John Eva's Basic Computer Hardware Parts Article
Computer hardware is a physical part of a computer that executes within the hardware. It is unlike computer software or data that can be frequently changed, modified or erased on a computer. Computer hardware is not frequently changed and so is stored in hardware devices such as read only memory (ROM) where it is not readily changed.
Most computer hardware is embedded and so is not visible to normal users. Below are the different types of hardware's found in a computer.
- Motherboard: It is the central or primary circuit board making up a complex electronic system such as a computer. A motherboard is also known as a main board, logic board or system board
- Central processing Unit: A CPU is the main component of a digital computer that interprets instructions and process data in computer programs
- Random Access Memory: A RAM allows the stored data to be accessed in any order. RAM is considered as the main memory of the computer where the working area is used for displaying and manipulating data
- Basic Input Output System: BIOS prepares the software programs to load, execute and control the computer
- Power Supply: Power Supply supplies electrical energy to an output load or group of loads
- Video Display Controller: It converts the logical representation of visual information into a signal that can be used as input for a display medium
- Computer Bus: It is used to transfer data or power between computer components inside a computer or between computers.
- CD-ROM drive: It contains data accessible by a computer
- Floppy disk: It is a data storage device
- Zip Drive: It is a medium capacity removable disk storage system
- Hard Disk: It is a non-volatile data storage system that stores data on a magnetic surface layered unto hard disk platters
