The main devices of the computer “live” in the system unit. These include: motherboard, processor, video card, RAM, hard drive. But outside of it, usually on the table, no less important computer devices also “live”. Such as: monitor, mouse, keyboard, speakers, printer.
In this article we will look at, What does computer consist of what these devices look like, what function they perform and where they are located.
System unit.
In the first category, we will analyze those devices, or they are also called components, that are “hidden” in the system unit. They are the most important for his work. By the way, you can immediately look into the system unit. It is not difficult. It is enough to unscrew the two bolts on the back of the system unit and move the cover to the side, and then we will see a view of the most important devices of the computer, which we will now consider in order.
A motherboard is a printed circuit board that is designed to connect the main components of a computer. Some of them, for example, a processor or video card, are installed directly on the motherboard itself in a dedicated slot. And the other part of the components, for example, a hard drive or power supply, is connected to the motherboard using special cables.
A processor is a microcircuit and at the same time the “brain” of a computer. Why? Because he is responsible for performing all operations. The better the processor, the faster it will perform these same operations, and accordingly the computer will work faster. The processor, of course, affects the speed of the computer, and even greatly, but the speed of the PC will also depend on your hard drive, video card and RAM. So the most powerful processor does not guarantee greater computer speed if the remaining components are already outdated.
3. Video card.
A video card, or otherwise a graphics card, is designed to display images on a monitor screen. It is also installed on the motherboard, in a special PSI-Express connector. Less commonly, a video card can be built into the motherboard itself, but its power is most often only sufficient for office applications and browsing the Internet.
RAM is a rectangular strip, similar to a cartridge from old game consoles. It is intended for temporary storage of data. For example, it stores the clipboard. We copied some text on the site, and it immediately got into the RAM. Information about running programs, computer sleep mode and other temporary data are stored in RAM. A special feature of RAM is that the data from it is completely deleted after turning off the computer.
A hard drive, unlike RAM, is designed for long-term storage of files. It is otherwise called a hard drive. It stores data on special plates. SSD drives have also become widespread recently.
Their features include high speed of operation, but there is an immediate disadvantage - they are expensive. A 64 GB SSD drive will cost you the same price as a 750 GB hard drive. Can you imagine how much an SSD of several hundred gigabytes will cost? Whoa, whoa! But don’t be upset, you can buy a 64 GB SSD drive and use it as a system drive, that is, install Windows on it. They say that the speed of work increases several times. The system starts up very quickly, programs fly. I plan to upgrade to an SSD and store regular files on a traditional hard drive.
A disk drive is needed to work with disks. Although it is used much less frequently, it still won’t hurt on desktop computers. At a minimum, the disk drive will be useful for installing the system.
6. Cooling systems.
The cooling system consists of fans that cool the components. Typically three or more coolers are installed. Be sure to have one on the processor, one on the video card, and one on the power supply, and then as desired. If something is warm, it is advisable to cool it. Fans are also installed on hard drives and in the case itself. If the cooler in the case is installed on the front panel, then it takes away heat, and coolers installed on the rear compartment supply cold air to the system.
The sound card outputs sound to the speakers. It is usually built into the motherboard. But it happens that it either breaks and therefore is purchased separately, or initially the PC owner is not satisfied with the quality of the standard one and he buys another sound system. In general, a sound card also has the right to be on this list of PC devices.
A power supply is needed for all of the computer devices described above to work. It provides all components with the necessary amount of electricity.
8. Body
And in order to put the motherboard, processor, video card, RAM, hard drive, floppy drive, sound card, power supply and possibly some additional components somewhere, we need a case. There, all this is carefully installed, screwed in, connected and begins daily life, from switching on to switching off. The required temperature is maintained in the case, and everything is protected from damage.
As a result, we get a full-fledged system unit, with all the most important computer devices that are needed for its operation.
Peripherals.
Well, in order to fully start working on the computer, and not look at the “buzzing” system unit, we will need Peripheral devices. These include those computer components that are outside the system unit.
A monitor is naturally needed to see what we are working with. The video card supplies the image to the monitor. They are connected to each other using a VGA or HDMI cable.
The keyboard is designed for entering information, well, of course, what kind of work is there without a full keyboard. To type text, play games, surf the Internet, and everywhere you need a keyboard.
3. Mouse.
The mouse is needed to control the cursor on the screen. Move it in different directions, click, open files and folders, call various functions and much more. Just like without a keyboard, you can’t live without a mouse.
4. Speakers.
Speakers are needed mainly for listening to music, watching movies and playing games. Who else today uses speakers more than ordinary users reproduce them daily in these tasks.
A printer and scanner are needed to print and scan documents and everything else needed in the field of printing. Or MFP, multifunctional device. It will be useful to all those who often print, scan, make photocopies and perform many other tasks with this device.
