Components of PC

A modern PC is both simple and complicated. It is simple in the sense that over the years, many of the components used to conduct a system have become integrated with other components into fewer actual parts. It is complicated in the sense that is part in a modern system performs many more functions than it did the same type of parts on older systems. The typical components and peripherals found in basic PC system as follows.

Motherboard

The motherboard is the core of the system. It really is the PC. Everything is connected to it. It controls everything in the system. The centerpiece of any small computer system, it bears the microprocessor and its support circuitry. It’s also called as the main board or the circuit board. One such board contains all the necessary electronics to integrate all the working components of a PC.

A typical view of a mother board will be as follows

PGA Motherboard

LGA Motherboard

Processor

The processor often thought as the “brain” of the computer. It also called the CPU (Central Processing Unit). Processor handles all the data processing in a PC.

Intel is generally credited with introducing the first microprocessor in 1971. The first micro processor is called the 4004. Today Intel still has control over the CPU market, with handful of Intel – compatible microprocessors from handful of Intel-compatible microprocessors from handful of competitors.(AMD or VIA/Cyrix)

Manufactures

Intel

AMD

VIA/CYRIX

MOTOROLA(Motorola  processors were mainly used in Apples/macintosh)

RAM/Memory (Random Access Memory)

This is the Primary memory of a PC, which holds all the programs and data processor is using at a given time(temporary).Another key point to remember about RAM is that data stored inn it can be accessed much more quickly than data retrieved from the hard disk. Theoretically, data retrieved from Ram is accessed 100 to 300 times faster than the same information from a hard disk, optical drive, or a floppy.

Ram wase physically installed those days by adding chips to the motherboard, like DIPPS and SIPPS. But today the most common configurations are memory modules, such as SIMMs, DIMMs and RIMMs. You can get a clear idea about these modules by referring to the pictures given below.

Case

The case is the frame that houses the motherboard, power supply disk drives and other hardware components inside system unit.

Power Supply

Provide electrical power to all the components within the casing and certain cases to other hardware components like monitor. The basic function of the power supply is to convert the type of electrical power available at your wall socket to the type the computer circuitry can use. A conventional power supply is designed to convert AC power to DC power which used in your PC.

There are two types of Power Supply

Hard Drive

Hard drive is the primary storage media for files in a PC. High capacity, non – removable media. There are several types of Hard Drives.

CD/DVD Rom

CD (Compact Disk) and DVD (Digital Versatile Disk) are relatively high capacity, removable media, optical drives.

VGA (Video Graphic  Array)/Video Card

Controls the information you see on the monitor. Certain PCs video card may be integrated  the mother board. There are several types of memory used in VGA cards.

Sound Card

Enables the PC to generate complex sounds (Eg: Audio CD, MP3). Certain PCs modern may be integrated to the motherboard