A computer is a machine that manipulates data according to a set of instructions.

Computer Systems are made up of many different parts, for example hardware, software, processors, memory etc.

What is Hardware?

Hardware is the physical components of a computer system such as keyboard, monitor, mouse, printer etc.

A computer is made up of multiple physical components of computer hardware, upon which can be installed an operating system and a multitude of software to perform the operator’s desired functions.

Though a computer comes in many different form factors, a typical personal computer consists of a case or chassis in a tower shape (desktop) and the following parts: CPU, Motherboard, Disk Drives, Memory, Cache.

Parts of a computer

The motherboard is the brain of the computer. Components directly attached to the motherboard include:

The central processing unit (CPU) performs most of the calculations which enable a computer to function, and is sometimes referred to as the “brain” of the computer. It is usually cooled by a heat sink and fan.

The chipset mediates communication between the CPU and the other components of the system, including main memory.

RAM Stores all running processes (applications) and the current running OS. RAM Stands for Random Access Memory

The BIOS includes boot firmware and power management. The Basic Input Output System tasks are handled by operating system drivers.

A Pictorial Guide to Computer Hardware

From every kind of memory to A/V input/outputs, processors, and hard drives, this guide shows in easy-to-recognize pictorial form the possible guts in your computer. It’s either a really useful quick guide, or the nerdiest poster we’ve ever seen.

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