In this article we have only briefly reviewed the main computer devices, and in others, links to which you see below, we will consider in detail all the most popular peripheral devices, as well as the components that are part of the system unit, that is, components.
Enjoy reading!
In this lesson we will look inside the system unit and Let's get acquainted with all the main internal components computer.
In the third lesson we learned what a processor, RAM and hard drive are needed for. In the fourth lesson, we saw the outside of a computer and learned what the various buttons and connectors are for. Today we will open the cover of the system unit and get acquainted with all the internal components.
Computer internals
When people talk about the internal structure of a computer, they usually mean those components that are located inside its housing. For a desktop computer, the case is the system unit; for laptops and netbooks, it is the lower of the opening halves (let me remind you that we were dedicated to types of computer equipment).
System unit components
To begin with, let's take a system unit that is not too new, but also not too old, in which all the main components are installed. And then we compare it with a more inexpensive option with fewer additional components.
So, let's look at the photo of the system unit of the IT lessons website.
What we see if we remove the cover of the computer system unit
The first thing that catches your eye is a lot of all sorts of printed circuit boards, “boxes” and wires. All boards and devices in a separate case are components that perform different tasks. Using wires, components exchange information and receive electrical power.
Let's look at all the components one by one.
1. Motherboard
All computer components are interconnected by one of the largest printed circuit boards (which can be immediately recognized in the photograph by their size), it is called system board or motherboard(in English version motherboard or mainboard).
System board (system unit component)
Some components are installed directly into the connectors located on the motherboard, while other components are connected to it using special wires into the corresponding connectors, and are installed in special compartments of the case.
You can learn more about the motherboard from subsequent IT lessons, but at a higher level of knowledge.
2. Power supply
In order for all components to perform their task, they must be powered with electrical energy. To supply this energy it is used computer power supply(in English power supply unit or PSU), from which wires stretch throughout the system unit.
Most devices have a special connector for connecting power, but some receive electrical energy through (which in this case will be an intermediary between the power supply and the device).
3. Central processor
We already got acquainted with the processor in, let me remind you that the task of the processor is to process information.
CPU(English) central processing unit And CPU) is installed in a special connector on the system board (the English name of the connector is “ Socket"). The processor socket is usually located at the top of the motherboard.
After installing the processor in the socket, a cooling system is installed on top - cooler(aluminum radiator with fan).
In the photo we see the cooler, under which the central processor is located.
4. RAM
We also got acquainted with RAM in the third lesson.
RAM(RAM, Random Access Memory, RAM), like the processor, is installed in special sockets on the motherboard.
RAM (system unit component)
RAM is made in the form of a small printed circuit board with memory chips installed on it, this whole design is called “ memory module" Due to the specific shape of the board, it is called a “bar”.
The photo shows that there are four connectors, and two RAM modules, and they are installed in connectors of the same color to increase operating speed (more about this mode in subsequent IT lessons at more “advanced” levels).
5. Video card
Video card(video adapter, graphics adapter, graphics card, graphics card, video card, video adapter, display card, graphics card, etc.) is designed for processing graphic objects that are displayed in the form of an image on the monitor screen.
The photo shows that in this case the video card is made in the form of a printed circuit board ( expansion cards), inserted into a special connector on the system board (expansion slot). Since this video card gets very hot, you can see large cooling system(yes, this is also a cooler).
For the first time in IT lessons, we came across the concepts of “expansion card” and “expansion slot”, so we will immediately set a definition from which we will build in the future.
Expansion card– a device in the form of a printed circuit board with a universal connector for installation on the system board (for example, a video card, network card, sound card).
Expansion cards are installed in addition to the main components in order to expand your computer's capabilities, they can have different purposes (graphics processing, sound processing or connection to a computer network, etc.).
Example of an expansion card (a simpler video adapter)
Expansion slot- a special universal connector on the system board, designed for installing additional computer devices in the form of expansion cards.
We've sorted out the new definitions, let's move on.
6. Network card
LAN card(network adapter, Ethernet adapter, network adapter, LAN adapter) is designed to connect a computer to a computer network.
Network card (system unit component)
In this case, the network card is also made in the form of an expansion card (printed circuit board), which is installed in a connector on the system board.
7. Sound card
Sound card(sound card, sound adapter, sound card) processes sound and outputs it to speaker systems or headphones.
Sound card (system unit component)
Like the previous two devices, a sound card is a printed circuit board inserted into a connector on the system board. True, this sound adapter is not an ordinary one, it consists of two printed circuit boards, but this is an exception to the rule.
8. Hard drive
On hard drive All computer programs and data are stored (more about this in the IT lesson).
The hard drive, unlike previous components, is not installed on the motherboard, but is attached in a special compartment of the case system unit (look at the photo).
