Without hardware, there would be no way of running the essential software that makes computers so useful. Software is defined as the virtual programs that run on your computer; that is, operating system, internet browser, word-processing documents, etc. Although a computer can function only when both hardware and software are working together, the speed of a system will largely rely on the hardware used.
When building up a new computer, or simply replacing old parts, you may need to know the specific hardware in your computer. The purpose of this guide is therefore to help you understand the inner-workings of your computer. The motherboard is at the center of what makes a PC work.
It houses the CPU and is a hub that all other hardware runs through. The ports on the motherboard will also help you define what other hardware will be compatible with your computer, such as what type of RAM and graphics card you can use.
Although the motherboard is just one piece of circuitry, it is home to another one of the most important pieces of hardware: the processor. The CPU Central Processing Unit or processor is responsible for processing all information from programs run by your computer. This means that a processor advertising a high GHz rating will likely perform faster than a similarly specified processor of the same brand and age. The role of RAM is to temporarily store on-the-fly information created by programs and to do so in a way that makes this data immediately accessible.
The tasks that require random memory could be; rendering images for graphic design, edited video or photographs, multi-tasking with multiple apps open for example, running a game on one screen and chatting via Discord on the other. Find out how much memory your computer needs. The hard drive is a storage device responsible for storing permanent and temporary data.
This data comes in many different forms, but is essentially anything saved or installed to a computer: for example, computer programs, family photos, operating system, word-processing documents, and so on. Find out more about hard drives and how they work. There are two different types of storage devices: the traditional hard disk drive HDD and the newer solid state drives SSD. Hard disk drives work by writing binary data onto spinning magnetic disks called platters that rotate at high speeds, while a solid-state drive stores data by using static flash memory chips.
Find out more about computer storage and how solid state drives work. How much information is stored and how fast the computer can access the information is determined by the software working in tandem to store the information onto the hardware.
Most users never have to worry about the software outside of installing certain programs onto their computer. The same goes for the hardware. Outside of the keyboards and mouse, you really will only need to worry about system requirements and storage.
Most Popular. Types of Computer Hardware. Identity Theft and Social Networking Sites. Iphone Product Description. Lg Mobile Phones Information. How to Configure a Linux Ntp Server. Top Searches on. Singapore Jobs. By: Nbisea. Evolution of Office Equipments. Computer hardware refers to the physical components that make up a computer system. There are many different kinds of hardware that can be installed inside, and connected to the outside, of a computer.
Computer hardware may sometimes be seen abbreviated as computer hw. Take a tour inside a desktop computer to learn how all the hardware in a traditional desktop PC connects together to create the complete computer system like the one you may be using right now.
Here are some common individual computer hardware components that you'll often find inside a modern computer. These parts are almost always found inside the computer's case , so you won't see them unless you open the computer:. Here is some common hardware that you might find connected to the outside of a computer, although many tablets, laptops, and netbooks integrate some of these items into their housings:. Here are some less common individual computer hardware devices, either because these pieces are now usually integrated into other devices or because they've been replaced with newer technology:.
Network hardware isn't as clearly defined as some other types of computer hardware. For example, many home routers will often act as a combination router, switch, and firewall. In addition to all the items listed above, there's more computer hardware called auxiliary hardware , of which a computer might have none, or several, of some kinds:. Some of the devices listed above are called peripheral devices.
A peripheral device is a piece of hardware whether internal or external that isn't actually involved in the computer's main function. Examples include a monitor, video card, disc drive, and mouse. Computer hardware components individually heat up and cool down as they're used and then not used, meaning that eventually , every single one will fail. Some may even fail at the same time. Fortunately, at least with desktop computers and some laptop and tablet computers, you can replace the non-working piece of hardware without having to replace or rebuild the computer from scratch.
Here are some resources you should check out before you go out and purchase a new hard drive, replacement RAM sticks, or anything else you think may be going bad:. In Microsoft Windows, hardware resources are managed by Device Manager. It's possible that a "faulty" piece of computer hardware is really just in need of a device driver installation or update, or for the device to be enabled in Device Manager.
Hardware devices won't work at all if the device is disabled, or may not be running properly if the wrong driver is installed. If you decide that some hardware needs replacing or upgrading, find the manufacturer's support website for warranty information if it applies to you or look for identical or upgraded parts that you can buy directly from them.
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