The Parts of a Computer
There are many names for different parts of computers. Well, people call them by many different names. I am going to go over a couple common parts, what they are and what they do.
Hard Drive – This is an internal part that acts like a human brain’s long-term memory. This is where all of the documents, files, pictures, videos, etc. are stored. When you save something to the computer, it is being saved on the hard drive. The hard drive is also called the hard disk drive or HDD. Common hard drives contain mirror like disks that store the information using magnets. These disks, or platters, spin at (usually) 5400 or 7200 RPM and are susceptible to damage if the device is dropped or shaken vigorously. Another type of hard drive is what is called a solid state drive or SSD. This type of hard drive is usually smaller in size but contains no moving parts as all of the data is stored in flash memory chips instead of moving disks. Hard drives sizes are measured in gigabytes (GB) or tarabytes (TB). The average traditional hard drive can vary in size from 320GB to 4TB. Usually the ones that are over 1TB are for external (backup) use only. Solid state hard drives usually come in sizes around 64GB to 256GB.
Memory (RAM) - Memory or RAM (Random Access Memory) acts like a brain’s short-term memory. This temporarily stores information while the computer is on so the processor can access the data faster. RAM reads and writes faster than hard drives, so it acts as a mediator between the processor and the hard drive. When you shut your computer off, files, data and settings that have been changed and are currently stored in the RAM is written to the hard drive so it can be recalled again when you try to access these files again. That is what your computer does when you shut a computer off. This is why it is important to shut your computer off properly, and not just unplugging it or just holding the power button. RAM is measured in gigabytes (GB) and usually varies in modern systems from 1 to 8GB. RAM and the processor of a computer both heavily factor into how fast your computer will be.
Processor (CPU) - Often confused with the system as a whole, the actual processor is a silicon chip with billions of resistors on it that measures about 1.5 square inches. Not very big. This part of the computer is what does all of the calculations for the system. Usually running between 1.5 and 3GHz (Gigahertz – this is called the clock speed), this part, along with the memory, help determine the speed of your computer. Two of the main manufactures for computer processors are Intel and AMD. These two processor companies manufacture processors differently, therefore it is nearly impossible to compare the two using the clock speed only. To make things more confusing, there are single, dual, triple (phased out), quad, and six-core systems. What this means is that on a single processing chip, there are one, two, three, four, and even up to six actual processing cores. It is like having that number of separate processors in your computer. The more processing cores, the better multitasking you can do on your system. Also having more cores will help with processor intensive programs such as movie editors.
Optical Drive - Also known as CD, DVD, or Blu-ray drives. An optical drive is any drive that uses a laser to read the information on the disk. These disk drives have the ability to read and write disks. Writing information to a disk is known as “burning” a disk.
Power Supply - This is the part of the computer that you plug the power cord into on desktop systems. It converts AC power (from the wall outlet) to DC power (like that comes from batteries) and distributes it throughout your system. In laptops, this part is replaced by the “power brick” on your AC adapter that you plug into the wall and your laptop. This is used to save space and make your laptop smaller.
Motherboard - This is the main circuit board in the computer that the RAM and processor are connected to that helps in transferring data and power throughout the system.
And that is a quick run down on the hardware of a computer. Now that you know what’s what, make sure you do not touch these parts inside of your computer. If you open the case and start touching and playing with this stuff, there is a risk of electrical shock. Not just to you, but static electricity can kill many of these components. The voltage needed to damage the parts can be small enough that you don’t even feel the shock. If your computer needs hardware repair, please take it to someone that actually knows what they are doing, not just the guy down the street. Thanks 