Hard drive (aka hard drive)
You can install multiple hard drives in such bays and increase the amount of internal memory on your computer.
Hard drive is sometimes referred to by the acronym NMJD(Hard Magnetic Disk Drive), often said " Winchester"and in English hard disk drive or HDD.
9. Optical drive
Optical drive(DVD drive, optical disc drive or ODD) is needed to read and write DVD and CD discs. Like a hard drive, an optical drive is installed in a special compartment system unit.
Optical drive (system unit component)
This compartment is located at the top front of the case, it is wider than for the hard drive, since the DVD drive is noticeably larger.
System unit components (option 2)
So, we have looked at all the main components of the system unit. Now let’s see how the internal structure of a computer can differ using an example less expensive PC option.
The same components are visible in the photo, but expansion cards (video card, network card and sound card) are not visible. How will this computer work without these components? In fact, these components exist, but they are not visible at first glance.
Built-in Components
The fact is that some components may not be made in the form of expansion cards, but may be built-in(integrated) into the motherboard or central processor.
In this case, additional chips are installed on the motherboard that perform the functions of a network and sound adapter. The video adapter is built (integrated) into the main chip of the motherboard.
In the photo, number 1 is the video adapter, number 2 is the network adapter, and number 3 is the sound adapter.
At the same time, expansion slots (number 4) remain on the motherboard for installing more functional components (if the built-in ones, for some reason, do not suit you).
Laptop components
In principle, it would be possible to make a separate lesson on internal structure of laptops and netbooks. But, essentially, it contains the same components as in a desktop computer, only these components are smaller and are mounted differently.
Each of the components listed in this IT lesson performs its task, but perhaps it is interesting to know which components most affect the speed of your computer?
Since most of the calculations are performed CPU, then it most affects the performance of the computer.
RAM The processor needs it to supply data and programs to perform calculations. Therefore, the amount of memory also significantly affects the performance of the entire computer.
If you need a computer for gaming or working with 3D graphics, then the speed of operation is of great importance video adapter.
But if the computer is used to surf the Internet, as well as with text documents, photographs, watch movies and listen to music, then you can get by with the slowest (but modern) video adapter, including one built into the motherboard or processor.
Video supplement
To reinforce the new information, there is a very interesting video that describes in simple language the purpose of computer components. Unfortunately, the comments are in English, but there is a translation with subtitles (use the pause to have time to read).
Conclusion
So, in the seventh IT lesson we got acquainted with internal device of the computer and briefly reviewed everything system unit components. For the Beginner level, this knowledge is quite enough to consciously work in most programs that you may need.
In the next lesson we will learn what other devices can be connected to the computer (external devices), it is called.
Copying is prohibited, but links can be shared:
A computer consists of a system unit and peripheral devices (monitor, mouse, keyboard). In this post, I would like to disassemble the computer in detail down to every bolt, consider the structure of the computer as a whole, what it contains and what each part is needed for.
System unit
The system unit is the computer itself. The system unit contains: PSU (power supply), HDD (hard drive), motherboard, RAM, processor, sound card, video card, network card, disk drive and other components that are necessary to expand capabilities. Let's now take a closer look at each device and find out what function it performs.
System unit case
Cases come in different types: compact, transparent, backlit, but its main task is to fit all the computer devices. Of course, you could do without it, hang the motherboard on the wall, and put everything else on the table next to it, but this is stupid, inconvenient and dangerous.
While the system unit is turned on, under no circumstances should you touch its components. High voltage passes inside, which can even kill. This is why the case is always used, it is convenient and safe.
PSU – Power supply
Almost all the wires in the computer come from the power supply. It provides each device in the system unit with electricity, without which nothing will work. The power supply weighs about a kilogram, and is approximately the size of .
The power supply produces: 3.3v, 5v and 12v. Each device has a separate voltage. Also, to prevent the power supply from overheating, it is equipped with a radiator and a cooling fan. This is where the sound of a working computer comes from.
Motherboard
The main task of the motherboard is to connect ALL devices of the computer. It literally combines everything: mouse, keyboard, monitor, USB drives, HDD, processor, video card and everything else. For more information about the holes/connectors and ports of the motherboard, see the picture above.
CPU - computer's central processing unit
The processor powers and calculates all operations on the computer. When compared to human organs, a computer processor can be compared to the brain. The more powerful the chip (CPU), the more calculations it can do, in other words: the computer will run faster. But this is only one of the main devices responsible for the speed of your computer.
RAM - random access memory
RAM is a random access memory device. Also called RAM, random access memory and random access memory. This small board is needed to store temporary data. When you copy something, this information is temporarily stored in RAM, and it also stores information from system files, programs and games. The more tasks you assign to your computer, the more RAM it will need. For example, at the same time the PC will download something, play an audio file and the game will be launched, then there will be a large load on the RAM.
