What are the Main Components of Any Computer, and Which are the Most Critical to Its Performance?
Computers are everywhere, and vary in specification, brands, sizes, shaped, and prices. However, there is one common characteristic among all computer systems.
whether we are talking standalone home pc, high performance networked servers, Unix computers, Linux, Windows, or Macs, they all have five main components: Input device, Output device, Central Processing Unit, Memory, and Storage device
1- The input device is used to enter the data into the computer. Examples of input devices are: Keyboards, Scanners, or light pens.
2-The output device is used to redirect the processed data to a device connected the output connection of the computer. Examples of output devices are: Monitors, Printers.
3-The Central Processing Unit is where the computer processes data and coordinates tasks among different components of the computer.
4-Memory is where the computer stores data. The memory is two types:
a-RAM, random access memory, where temporary storage of the data takes place. The data in the RAM will be lost is the computer is shut down.
b-ROM, read only memory which has built in information used by the computer components.
5-Hard Disk storage, where you can store the data permanently. It will stay stored, even if the power is shut off.
For you computer to function properly, it should have the five metioned elements. But, some of these parts are more critical to the performance of the computer.
The most critical two I found, are the RAM, and the CPU speed. Here is why:
The keyboard does all the stuff you need, although some keyboard have more keys and functions to them, it depends what kind of application you are using, some keys you will never need.
The Hard disk is usually larger than what you need. For a normal home user, It is hard to use 1000MB. Nowadays, you get disks with more than 10 Gigabytes.
The output, like the monitor can be changed anytime, without changing any computer parts. Also, there is not lots of options you need for a monitor, you can get any monitor that will do the job. Just get a good size, good resolution, and pick a regular or flat LCD one. The rest of specs are not to critical.
Now, let us look at the most important parts: The Ram, and the CPU. With today's application, you need lots of processing power, because you will be running few applications at the same time. Also, you can be running a very powerful operating system that need lots of processing and memory power.
Every running application consumes some ram memory, and every application today need lots of it. Example, is Internet Explorer 6, and Netscape Navigator. So the ram will be used up fast. This is why you need as much as Ram as you can get. Get 250MB at least.
With the big ram , you need fast CPU also in order to process the application quick. The faster is your CPU, the faster all application are running.
Also, the CPU is very expensive, after few years of using your computer, the CPU will cost you more than the whole used computer.
In summary, when you buy a computer, the most important factors in your decision should be getting a big RAM ( 250MB At least), and getting a fast CPU processor.
Thanks,
George Chamoun
For tips about your Windows XP computer, visit our new website: http://www.ResolveWindowsXpProblems.com
Latest News
Personal Tech: Military launches TroopTube Salt Lake Tribune, United States - Members can upload personal videos from anywhere with an Internet connection, but a Pentagon employee screens each for taste, copyright violations and ... |
Personal Tech: Tennesee boasts world's fastest unclassified computer Salt Lake Tribune, United States - AP The Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory in Oak Ridge, Tenn. released this photograph Nov. 10 showing some of the 284 computer cabinets ... |
 Jamaica Gleaner | Is your broker, motor insurer tech savvy? Jamaica Gleaner, Jamaica - Tim Ryles, PhD, in an article dated September 2008 - 'The Insurer's Duty at the Outset of a Personal Lines Claim' - wrote that the United States Supreme ... |
TV's Interactive Future Arrives Today, Combining Social Media With ... MarketWatch - An irreverent weekly tech/web culture show hosted by tech geeks/pop culture gurus Alex Albrecht and Kevin Rose, Diggnation was launched in 2005. ... Interactive Multi-Cam Video Feed Almost Steals Kevin Rose's Digg ... |
 New York Daily News | A rank way to decide conference Yahoo! Sports - The Big 12 failed to come up with enough of its own criteria for breaking a three-way tie at the top of the standings, as Oklahoma, Texas and Texas Tech ... Texas Tech Red Raiders @ Oklahoma Sooners Former players recall Tech’s outright conference title No. 2 Texas Tech's defense gaining respect |
Personal Tech: Black Friday is a bright day for gadget lovers Salt Lake Tribune, United States - The day after Thanksgiving, also known as "Black Friday," is one of the biggest shopping days of the year because that's when stores introduce hot deals for ... |
 MiamiHerald.com | On College Football: If Texas Tech slips, dominoes will fall Philadelphia Inquirer, PA - By Ray Parrillo The 2008 darling of college football, second-ranked Texas Tech, can take one more step toward the BCS championship game tonight when it ... College Football Preview: I've Got a Crush on Mike Leach |
15 Tech Secrets for the Serious Road Warrior PC World - In the past, we've described how to accomplish more with popular online tools like Google Calendar, with text-messaging utilities like Web-based personal ... |
 Product Reviews | Nvidia to offer parallel tech for mobile devices NetworkWorld.com, MA - Nvidia announced Tuesday a GPU-based Tesla Personal Supercomputer, which it said uses its Tesla GPUs and Cuda to deliver the power of a cluster of computers ... Thanks to gamers, the desktop supercomputer arrives Tokyo Tech Builds First Tesla GPU Based Heterogeneous Cluster to ... nVIDIA launches Tesla supercomputer |
Solutions: How to rip music from a DVD Tampabay.com, FL - Send questions to personaltech@sptimes.com or Personal Tech, PO Box 1121, St. Petersburg, FL 33731. Questions are answered only in this column. |
Resources
-
Sorry there are no resources available at this time