Computer Hardware

Computer
A computer is an electronic device that manipulates information, or "data." It can store, retrieve,
and process data.

Hardware
It is any part of your computer that has a physical structure.

Software
It is any set of instructions that tells the hardware what to do.

Desktop computers are designed for use at a desk or table. They are typically larger and more
powerful than other types of personal computers. Desktop computers are made up of separate
components.

System Unit — CPU

Laptop
Is battery or AC-powered personal computer that are more portable than desktop computers,
allowing you to use them almost anywhere.

Server
It is a computer that "serves up" information to other computers on a network.

a server is an example of a computer program or device that accepts and responds to requests
made by another program, known as a client.

Tablet
A tablet, tablet computer, or tablet PC is a mobile computing device designed to be held in one or
two hands.
It is approximately the size of a hardcover book (seven inches or bigger), and resembles a large
smartphone.

Smartphone
is a cell phone that allows you to do more than make phone calls and send text messages.
can browse the Internet and run software programs like a computer.
use a touch screen to allow users to interact with them
Two Main Style of Personal Computer

MAC
The Macintosh computer was introduced in 1984, and it was the first widely sold personal computer
with a Graphical User Interface, or GUI (pronounced gooey).

PC
This type of computer began with the original
IBM PC that was introduced in 1981.

BASIC PARTS OF COMPUTER

System Unit
The system unit is the core of a computer system. Usually it's a rectangular box placed on or
underneath your desk.
Mouse
Monitor
Keyboard
Speaker
Printer

The Internal Hardware

Motherboard
It is the main circult board typical desktop computer, laptop or server.

Blue - Ram slot

Grey box - CPU

MOTHERBOARDFORM FACTORS
is the specification of a motherboard - the dimensions, power supply type, location of mounting
holes, number of ports on the back panel, etc.

Central Processing Unit

The PC processor also called the central processing unit. It is the hardware within a computer that
carries out the instructions of a computer program by performing the basic arithmetical, logical, and
input/output operations of the system.
Clock Speed
is a processor's rating that measure a certain number of information processed per second.

FSB Front Side Bus

serves as the processors connection to the system memory.
FSB transfer speed allows better processor performance.

Cache
enabiles the processor to speedily access recently used imformation.

32-bit (x86) vs. 64-but (x64)

There are two different types of CPUs. There is a 32-bit CPU and there is a 64-bit CPU. The main
difference between these two processors is the structure. The older processor which is the 32-bit
processor has a structure that can process instructions less efficiently than a 64-bit processor.

Random Access Memory (RAM)

Power Supply Unit

Convert direct current (DC)
power that your motherboard, drives and other peripherals need.

Motherboard Connector
berg connector
molex connector
SATA cable (PATA)
24 pin ATX
4 pin ATX
PCIE Power Connector

Graphics Card (Expansion card)

Graphics Card (also called a video adapter, display card, graphics card, graphics board, display
adapter or graphics adapter) is an expansion card which generates a feed of output images to a
display.

PCI
Short for Peripheral Component
Interconnect, PCI was introduced by
Intel in 1992.

AGP Accelerated Graphics Port

Short for accelerated graphics port, AGP is an advanced port designed for video cards and 3D
accelerators.
Developed by Intel and introduced in
August 1997.
AGP channel is 32-bits wide and runs &
66 MHz, which is a total bandwidth of
266 MBps and much greater than the
PCI bandwidth of up to 133 MBps

PCI-E
originally known as 3rd Generation I/O (3GIO), PCI Express, or PCle.
Approved in July 2002 as a serial computer expansion bus standard.

It was designed as a high-speed replacement for the aging PCI and

AGP standards and is available in different formats.

What's on the card?

DisplayPort is a digital display interface developed by the Video Electronics Standards

Association (VESA). It can also be used to transmit audio, USB, and other forms of data.

High Definition Multimedia Interface simultaneously transmitting visual and audio data via the same
cable.

(DVI) Digital Visual Interface Digital-based standard designed for displays such as flat-panel
displays (LCDs, plasma screens, wide high-definition television displays) and video projectors.

Analog D-Sub is standard interface for analog monitor. It was designed for CRT displays.

Common IO ports

A port is connector on a motherboard or on a separate adapter that allows a device to connect to a

computer.

1. The PS/2 (Personal System/2) port, also referred to as the mouse port or keyboard port, was
 1.
developed by IBM. It is used to connect a computer mouse or keyboard to an IBM compatible
computer.
2. The PS/2 port is a mini DIN plug that contains six pins and is still sometimes found on all IBM
compatible computers.
3. DVI PORT (Digital Visual Interface)
Short for Digital Visual Interface, DVI is a video display interface. It was developed for
transmitting digital video content to display devices at resolutions as high as 2560 × 1600.
DVI can even be used with some TVs, although HDMI is more common as only some DVI
cables can transmit audio signals.
4. Parallel Port - referred to as the Centronics interface or Centronics connector after the
company that originally designed it, the port was later developed by Epson. The parallel port
is found on the back of IBM compatible computers and is a 25-pin (type DB-25) computer
interface commonly used to connect printers to the computer.
5. Video graphic array port (VGA port)/Video Graphics Adapter/Video Graphics Array, VGA is a
popular display standard developed by IBM and introduced in 1987. VGA provides 640 × 480
resolution color display screens with a refresh rate of 60 Hz and 16 colors displayed at a time.
If the resolution is lowered to 320 x 200, 256 colors are shown.
6. USB port - USB 3.0 is a Universal Serial Bus (USB) standard, released in November 2008.
Most new computers and devices being manufactured today support USB 3.0. It is often
referred to as SuperSpeed USB.
7. LAN port - referred to as an Ethernet port, network connection, and network port, the LAN
port allows a computer to connect to a network using a wired connection.
8. USB port (possibly a USB 1.1 or USB 2.0 port) - USB 2.0 was released in April 2000 and was
stated to have a data transfer rate of up to 480 Mbps. In August 1998, USB 1.1 was released
and was much better received in the market. Many more USB devices were sold with the
release of USB 1.1. Data transfer rate up to 12 Mbps
9. Line in - referred to as audio in and sound in, the line in or line-in is a jack found on computer
sound cards that enable a user to connect an external audio device. These devices include
CD players, audio mixers, musical instruments, and microphones. They are used to record,
play, and modify the incoming audio.
10. Line out - referred to as audio out and sound out, the line out jack is found on computer
sound cards. It allows external speakers, headphones, or other output devices to be
connected to the computer, transferring computer generated audio to the devices so that it
can be heard.
11. MIC Port use to insert microphone - A microphone is a device that captures audio by
converting sound waves into an electrical signal. This signal can be amplified as an analog
signal or may be converted to a digital signal, which can be processed by a computer or other
digital audio device