The more RAM, the better and faster the computer works (as is the case with the processor).
Video card (video adapter)
A video card, also called a video adapter, is necessary to transfer images from a computer to a screen/monitor. As mentioned above, it is inserted into the mat. board into its connector.
In general, the computer is designed in such a way that each device has its own hole, and even with brute force it is impossible to insert something into the wrong place.
The more complex the image (HD video, game, graphical shell and editor), the more memory the graphics card should have. For example, 4k. The video will not play properly on a weak video card. The video will slow down, and you may think that the Internet is weak.
A modern video card also contains a small cooler (cooling fan), both for power supply and CPU cooling. Under the cooler is a small graphics processor that works like a central processor.
HDD (hard disk) Hard Disk Drive
HDD – aka: hard disk, hard drive, hard drive, screw, drive. No matter what people call him, he has one task. It stores all information and files. Including OS (operating system), programs, browsers, photos, music, etc. In other words, this is computer memory (like a flash drive in a phone).
There is also SSD. The essence and principle are the same, but an SSD works many times faster and costs an order of magnitude more. If you use an SSD as a system drive for the OS, then your computer will run much faster.
Drive
If you need to view/copy information from a disk, then you need a disk drive. Nowadays, you rarely see this device in new computers; the drive has been replaced by USB drives (flash drives). They take up much less space than disks, are easier to use, and are reusable. Nevertheless, disk drives are still used, and I couldn’t help but write about it.
Sound card
A computer needs a sound card to play audio files. Without it, there will be no sound on the computer. If you go back to the "motherboard" section for a second, you will see that it is already built into every motherboard.
As you can see in the photo above, there are additional sound cards. They are necessary for connecting more powerful speaker systems and provide better sound in contrast to integrated (built-in) ones.
If you use ordinary small speakers, then the difference will not even be noticeable. If you have a subwoofer or home theater, then of course you need to install a decent sound card.
Additional computer devices
Everything I said above necessary for the operation of the system unit, and now let's look at additional computer devices that expand its capabilities and add functionality.
External hard drive
Unlike an HDD, an external hard drive is portable. If the HDD and SSD need to be installed in the case and secured there, then the external one is connected with just one USB cable. This is very convenient for all occasions that there is no point in describing. An external HDD is like a flash drive, only with more memory.
Uninterruptable power source
Absolutely every computer is afraid of voltage surges, I would even say more than any other equipment. An uninterruptible power supply will provide stable voltage and protect your power supply from surges.
Voltage can jump for various reasons, and it is not always noticeable. For example, if you have weak wiring, then when you turn on other equipment in the house, the voltage may jump. Or maybe the neighbors have something powerful... In general, I strongly recommend that everyone use a power supply.
TV tuner
A TV tuner is a special chip that allows you to watch TV on a computer. Here, rather, as in the case of the disk drive, it still works, but is no longer relevant. To watch TV on a computer, you don’t have to insert special boards; we now have it and on my blog there is a whole section dedicated to this topic.
Computer peripherals
As Wikipedia says:
Peripherals are hardware that allows information to be entered into or output from a computer. Peripheral devices are optional for system operation and can be disconnected from the computer.
But, I don't agree with her. For example, we don’t even need a computer without a monitor, and without a keyboard, not everyone can turn on a computer, only the most experienced users can do without a mouse, and without speakers you can’t watch or listen to anything. These are not all devices yet, so let's look at each of them separately.
Personal computer monitor
Let me repeat a little - we don’t need a computer without a monitor, otherwise we won’t see what’s going on there. Perhaps in the future they will come up with some kind of hologram or special glasses, but for now this is just my sick fantasy).
The monitor is connected to the video card with a special cable, of which there are 2 types: VGA (obsolete connector) and HDMI. HDMI provides a better image and also transmits sound parallel to the image. So, if your monitor has built-in speakers and is high resolution, you definitely need to use an HDMI cable.
Keyboard
The keyboard is needed to enter information, call commands and perform actions. There are different types of keyboards: regular, silent, multimedia and gaming.
- Regular - the simplest keyboard with only standard buttons.
- Silent – rubber/silicone keyboards, when working with which not a single sound is heard.
- Multimedia. In addition to the standard buttons, the keyboard has additional keys for controlling audio/video files, volume, touchpad (possibly), and more.
- Gaming – Additional buttons for different games, the main buttons for the game have a different color and other goodies.
Mouse
The main task of a computer mouse is to control/move the cursor on the screen. You can also select and open files/folders and call the menu with the right button.
Now there are many different mice for computers. There are wireless, small, large, with additional buttons for convenience, but its main function remains the same after decades.
