Hardware

Hardware

1. Hardware

   • Hardware: a physical component of computer system
   • Device: a hardware component of a computer system consisting of electronic components
   • Output device: a device used to communicate data or information from a computer system
   • Storage device: a device used to store data onto a storage medium
   • Input device: a device that allows data to be entered into a computer system

2. Internal hardware devices

   • Central processing unit: (CPU) is the brain of a computer, it is the part of the computer that carries out calculations, executes and processes data
   • Motherboard: is a printed circuit board (PCB) which connects the main components of the computer
   • Random access memory: (RAM) is memory that is used to store currently active programs and data
   • Read only memory: (ROM) is memory that, once it has been written to, can no longer be changed
   • Graphical card: is also known as a video card, display graphics adapter
   • Sound card: is to generate the signals needed to output sound from the computer to a speaker or set of speakers
   • Hard disk drive: (HDD) is the most common form of secondary storage for a computer due to its relatively low cost per MB (megabyte)
   • Solid state drive: (SSD) is another secondary storage device that is non-volatile

3. External hardware devices

   • Cloud: cloud computing is a term that refers to anything where computing services are hosted over the internet and not in the same physical location as the computer being used
   • Monitor: is certainly an essential part of most computer systems as it enables the user to visualise the output
   • Keyboard: consists of a number of buttons which are used to input text or to control parts of an interface
   • Mouse: is a pointing device which allows objects to be selected and manipulated on the screen
   • Printer: produces a hard copy (printout) from a computer usually onto paper
     • Laser printer: negatively charges a cylindrical drum which the attracts electrically charged toner (powdered ink)