Hardware
Any modern computer is made up of several key componants, from the some what self explanitory Graphics processors and Sound Cards which desplay the images seen on a monitor and allow the use of audio components respcetivly, to more complex working such as the CPU (Central Processing Unit) that carries out the intructions of a computer program.
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Processors
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In any avarage computer their are two typesof Processor, a central Processor and a graphics processor. This first is considered the "brain" of any computer, it is the piece handels all the instructions sent from the hardware and software. For example a program will send out a set of instructions in the form of arithmetical,logical of input/output operations which the CPU will recive and follow these instruction, this is done for even the simplest of tasks for example pressing enter on your keyboard to start a new line in microsoft word, or clicking on an icon to load a program.
The Graphics Processor is resposible for creating lighting effects and 3D objects both are tasks that would put a strain on the CPU so by sharing the load it makes the whole process smother and allows the CPU to focus on more complicated tasks. |
Memory
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Memory can refer to two things the first and most obvious being storage memory, it is a pice of hardware, usually a hard disk drive, that allows you to store and retrieve data a hard drive is commonly used to store files and applications as well as that computers opperating system.
The second type of memory is known as Random Access Memory or RAM for short. RAM stores the data for applications while you are running them it also allows for the use of multiple applications at once, the more RAM you have the more you can run without the computer slowing down. As well as RAM there is also, SRAM which is primarly used for caches, RDRAM which uses in-line memory and DRAM which stores each bit of data in a seperate capacitor. |
Sound and Display
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When watching a video or listening to a song on a computer all the sounds that are produced are the work of a sound card, a pice of hardware connected to the motherboard dedicated to inputing, processing and then delivering sound. Each sound card has four uses, firstly generating sound, converting analog to digital, convering digital to analog and also working as a MIDI interface.
When it comes to desplay the hardware can ether be built in or external, in the case of laptops, mobiles or tablets there will always be a screen built in, while this saves on having to buy a separate television or monitor it dose mean that if the screen is damaged ether the entier devise has to be replaced or it has to be taken to piecesto be repared. External display on the other hand, while far less acessable and a little more expencive offer a little more in customization, as the screen isn't fixed to a device it isent constrained on size, users can have a screen as big or as small as they like, they aslo offer a number of ways to be connected from HDMI to VGA. |
Interface Devices
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An Interface Devices is a piece of hardware that allows the user to interact with the rest of the system, the symplist example of this would be a television remote control, it allows users to change the channle, volume, desplay setting, ect. of a television. For PCs the default Interface Devices would be a mouce and keyboard as they allows to browse and select files. For a games console the default interface device would be a controller, a small handheld device made up of buttons triggers and joysticks to allow users to control games.
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