Acoustic system
As mentioned above, the speaker system is connected to the sound card. The signal is transmitted through the sound to the speakers, and you hear what they say in the video and sing in the song. Acoustics can be different, but without any, a computer with all its capabilities becomes an ordinary working tool, in front of which it is boring to spend time.
MFP - Multifunction devices
An MFP is more necessary for office and study. Typically contains: scanner, printer, copier. Although these are all in one device, they perform completely different tasks:
- Scanner – makes an exact copy of a photograph/document in electronic form.
- Printer – prints an electronic version of a document, photographs, pictures onto paper.
- Xerox – Makes an exact copy from one paper to another.
Gamepad or joystick
A gamepad is also a joystick in the past. Only needed for comfort in some games. There are wireless ones and vice versa. Usually they contain no more than 15 buttons, and there is no point in using them in non-games.
According to its purpose, a computer is a universal device for working with information. According to the principles of its design, a computer is a model of a person working with information.
Personal Computer(PC) is a computer designed to serve one workstation. Its characteristics may differ from mainframe computers, but it is functionally capable of performing similar operations. According to the method of operation, desktop (desktop), portable (laptop and notebook) and pocket (palmtop) PC models are distinguished.
Hardware. Since the computer provides all three classes of information methods for working with data (hardware, software and natural), it is customary to speak of a computer system as consisting of hardware and software working together. The components that make up the hardware of a computer are called hardware. They perform all the physical work with data: registration, storage, transportation and transformation, both in form and content, and also present them in a form convenient for interaction with natural human information methods.
The totality of a computer's hardware is called its hardware configuration.
YouTube Video
Software. Programs can be in two states: active and passive. In a passive state, the program does not work and looks like data, the content of which is information. In this state, the contents of the program can be “read” by other programs, like books are read, and changed. From it you can find out the purpose of the program and how it works. In the passive state, programs are created, edited, stored and transported. The process of creating and editing programs is called programming.
When a program is in an active state, the content of its data is considered as commands according to which the computer hardware operates. To change the order of their operation, it is enough to interrupt the execution of one program and start the execution of another, containing a different set of commands.
The set of programs stored on a computer forms its software. The set of programs prepared for operation is called installed software. The set of programs running at one time or another is called a software configuration.
Computer device. Any computer (even the largest one) consists of four parts:
input devices
information processing devices
storage devices
information output devices.
Structurally, these parts can be combined in one case the size of a book, or each part can consist of several rather bulky devices
Basic PC hardware configuration. The basic hardware configuration of a personal computer is the minimum set of hardware sufficient to start working with a computer. Over time, the concept of a basic configuration gradually changes.
Most often, a personal computer consists of the following devices:
System unit
Monitor
Keyboard
Mouse
Additionally, other input and output devices can be connected, such as speakers, a printer, a scanner...
System unit- the main unit of a computer system. It contains devices that are considered internal. Devices connected to the system unit externally are considered external. The term peripheral equipment is also used for external devices.
Monitor- a device for visual reproduction of symbolic and graphic information. Serves as an output device. For desktop PCs, the most common monitors today are those based on cathode ray tubes. They vaguely resemble household TVs.
Keyboard- a keyboard device designed to control the operation of a computer and enter information into it. Information is entered in the form of alphanumeric character data.
Mouse- graphical control device.
Internal devices of a personal computer.
Devices located in the system unit are considered internal. Some of them are accessible on the front panel, which is convenient for quickly changing storage media, such as floppy disks. The connectors of some devices are located on the rear wall - they are used to connect peripheral equipment. Access to some system unit devices is not provided - it is not required for normal operation.
CPU. Microprocessor- the main microcircuit of a personal computer. All calculations are performed in it. The main characteristic of the processor is the clock frequency (measured in megahertz, MHz). The higher the clock speed, the higher the processor performance. So, for example, at a clock frequency of 500 MHz, the processor can change its
state 500 million times. For most operations, one clock cycle is not enough, so the number of operations a processor can perform per second depends not only on the clock speed, but also on the complexity of the operations.
The only device the existence of which the processor “knows from birth” is RAM - it works together with it. This is where data and commands come from. Data is copied into processor cells (called registers) and then converted according to the contents of the instructions. You'll get a more complete picture of how the processor interacts with RAM in the chapters on programming fundamentals.
RAM. RAM can be thought of as a vast array of cells that store numeric data and commands while the computer is turned on. The amount of RAM is measured in millions of bytes - megabytes (MB).
The processor can access any RAM cell (byte) because it has a unique numeric address. The processor cannot access an individual bit of RAM, since the bit does not have an address. At the same time, the processor can change the state of any bit, but this requires several actions.
Motherboard. The motherboard is the largest circuit board of a personal computer. It contains highways that connect the processor with RAM - the so-called buses. There is a data bus through which the processor copies data from memory cells, an address bus through which it connects to specific memory cells, and a command bus through which the processor receives commands from programs. All other internal devices of the computer are also connected to the motherboard buses. The operation of the motherboard is controlled by a microprocessor chipset - the so-called chipset.
