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Computer Hardware
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Computer
A computer system comprises both
hardware and software components, and
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computer functional and useful. Both
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crucial for the operation of a computer.
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Computer Hardware
Computer components
Hardware provides the physical infrastructure necessary to run the system,
while software provides the instructions that the hardware executes. In
essence, while hardware can be thought of as the "body" of a computer,
software acts as its "soul," making the body functional and interactive.
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Hardware Software
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Computer Hardware
Computer Hardware
Definition: The physical components of a computer.
Major Components Include:
• Motherboard.
• Power Supply Unit (PSU).
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• Central Processing Unit (CPU).
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• Memory (RAM).
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• Storage Devices.
• Graphics Processing Unit (GPU).
• Input and output Devices.
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Computer Hardware
Motherboard
The motherboard, often referred to as the mainboard, system board, or logic
board (in the case of Apple devices), is the primary circuit board inside a
computer system. It's essentially the backbone that ties all a computer's
components together, allowing them to communicate with each other.
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S Bus
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Computer Hardware
Motherboard
Components and Features of a Motherboard
• CPU Socket: This is where the central processing
unit (CPU) is inserted. The type of socket varies
depending on the CPU architecture (e.g., Intel's
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LGA1200, AMD's AM4).
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• RAM Slots: For inserting memory (RAM) modules.
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The number of slots can vary, and motherboards
support specific types and capacities of RAM (e.g.,
DDR4).
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Computer Hardware
Motherboard
Components and Features of a Motherboard
• BIOS/UEFI Chip: Contains the Basic Input/Output System (BIOS) or the
newer Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI), which is firmware that
initializes the hardware during the booting process.
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BIOS
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UEFI
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Computer Hardware
Motherboard
Components and Features of a
Motherboard
• Expansion Slots: Including PCI
(Peripheral Component
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Interconnect), PCI Express (PCIe),
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and sometimes older slots like AGP.
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These slots allow users to add
expansion cards like graphics cards,
sound cards, or networking cards.
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Computer Hardware
Motherboard
Components and Features of a Motherboard
• Input/Output (I/O) Panel: Contains ports for external
connections, including USB ports, audio jacks, display ports
(e.g., HDMI, VGA, DisplayPort), Ethernet ports, and
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sometimes legacy ports like PS/2.
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own specific function. Some of the most common types of
computer ports include:
• Serial port.
• Parallel port.
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Computer Hardware
Motherboard
Components and Features of a
Motherboard
Types of computer ports
• Serial port: Serial ports are used to
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connect older devices, such as
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modems and printers.
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• Parallel port: Parallel ports are also
used to connect older devices, such as
printers.
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Computer Hardware
Motherboard
Components and Features of a Motherboard
• CMOS chip: CMOS stands for Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor.
It is a small amount of memory on a computer motherboard that stores
the Basic Input/Output System (BIOS) settings include things like the
system time and date, hardware configuration. The CMOS memory is
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powered by a small battery, which allows the settings to be retained even
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BIOS save
settings
UEFI
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Computer Hardware
Power Supply Unit (PSU)
The Power Supply Unit (PSU) is an essential component of a computer system
that provides electrical power to the computer's internal components. It
converts the electrical power from the wall outlet (AC power) into a format
that the components of the computer can use (typically DC power).
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Computer Hardware
CPU(Central Processing Unit)
The Central Processing Unit (CPU), often simply referred to as the "processor,"
is the primary computational engine of a computer. It is responsible for
executing instructions of a computer program and performing the basic
arithmetical, logical, and input/output operations of a system.
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Components of a CPU:
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• Arithmetic Logic Unit (ALU): Responsible for performing arithmetic and
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logic operations, like addition, subtraction, multiplication, and logical
AND/OR.
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Computer Hardware
CPU(Central Processing Unit)
• Control Unit (CU): Directs all processor operations, including the fetch,
decode, execute, and writeback stages.
• Registers: Small, fast storage areas within the CPU used to hold data that is
being processed or about to be processed.
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• Cache Memory: High-speed volatile memory that provides high-speed
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data access to the processor and reduces the time to access data from the
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main memory. It's typically divided into L1, L2, and sometimes L3 caches,
depending on the CPU architecture.
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Computer Hardware
CPU(Central Processing Unit)
Central Processing Unit
ALU CU
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Cache
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Computer Hardware
CPU(Central Processing Unit)
When choosing a CPU, there are several factors to consider, such as the clock
speed, the number of cores, and the cache size.
• Clock speed is the number of cycles per second that the CPU can operate
at. Often measured in gigahertz (GHz).
