Internal Hardware

• System Unit


  Also known as a "tower" or "chassis," contains the main components of a desktop computer including the motherboard, CPU, RAM, and other components
• Motherboard


  • Serves as a central backbone to which all other modular parts can be attached
  • Accepts different components for customization
  • Distributes power to PC components
  • Electronically coordinates and interfaces the operation of the components
• Central Processing Unit (CPU)


  The hardware within a computer that carries out the instructions of a computer program by performing basic arithmetical, logical, and input/output operations
• CPU Clock Speed


  • Measures the number of information processed per second
• Front Side Bus (FSB)


  • Serves as the processor's connection to the system memory, allowing better processor performance

  
• L2 Cache


  • Enables the processor to speedily access recently used information
• 32-bit (x86) vs 64-bit (x64) CPUs


  The 32-bit processor has a structure that can process instructions less efficiently than a 64-bit processor
• Accelerated Processing Unit (APU)


  A processing system that includes additional processing capability designed to accelerate one or more types of computations outside of a CPU, combining CPU and GPU elements into a single architecture
• Multicore Processor


  • Integrates multiple physical processors on a single chip, dividing the application between the processors to allow the system to function faster by running multiple threads
• Overclocking


  The term used for pushing a processor to operate higher than what is officially rated by its vendor, enabling the system to extend its capabilities by almost or more than 25%
• Random Access Memory (RAM)


  Memory that looks like a fiberglass strip with notches on the sides and edges, fitting into different types of sockets

  
• Single In-Line Memory Module (SIMM)


  • Ancient, pre-Pentium computers use the smaller size (31⁄2 inches long), which has 30 pins and usually holds less than 20 MB of memory
  • Early Pentium computers used a larger size (4 1⁄4 inches long), which has 72 pins and usually holds no more than 64 MB of memory

  
• Dual In-Line Memory Module (DIMM)


  A type of RAM module

  
• Synchronous Dynamic RAM (SDRAM)


  A type of RAM
• Double Data Rate SDRAM (DDR-SDRAM)


  A type of RAM
• Hard Disk Drive (HDD)


  • Capacity - The amount of data the hard drive can store
  • Access or Seek Time - The time the drive takes to locate stored files, measured in milliseconds
  • Data Transfer Rate - How fast the computer can grab information from files, broken down into burst and sustained rates
  • Revolutions per Minute (RPM) - The speed at which the hard drive's internal disks spin

  
• Solid State Drive (SSD)


  A newer, faster type of storage device that stores data on instantly-accessible memory chips

  
• IDE/ATA/PATA Technology


  The technology used by most hard drives, often referred to as ATA (AT Attachment) or PATA (Parallel ATA)

  
• SATA Technology


  The newest incarnation of the IDE/ATA drives, offering greater performance through sleek, thin cables

  
• Power Supply


  Converts high-voltage alternating current (AC) power into the lower voltage direct current (DC) power that the motherboard and drives need
• Graphics Card


  An expansion card which generates a feed of output images to a display
• DisplayPort


  • A digital display interface developed by VESA, primarily used to connect a video source to a display device

  
• HDMI


  • Simultaneously transmits visual and audio data via the same cable
• DVI


  • A digital-based standard designed for displays such as flat-panel displays and video projectors

  
• VGA


  • The standard interface for analog monitors, designed for CRT displays

  
• PS/2 Ports


  Old-style 5 pin DIN connectors for keyboard and mouse, now mostly replaced by USB
• Parallel/Printer Port


  Also called the Line Printer Terminal (LPT) port, used for old printers and not found on newer computers
• USB Port


  Used to connect USB devices, found on just about everything attached to a computer
• Ethernet Port


  Connects an RJ-45 jack to the LAN port to connect the computer to a network
• Audio Ports


  Include SPDIF, a standard for transmitting high-quality digital audio without going through an analogue conversion process
• The CPU is the brain of the computer.
• CPU stands for Central Processing Unit
• A processor is also called a microprocessor or central processing unit (CPU).
• A microprocessor is an integrated circuit that contains all or most of the components needed to process data, including arithmetic logic unit (ALU), control unit, registers, and cache memory.
• The CPU performs most of the data manipulation tasks required by programs running on your computer.
• The ALU performs mathematical operations such as addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, and comparison.
• The ALU performs mathematical operations such as addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, etc.
• It reads instructions from memory, decodes them into signals that can be understood by other components, executes those instructions, and then stores the results back in memory.
• The CPU has two main parts: the control unit and the arithmetic logic unit (ALU)
• The Control Unit coordinates the activities of other parts of the system by sending signals to them when they are required.