Video adapter. A video adapter is an internal device installed in one of the connectors on the motherboard. The first personal computers did not have video adapters. Instead, a small area was allocated in RAM for storing video data. A special chip (video controller) read data from video memory cells and controlled the monitor in accordance with them.
As the graphic capabilities of computers improved, the video memory area was separated from the main RAM and, together with the video controller, was separated into a separate device, which was called a video adapter. Modern video adapters have their own computing processor (video processor), which has reduced the load on the main processor when constructing complex images. The video processor plays a particularly important role when constructing three-dimensional images on a flat screen. During such operations, he has to perform a particularly large number of mathematical calculations.
In some models of motherboards, the functions of the video adapter are performed by chipset chips - in this case they say that the video adapter is integrated with the motherboard. If the video adapter is made as a separate device, it is called a video card. The video card connector is located on the rear wall. A monitor is connected to it.
Sound adapter. For IBM PC computers, work with sound was not initially provided. For the first ten years of its existence, computers of this platform were considered office equipment and did without sound devices. Currently, audio tools are considered standard. To do this, a sound adapter is installed on the motherboard. It can be integrated into the motherboard chipset or implemented as a separate plug-in card called a sound card.
The sound card connectors are located on the back wall of the computer. To play sound, speakers or headphones are connected to them. A separate connector is intended for connecting a microphone. If you have a special program, this allows you to record sound. There is also a connector (line output) for connecting to external sound recording or sound reproducing equipment (tape recorders, amplifiers, etc.).
HDD. Since the computer's RAM is cleared when the power is turned off, a device is needed to store data and programs for a long time. Currently, so-called hard drives are widely used for these purposes.
The operating principle of a hard drive is based on recording changes in the magnetic field near the recording head.
The main parameter of a hard drive is capacity, measured in gigabytes (billions of bytes), GB. The average size of a modern hard drive is 80 - 160 GB, and this parameter is steadily growing.
Floppy drive. To transport data between remote computers, so-called floppy disks are used. A standard floppy disk (floppy disk) has a relatively small capacity of 1.44 MB. By modern standards, this is completely insufficient for most data storage and transportation tasks, but the low cost of media and high availability have made floppy disks the most common storage media.
To write and read data stored on floppy disks, a special device is used - a disk drive. The drive receiving hole is located on the front panel of the system unit.
CD-ROM drive. To transport large amounts of data, it is convenient to use CD-ROMs. These discs can only read previously written data; they cannot be written to. The capacity of one disk is about 650-700 MB.
CD-ROM drives are used to read CDs. The main parameter of a CD-ROM drive is the reading speed. It is measured in multiple units. The reading speed approved in the mid-80s is taken as one. for music CDs (audio CDs). Modern CD-ROM drives provide reading speeds of 40x - 52x.
The main disadvantage of CD-ROM drives - the inability to write discs - has been overcome in modern write-once devices - CD-R. There are also CD-RW devices that allow multiple recordings.
The principle of data storage on CDs is not magnetic, like floppy disks, but optical.
Communication ports. To communicate with other devices, such as a printer, scanner, keyboard, mouse, etc., the computer is equipped with so-called ports. A port is not just a connector for connecting external equipment, although a port ends in a connector. A port is a more complex device than just a connector, having its own microcircuits and controlled by software.
Network adapter. Network adapters are necessary for computers to be able to communicate with each other. This device ensures that the processor does not send a new portion of data to the external port until the network adapter of a neighboring computer has copied the previous portion to itself. After this, the processor is given a signal that the data has been collected and new ones can be submitted. This is how the transfer takes place.
When a network adapter “learns” from a neighboring adapter that it has a piece of data, it copies it to itself, and then checks whether it is addressed to it. If yes, it passes them to the processor. If not, it puts them on the output port, from where the network adapter of the next neighboring computer will pick them up. This is how data moves between computers until it reaches the recipient.
Network adapters can be built into the motherboard, but are more often installed separately, in the form of additional cards called network cards.
Hello dear visitors of the blog site. Today we’ll talk about computer devices, or as they usually say, “hardware” that can be found in the computer system unit. This way you will understand what a computer is made of. The hardware of a computer, or as it is fashionable to say “hardware,” remains a mystery even to many experienced users. In this article I’ll tell you about hardware devices, thereby filling the gap, of course, if you have one, and if you are familiar with them, then we’ll refresh your memory a little.
First of all, let’s divide what is commonly called a “computer” into two groups:
- System unit. This is that big (or not very big) box to which everything is connected.