• Multi-Core CPUs: is a microprocessor on a single integrated circuit with
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two or more separate processing units. Modern CPUs that have two (dual-
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for increased performance and multitasking capabilities.
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• CPU cache size is the amount of high-speed memory that is built into the
CPU. It is used to store frequently accessed data and instructions, so that
the CPU can access them more quickly than if it had to fetch them from
main memory (RAM).
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Computer Hardware
Memory (RAM) - Random Access Memory
RAM is a type of volatile memory, which means it retains data only when the
system is powered on. Once the power is turned off, the data stored in RAM is
lost. It serves as the computer's short-term memory, in contrast to long-term
storage devices like hard drives and SSDs.
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Function:
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RAM provides the space for the operating system, applications, and system
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processes to operate. It allows for the temporary storage of data that the CPU
may need to access rapidly. The speed and capacity of RAM play a significant
role in determining the overall speed and efficiency of a computer system.
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Computer Hardware
Memory (RAM) - Random Access Memory
RAM speed is the rate at which your computer's
RAM can access and transfer data. It is measured
in Megahertz (MHz), which is equal to millions of
cycles per second. The higher the RAM speed, the
faster your computer can access and transfer data,
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which can lead to improved performance.
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access memory (RAM) that a computer can
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support. It is measured in gigabytes (GB). The
more RAM a computer has, the more programs it
can run simultaneously and the faster it can
perform tasks.
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Computer Hardware
Memory (RAM) - Random Access Memory
Types of RAM:
• DRAM (Dynamic RAM): The most
common type of RAM used in personal
computers. It needs to be refreshed
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thousands of times per second.
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• SRAM (Static RAM): Faster and more
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reliable than DRAM but also more
expensive. It's often used for cache
memory within the CPU.
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Computer Hardware
Storage Devices
Storage Devices play a crucial role in a computer system by providing non-
volatile storage of data, meaning they retain the stored data even when
powered off.
The two storage devices used in modern computers are:
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• Hard Disk Drives (HDD).
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• Solid State Drives (SSD).
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Computer Hardware
Storage Devices
Hard Disk Drives (HDD)
Mechanism: HDDs use rotating magnetic disks (platters) to store data. A
read/write head on an arm accesses the data while the platters are spinning.
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Computer Hardware
Storage Devices
Hard Disk Drives (HDD)
Advantages:
• Cost-Effective: Generally cheaper per gigabyte than SSDs, making them a
more affordable choice for high-capacity storage.
• Higher Maximum Capacity: HDDs often come in larger capacities than
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SSDs, with sizes reaching up to 16TB or more.
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• Speed: HDDs are slower than SSDs, especially noticeable when booting up
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the OS or loading large files.
• Noise and Heat: Due to the moving parts, HDDs generate noise and tend
to produce more heat than SSDs.
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Computer Hardware
Storage Devices
Solid State Drives (SSD)
Mechanism: SSDs use flash memory (like USB thumb
drives) to store data, with no moving parts.
Advantages:
Speed: faster than HDDs.
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Disadvantages:
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than HDDs.
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• Storage Capacity: While SSDs are catching up, HDDs
are still more commonly found in extremely high-
capacity configurations.
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Computer Hardware
Storage Devices
Hybrid Drives (SSHD):
These are a combination of HDD and SSD. They contain a smaller amount of
SSD memory and a larger HDD. The most used data is stored on the SSD
portion for faster access, while the HDD portion stores less frequently used
data.
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Computer Hardware
Storage Devices
Which to Choose?
If you're looking for the fastest possible performance, especially for your
operating system and applications, an SSD is the way to go. If you need a lot of
storage capacity at a lower cost, an HDD might be a better choice. Many
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modern computers (especially desktops) use a combination of both: an SSD
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for the operating system and frequently used applications, and an HDD for
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mass storage and less frequently accessed data.
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Computer Hardware
Graphics Processing Unit (GPU)
The Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) is a specialized electronic circuit designed
to accelerate the processing of images and videos to be displayed on a
computer's monitor. Over time, GPUs have evolved to handle computational
tasks beyond graphics rendering, making them valuable for a variety of
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applications.
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• Small processing units within the GPU that handle the parallel processing
tasks.
• Memory VRAM used by the GPU to store data that is actively being
processed or used.
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Computer Hardware
Graphics Processing Unit (GPU)
GPU has its own CPU and memory, which
means that it can perform graphics
processing tasks without having to rely on
the CPU or RAM. This can free up the CPU
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and RAM for other tasks, such as running
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applications and the operating system.
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However, it is important to note that the
GPU cannot completely replace the CPU
and RAM.
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