Different Parts of a Computer

View with images and charts

Different Parts of a Computer

COMPUTER

Computer is a machine that can be programmed to manipulate symbols. Computers can perform complex and repetitive procedures quickly, precisely and reliably and can quickly store and retrieve large amounts of data.

HARDWARE

Hardware refers to a physical piece of a computer. This could be a hard drive, monitor, memory chip, or CPU etc. The key idea is that the item is something we can touch. This compares to software which is not tangible in any way. We can’t pick it up or weigh it. Yet, without software, hardware is useless.

MAIN BOARD

Also called the “system board,” it is the main printed circuit board in an electronic device, which contains sockets that accept additional boards. In a desktop computer, the motherboard contains the CPU, chipset, PCI bus slots, AGP slot, memory sockets and controller circuits for the keyboard, mouse, disks and printer. It may also have built-in controllers for modem, sound, display and network, obviating the need to plug in a card. A laptop motherboard typically has all peripheral controllers built in. See CPU, chipset, PCI, AGP and controller.

CPU – Central Processing unit

Also called processor. An electronic device designed to accept data, perform prescribed mathematical and logical operations at high speed, and display the results of these operations.

AGP -Accelerated Graphics port

Accelerated Graphics Port (AGP) is an interface specification that enables 3-D graphics to display quickly on ordinary personal computers. AGP is designed to convey 3-D images (for example, from Web sites or CD-ROMs) much more quickly and smoothly than is possible today on any computer other than an expensive graphics workstation. It is especially useful in conjunction with gaming, three-dimensional (3D) video, and sophisticated scientific/engineering graphics programs.

HDD-Hard Disk Drive

A computer’s main storage media device, also called a hard disk drive or abbreviated as HD or HDD. The hard drive was first introduced on September 13, 1956 and consists of one or more hard disk platters inside of air sealed casing. Most hard drives are permanently stored in an internal drive bay at the front of the computer and are connected with ATA, SCSI, or a SATA cable and power. Cable.

RAM – Random Access Memory

RAM, also called memory, is temporary storage space on chips in our computer. RAM stands for Random Access Memory. RAM holds files and programs temporarily while we use them. When we turn off the power to the computer, everything in RAM “disappears.”

CD/DVD-ROM

CD (Compact Disk)/DVD (digital versatile disk)-ROM stands for read-only memory and refers to a drive that can read CD/DVD discs. The advent of CD/DVD-ROM drives has made it easier for computer users to access large amounts of data as well as providing a medium for watching video & listening music.

KEYBOARD

On most computers, a keyboard is the primary text input device. (The mouse is also a primary input device but lacks the ability to easily transmit textual information.) The keyboard also contains certain standard function keys, such as the Escape key, tab and cursor movement keys, shift and control keys, and sometimes other manufacturer-customized keys.

MOUSE

The most popular pointing device. Called a “mouse” because the cord resembled a mouse’s tail, most mice today are cordless. Graphical interfaces (GUIs) are designed for mice but key commands for equivalent functions in business applications are often available as an alternative. However, CAD and imaging applications demand a pointing device. On a PC, the mouse connects to the PS/2 or USB port.

SPEAKER

A device that converts analog audio signals into the equivalent air vibrations in order to make audible sound. Although CRT usage has faded, speakers designed for computers are shielded to avoid magnetic interference with the CRT’s magnetic coil.

CASING

A computer case (also known as a computer chassis, cabinet, box, tower, enclosure, housing or simply case) is the enclosure that contains the main components of a computer. A computer case is sometimes referred to metonymously as a CPU, referring to the primary component housed within the case; this was a more common term in the earlier days of home computers, when peripherals other than the motherboard were usually housed in their own separate cases. Cases are usually constructed from steel (often SECC – Steel, Electrically Chromate Coated), aluminum, or plastic, although other materials such as wood, Plexiglas, and Lego have also been used in case designs.