- Peripherals. You can read about peripheral devices in my article « » These are all other devices that help you work with a computer. Their main feature is that they are located outside the system unit and connected to it from the outside.
System unit device
The system unit is the main device of the computer. Only by looking inside the computer can we figure out what the computer is made of.
- Power unit.
- RAM.
- Hard disk drive.
- Floppy disk reader.
- Optical disc reader.
- Additional devices.
Points 1 to 5 are mandatory; you will find them in any system unit. The rest may not exist or they may be in the form of peripheral devices, that is, connected externally.
What does computer consist of:
Now let's tell you in more detail about each component.
power unit
This computer device is an important component in the computer! The abbreviated name is BP. The main characteristic is the maximum output power. It is measured in Watts (W), in English Watt (W). For a home computer, the power supply is usually 350-450 W, for a powerful gaming computer it is 600 W or more.
The importance of this component is often underestimated. When buying a computer, you may be offered to save money by installing a lower-quality power supply. This is highly not recommended, since the power supply is the source of energy for all other components of the system. If a low-quality power supply breaks down or has some problem in the electrical network, it can damage other components of the system. In addition, cheap and low-quality models often indicate power values that are far from reality. That is why the computer power supply must be from a trusted manufacturer and have sufficient power.
Name options: motherboard, mother, main board, MotherBoard, MainBoard. It is to the motherboard that all devices located inside the system unit are connected. It is the main board in the system. Let's take a closer look at its contents:
- Socket – connector for connecting a processor. Depending on which socket your motherboard contains, you may only be able to use a certain group of processors.
- Slots for connecting a RAM module. In personal computers their number varies from 2 to 4. By type they are: DDR, DDR2 and DDR3. Modern motherboards may have two types of slots at once.
- Connectors for connecting devices and storing data. For ordinary PCs, they come in two types: a wide elongated connector with 39 pins in two rows and a small almost rectangular connector with an “r”-shaped middle. The first is a parallel interface called IDE (Integrated Drive Electronics) and its second name is PATA (Parallel ATAttachment). The second is the SATA (Serial ATAttachment) serial interface.
- Expansion slots. These are connectors that are used to connect additional devices. They are an elongated connector located horizontally on the lower left side of the motherboard. This is where the video card, network card and other devices are inserted. These connectors usually connect devices to the motherboard via the PCI interface (Peripheral component tinterconnect) or its derivatives PCI Express, etc.
- Chipset. This is a set of chips that provide communication between system components. Usually it can be divided into the so-called north and south bridge. The north bridge is a memory controller, that is, a part that ensures data exchange between the central processor and RAM. On modern platforms, the memory controller can be integrated directly into the central processor. The south bridge is an I/O controller, a part that provides communication between the processor and interfaces such as SATA, IDE, PCI, USB and others.
The required components of the motherboard are listed above; they are also united by the fact that they are visible only from inside the system unit.
If you look at the back of the system unit, you can see many connectors that are also physically located on the motherboard. They are located on the left side, approximately in the middle and are enclosed in a metal “frame”. Please note that your computer may not have many of them, it depends on the specific motherboard model.
- Connector for mouse and keyboard. These are two round connectors, one purple (for the keyboard) and the second green (for the mouse). This interface is called PS/2 (colloquially PS in half).
- LPT port. This parallel interface was invented as a printer port and was actively used for other purposes. Today, in motherboards, it is increasingly rare to find it on board.
- COM port. Another obsolete serial interface. This port is actively used as an interface for configuring equipment.
- USB (Universal Serial Bus - universal parallel bus). This is the most popular way to connect peripheral devices to a modern PC. Used to connect a variety of devices: mouse, keyboard, scanner, printer, portable hard drives, flash drives, etc.
- Video connector VGA, DVI. These are interfaces for connecting a monitor. If your motherboard has such a connector, then it has a built-in video adapter. It will be quite enough for work, but if you intend to play games on the computer, you will need a discrete (separate) video card, which will be inserted into a special expansion slot.
- RJ-45 network connector. The interface is used to connect a computer to a local area network of the Ethernet standard.
- Group of audio connectors Jack 3.5. Used to connect a speaker system and a microphone. Green connector for connecting speakers and pink for microphone.
Now I propose to clarify one important point. If any connector is located in a vertical “frame” in the middle of the system unit, then the device to which it belongs is built into your motherboard. If you have a discrete video card, modem or anything else, then it is connected to the motherboard through an expansion slot and the connector of the device itself will be located below horizontally.
Central processing unit (CPU), in English CPU (Central processing unit). This is a chip that executes software commands, performs calculations, performs logical comparison operations, and roughly speaking, “thinks.” Therefore, the processor is often called the “brain” of the computer.
The main characteristics of the device are: bit capacity, clock frequency, power consumption, number of cores, architecture.
