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Articles: Electronics
- What's in a Computer
By Ron
King
There are many fancy add-ons for computers, but
the basic components of the computer are simple and universal.
If one of these main components is missing, it’s not a
computer.
The four essentials of every computer system
are: a motherboard, a Central Processing Unit (CPU), memory, and a
hard drive. These components are installed in a case to which are
attached a monitor, a keyboard and a mouse. That’s your basic
computer.
The motherboard ("mobo" for short) is the
foundation. Everything attaches to the mobo -- the CPU, memory, hard
drive, monitor, mouse, keyboard, add-on cards, even additional
peripherals like printers, scanners, and speakers. The motherboard
is like the nervous system and skeleton of the human body -- it
provides support for the internal components and also passes
information between the computer parts.
If the
motherboard is the nervous system, then the CPU is the brain. Most
of the mathematical manipulations that make computers operate are
done by the CPU. Other components may also have their own
processors, but their results still have to be passed through the
CPU.
The speed of the computer is usually measured by the
speed of the CPU. Even though other factors also affect overall
speed, the CPU rating is generally seen as the single most important
measure of performance.
Modern CPUs are usually rated
between 2.0 GHz and 3.0 GHz, although each passing month will see
increasing performance. This measurement refer to the number of
calculations the processor can make in 1 second. The higher the
number, the faster (better) the computer.
CPUs generate a
lot of heat doing this work, so they need a heat sink and fan to
keep them from overheating. Heat is a major enemy of the computer
and directly affects its life span.
RAM (Random Access
Memory) is the part of the computer that stores information the
computer needs while it is operating. It is Random Access because
the computer can get the data in any order, not necessarily the
order in which it is stored. Generally speaking, the more RAM the
better. 512 to 1024 megabytes is common for memory.
The most
common type of RAM these days is DDR-SDRAM, which stands for
double-data-rate synchronous dynamic random access memory. We
already know what the RAM part means. DDR means that the data is
accessed twice as fast as ordinary RAM.
The latest type of
RAM is DDR2. It offers even faster access rates and is quickly
becoming the standard for computer memory.
All the data
contained in RAM is lost when the computer is turned off, so there
has to be a place to store it permanently. This is what the hard
disk is for.
It holds the computer’s operating system. An
operating system like Windows uses around 4 gigabytes of hard drive
space. The extra space is used to install computer programs and to
store your personal data.
80 gigabyte hard drives are
common, but 400 GB units are available. Furthermore, you can install
more than 1 in a computer case for added security and
convenience.
All you need to complete the basic
computer system is a monitor, keyboard and mouse.
Accessories like a printer or scanner are useful for office
work, and gamers will probably want to add speakers and joystick
controls.
So there you have it. The basic computer needs
just 7 major components. For the best performance, these components
must integrate well. The motherboard is the most important component
for determining the type and specification of the other parts.
Choosing an appropriate mobo for your computer needs is the first
step and may require a quick call to your local
geek.
Ron King is a full-time researcher, writer, and
web developer. Visit http://www.build-computer-now.com
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