| In this article I give a high level overview of all the | | | | Hard Drive |
| major components of a computer - the computer | | | | The hard drive is the long-term memory of the |
| hardware. This information is useful for anyone | | | | computer. The long-term memory is slower and |
| who wants to be able to repair or upgrade their | | | | much bigger than the short-term memory, |
| computer, or just wants to have a basic | | | | specifically made for storage of data. Read the |
| understanding of how a computer works. | | | | section on main memory for information on |
| Case | | | | short-term vs. long-term memory. |
| The computer is housed inside of what's called the | | | | Main Memory |
| computer case. The computer case is the metallic | | | | Also known as primary memory, RAM, or just |
| box that surrounds the computer. It's there to | | | | memory, is the short-term memory component |
| protect the computer and to hold the | | | | of the computer. Short-term memory is much, |
| components in place. | | | | much faster than long term memory, but is also |
| Power Supply | | | | much, much smaller in size. |
| The power supply is the box with lots of wires | | | | Main memory is not used for storage of data |
| coming out of it. It takes the electricity that | | | | over the long term. Unlike the hard drive, main |
| comes out of the wall outlet and converts it into | | | | memory has to have power to keep information. |
| electricity that each of the internal components | | | | Once the computer is turned off, the main |
| can use. | | | | memory is cleared out. Instead main memory is |
| Motherboard | | | | used for fast data access. Once the computer |
| The motherboard is a big circuit board that | | | | knows what data you'll be working with, it loads it |
| connects all the internal components together. It | | | | up in one big chunk into main memory, and works |
| gives the internal components a way to | | | | with it there. For example, when you run |
| communicate with each other. It also provides | | | | application xyz, your computer loads up lots of |
| some common functionality that is basic to all | | | | the common data that the application needs into |
| computers - audio, network, modem, sometimes | | | | memory, from then on it works with it in the |
| video, and a few other things. These additional | | | | much faster main memory. Then once you want |
| devices that come as part of the motherboard | | | | to save your changes, the computer writes that |
| are called integrated devices. | | | | data out to the hard drive for long term storage. |
| The motherboard also has slots that other device | | | | Video Card |
| cards can plug into and provide extended | | | | The video card handles the display of images and |
| functionality to the computer. Some of the more | | | | 2D/3D graphics calculations. Often the video card |
| common cards are wireless cards, USB extension | | | | comes integrated into the motherboard. But |
| cards (provide additional USB ports), and even | | | | integrated video cards are somewhat weak. The |
| video cards - which I talk about below. | | | | powerful video cards, needed to run modern |
| CPU/Processor | | | | games and other graphically intensive applications, |
| The CPU (Core Processing Unit), also known as | | | | come as standalone cards. They are big circuit |
| the processor, is the main logic component of the | | | | boards with their own processor (GPU) and |
| computer. It decides what to do, what to load, | | | | memory. They even have fans and heat sinks. |
| which other device to activate, etc. It's kind of | | | | They are kind of like separate computers inside |
| like the center of the brain. | | | | of the computer. |
| The processor tends to get extremely hot, so it's | | | | CD/DVD Drives |
| always covered by a heat sink (metal thing with | | | | These are standard devices that read and |
| fins) and a fan. The processor itself looks like a | | | | sometimes write CDs and DVDs. |
| standard chip. | | | | |