Bit capacity indicates the amount of information transmitted per unit of time over the data bus. Available in 8, 16, 32 and 64 bits. Accordingly, the higher the bit depth, the faster the processor runs. Clock frequency shows how many clock cycles (elementary operations) the CPU performs per unit of time. Power consumption indicates how much heat the processor generates when running.
Some time ago, the two main processor manufacturers - Intel and AMD - in their competition, tried to increase the clock speed of their processors as much as possible. But we were faced with the fact that after overcoming a certain threshold, energy consumption and heat transfer begin to increase nonlinearly. The solution was multi-core processors. This means that one CPU contains several crystals that distribute the computing load among themselves. The most widely used devices now are 2-core devices, although this is not the limit; there are processors with 4 or more cores.
The architecture shows how work is organized inside the processor. Although this parameter does not add the desired gigahertz, it can have a very significant impact on performance. Intelligent organization of work, as we know, costs a lot.
RAM
RAM is a random access memory (RAM), in English – RAM (Random Access Memory). This memory area is volatile, that is, without “power” the data is not saved in it. The RAM stores information that must be processed by the processor in real time. During operation, RAM contains data from the operating system and running user programs.
Today, RAM modules of the SDRAM DDR3 standard are relevant; before them there were SDRAM DDR 2 and SDRAM DDR 1 (of course, they can still be found). Each new generation had a number of serious advantages over its predecessors: throughput increased, energy consumption decreased.
HDD
A hard disk drive, or HDD (Hard Disk Drive) in English, is a read-only memory device (ROM). This computer device is also called a hard drive or hard drive.
This type of memory is not non-volatile, that is, data is retained in memory after the power is turned off. It is this computer device that contains all the user data: movies, music, documents and everything else.
The hard drive consists of several round plates that rotate on a spindle. These plates are coated with a ferromagnetic material, divided into many cells, each of which stores one bit of binary information. A special head reads and writes information, which moves to the desired location above the surface of the disk.
They differ in the amount of stored information, connection method, form factor, and spindle speed.
As mentioned earlier, there are two types of connection method: IDE and SATA. The first one is almost never used anymore, since serial SATA is faster and more convenient. According to the form factor, HDDs come in 5.25 (discontinued production); 3.5, 2.5 inch, 1.8 inch, 1.3 inch, 1 inch and 0.85 inch are the sizes of the plates that contain the information. Desktop PCs usually use 3.5 HDDs, laptops 2.5. The faster the rotation speed, the higher the speed of writing and reading data. In 3.5 models, the speed is usually 7200 rpm, in 2.5 - 5400 rpm, although there are also faster models of hard drives for laptops.
Floppy disk drive
A floppy disk drive, in English FDD (Floppy Disk Driver), is also called Floppy or simply floppy. This is a floppy disk reader. Roughly speaking, a floppy disk is a miniature hard drive, only instead of metal plates there is a flexible film base, and the head and drive motor are located in the disk drive. The size of floppy disks is 3.5 inches (5.25 inch floppy disks have been used for a long time). The floppy disk capacity is 1.44 MB. Floppy disks, in addition to their small volume, have a serious drawback - they are very unreliable, the information on them may become unreadable due to exposure to magnetic fields or shock. Because of this, this type of media is almost never used today.
Optical drive
Optical media are plastic discs coated with a special layer. The disk is illuminated by a laser, and information is read from the reflected light. Optical discs come in several types: CD (Compact Disk), DVD (Digital Versatile Disc - digital multi-purpose disc), Blu-ray Disc (from English Blue Ray - blue ray). CD and DVD discs come in three types: ROM (Read Only Memory – read only), R (Recordable – writable), RW (Re-Writable – rewritable).
Drives (disk drives) for reading optical discs are called the same as media. Moreover, the drive is called by the abbreviation of the last generation in line that it is capable of reading. That is, a DVD-ROM drive reads DVDs and CDs, but a CD drive only reads CDs. Also, drives are divided into those that can only read (CD/DVD ROM) and drives that can read and write discs (CD/DVD RAM).
CD capacity 700 MB. DVD discs can be single-layer, double-layer and double-sided, the volume of regular is 4.7 GB, double-layer 8.5 GB, double-sided 9.4 GB, double-sided double-layer 17.08 GB (the latter is rare). Blu-ray Disc can store 25 GB, double layer 50 GB.
So, we have just looked at the main components that make up a computer. But we must not forget about devices that are not always included in the computer.
Additional devices (peripherals)
Additional devices can be devices that are inserted into the motherboard. A discrete one (on a separate board) can be a video adapter, sound adapter, network adapter, wi-fi, modem, USB controller and many other devices.
I hope this article has fully explained to you what a computer consists of. And after reading it, the world of hadware (that’s what computer hardware is called) will become a little closer and clearer to my readers.
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