes, you heard right.
It takes just seven parts to build a PC for mainstream users (six if you're not installing an optical drive).Graphics cards are absent from our computer parts list below because almost all current CPUs do come with integrated graphics, making discrete graphics cards an optional upgrade. 1.CPU: Central Processing Unit, also known as processor, microprocessorCPU Cooler: Also known as CPU heat sink, CPU fan, heat sink fan, HSFCPUmanufacturers Intel and AMD often bundle their CPUs together with heatsinks (with certain exceptions such as Sandy Bridge Extremeprocessors). So when you buy a boxed CPU, you are in fact getting aheat sink as well.
Recommended Power SuppliesBudget Computer:Mid Range Computer:Gaming Computer:Home Theater PC:5.Before we go any further, it's important to know that there are two distinct types of hard drives:1. Hard Disk Drive (HDD)This is your (traditional) mechanical hard drive that stores data on spinning disks. Compared to solid state drives, they are slower, drain more electricity and are more prone to physical failures. Google drive multiple accounts on same computer. But they make it up with bigger storage capacities and cheaper prices (per MB)2. Solid State Drive (SSD)Solid state drives are the up-and-coming successors in hard drive tech. Driven by electronic controllers (with zero moving parts), solid state drives read and write data faster, multitask better and can survive harder knocks.
The big downside is that they cost magnitudes more and still run into occasional firmware problems (being a less mature technology).For more details on the differences between them, be sure to check out our article.In the image below, we have a 3.5 inch hard disk drive HDD on the left, and a 2.5 inch solid state drive SSD on the right. Recommended Hard DrivesBudget Computer:Mid Range Computer: +Gaming Computer: +Home Theater PC: 6. Optical DriveThere are two choices for your optical drive when you are choosing parts to build a computer: DVD drive and Blu-ray driveThere are a few different types of DVD drives, with DVD-RW drives being most common:. DVD-ROM Drive: Can only read DVD discs. DVD-R Drive: Can read and record/write data to DVD-R discs once. DVD-RW Drive: Can read and rewrite (record and erase) data to DVD-RW discs multiple times.
The central processing unit (CPU), also called a processor, is located inside the computer case on the motherboard. It is sometimes called the brain of the computer, and its job is to carry out commands.
Whenever you press a key, click the mouse, or start an application, you're sending instructions to the CPU.The CPU is usually a two-inch ceramic square with a silicon chip located inside. The chip is usually about the size of a thumbnail. The CPU fits into the motherboard's CPU socket, which is covered by the heat sink, an object that absorbs heat from the CPU.A processor's speed is measured in megahertz (MHz), or millions of instructions per second; and gigahertz (GHz), or billions of instructions per second. A faster processor can execute instructions more quickly. However, the actual speed of the computer depends on the speed of many different components—not just the processor. RAM (random access memory).
RAM is your system's short-term memory. Whenever your computer performs calculations, it temporarily stores the data in the RAM until it is needed.This short-term memory disappears when the computer is turned off. If you're working on a document, spreadsheet, or other type of file, you'll need to save it to avoid losing it. When you save a file, the data is written to the hard drive, which acts as long-term storage.RAM is measured in megabytes (MB) or gigabytes (GB). The more RAM you have, the more things your computer can do at the same time.
If you don't have enough RAM, you may notice that your computer is sluggish when you have several programs open. Because of this, many people add extra RAM to their computers to improve performance. The power supply unit in a computer converts the power from the wall outlet to the type of power needed by the computer.
It sends power through cables to the motherboard and other components.If you decide to open the computer case and take a look, make sure to unplug the computer first. Before touching the inside of the computer, you should touch a grounded metal object —or a metal part of the computer casing —to discharge any static buildup. Static electricity can be transmitted through the computer circuits, which can seriously damage your machine. Expansion cardsMost computers have expansion slots on the motherboard that allow you to add various types of expansion cards.
These are sometimes called PCI (peripheral component interconnect) cards. You may never need to add any PCI cards because most motherboards have built-in video, sound, network, and other capabilities.However, if you want to boost the performance of your computer or update the capabilities of an older computer, you can always add one or more cards. Below are some of the most common types of expansion cards. The video card is responsible for what you see on the monitor. Most computers have a GPU (graphics processing unit) built into the motherboard instead of having a separate video card. If you like playing graphics-intensive games, you can add a faster video card to one of the expansion slots to get better performance. Sound cardThe sound card —also called an audio card —is responsible for what you hear in the speakers or headphones.
Basic Parts Of Computer Hardware
Most motherboards have integrated sound, but you can upgrade to a dedicated sound card for higher-quality sound. Network card.