Computing Hardware

Computing Hardware

1. External Hardware

   • Keyboard
     • External input device used to type data into some sort of computer system whether it be a mobile device, a personal computer, or another electronic machine. A keyboard usually includes alphabetic, numerical, and common symbols used in everyday transcription.
   • Monitor
     • Used to output an image from the processor to the screen
   • Printer
     • In computers, a printer is a device that accepts text and graphic output from a computer and transfers the information to paper, usually to standard size sheets of paper.
   • Speakers
     • A device that converts electric signals to audible sound, especially one that is freestanding or part of an electronic device such as a television.
   • Mouse
     • A small handheld device which is moved across a mat or flat surface to move the cursor on a computer screen.
   • Microphone
     • A piece of equipment that you speak into to make your voice louder, or to record your voice or other sounds.

2. Internal Hardware

   • Fan
     • It introduces air flow into the system cooling the pc.
   • Ram
     • Stores program operations and data while a program is being executed. It is volatile.
   • CPU
     • Executes programs using the fetch-decode-execute cycle
   • Motherboard
     • A printed circuit board containing the principal components of a computer or other device, with connectors for other circuit boards to be slotted into.
   • Hard Disk
     • A magnetic disk drive consists of a number of platters (disks) coated in a magnetic material. They spin at around 7200 rpm. The data is encoded into bits and written onto the surface as a series of changes in the direction of the magnetisation. The data is read by detecting the changes in direction.
   • Sound Card
     • A device which can be slotted into a computer to allow the use of audio components for multimedia applications.