Modem

To connect your computer to the Internet, you need a modem. A modem is a device that sends and receives computer information over a telephone line or high-speed cable. Modems are sometimes built into the system unit, but higher-speed modems are usually separate components.

Source from http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows-vista/Parts-of-a-computer

Speakers

Speakers are used to play sound. They may be built into the system unit or connected with cables. Speakers allow you to listen to music and hear sound effects from your computer.

Source from http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows-vista/Parts-of-a-computer

Printer

A printer transfers data from a computer onto paper. You don't need a printer to use your computer, but having one allows you to print e‑mail, cards, invitations, announcements, and other materials. Many people also like being able to print their own photos at home. The two main types of printers are inkjet printers and laser printers. Inkjet printers are the most popular printers for the home. They can print in black and white or in full color and can produce high-quality photographs when used with special paper. Laser printers are faster and generally better able to handle heavy use.

Source from http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows-vista/Parts-of-a-computer

Floppy disk drive

Floppy disk drives store information on floppy disks, also called floppies or diskettes. Compared to CDs and DVDs, floppy disks can store only a small amount of data. They also retrieve information more slowly and are more prone to damage. For these reasons, floppy disk drives are less popular than they used to be, although some computers still include them.

Source from http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows-vista/Parts-of-a-computer

CD and DVD Drives

Nearly all computers today come equipped with a CD or DVD drive, usually located on the front of the system unit. CD drives use lasers to read (retrieve) data from a CD, and many CD drives can also write (record) data onto CDs. If you have a recordable disk drive, you can store copies of your files on blank CDs. You can also use a CD drive to play music CDs on your computer.

Source from http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows-vista/Parts-of-a-computer

Monitor

A monitor displays information in visual form, using text and graphics. The portion of the monitor that displays the information is called the screen. Like a television screen, a computer screen can show still or moving pictures.

There are two basic types of monitors: CRT (cathode ray tube) monitors and LCD (liquid crystal display) monitors. Both types produce sharp images, but LCD monitors have the advantage of being much thinner and lighter. CRT monitors, however, are generally more affordable.

Source from http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows-vista/Parts-of-a-computer

Keyboard

A keyboard is used mainly for typing text into your computer. Like the keyboard on a typewriter, it has keys for letters and numbers, but it also has special keys.

Source from http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows-vista/Parts-of-a-computer

Mouse

A mouse is a small device used to point to and select items on your computer screen. Although mice come in many shapes, the typical mouse does look a bit like an actual mouse. It's small, oblong, and connected to the system unit by a long wire that resembles a tail. Some newer mice are wireless.

Source from http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows-vista/Parts-of-a-computer

Processor (CPU)

A Computer CPU is, in simple terms, the “brain” of your computer. It is also known as the processor. CPU’s are used to process everything from basic to complex functions. Every time something needs to be computed it gets sent to the CPU.  It attaches directly to the motherboard using a socket and is usually cooled by a heat sink or fan. Depending on the manufacturer of the computer processor, the socket types will be different. Make sure that your CPU has the correct socket type for your motherboard. Not all CPU’s have pins on the bottom side, but be careful with ones that do. The pins can be easily bent while attaching the CPU to the motherboard. Processors have drastically advanced over the years from the Pentium 4 Processor, to the Core 2 Duo, and now to the Quad Core Processor. There are several different manufacturers of CPU’s such as Intel and Athlon. Each manufacturer has many versions of their processors, differing in specifications. To identify one CPU from another, each version is given a core name. Taking Intel for example, a couple of the different cores might be: Core 2 Duo or Core 2 Quad. Each CPU has a clock speed, which refers to the speed that the CPU runs. This is the most important indicator of a CPU’s performance level. Another very important performance factor of a CPU is the FSB. The FSB is the data transfer speed between the CPU and the RAM. A CPU also has an L2 Cache speed. Level-2 cache is an area of fast memory inside the CPU. This memory is used to store more frequently used data so it will not have to be received from slower RAM. The larger the L2 Cache, the faster your processor will be. The technological advancement of processors has made them more efficient in many ways.

Source from http://www.computerknowledgeforyou.com

Motherboard

We have already used the analogy that a CPU is the “brain” of your computer, so in comparison, a Computer Motherboard would be like the “central nervous system”. A Motherboard can also be called a Computer Mainboard. It is the most important circuit board in the computer system. The computer motherboard contains the bus (communication circuit for the computer components), the CPU, all memory sockets, expansion slots, etc. The bus speed is a key factor in determining the overall speed of a computer’s motherboard. Keeping all of this in mind, having a high-quality PC Motherboard is essential to having a high-quality computer. Computer motherboards come in different configurations to fit different needs. A basic motherboard comes with several interfaces for all necessary components, and a BIOS (Basic Input/Output System) chip set to control the setup of the motherboard. Depending on what the computer is mainly going to be used for, it is important to keep BIOS manufacturers in mind when choosing a computer motherboard. Some manufacturers allow you to adjust the BIOS, while others do not. This option can allow you to overclock the system CPU. When choosing a motherboard, there are a couple of other key factors to remember. Check the power supply to make sure it has the correct connectors for the motherboard you choose. Also make sure the CPU socket on the motherboard is compatible with the CPU you intend to install. Depending on the computer components you intend to run, make sure you have the correct video card slot(s), memory slots and other expansion slots. You also have to make sure the motherboard is capable of running the type and amount of hard drives you choose to run. You want a computer motherboard that supports more RAM than is currently needed to be prepared for new technological advancements. A good computer motherboard should be easy for you to set up (most motherboards today have color coded connectors and slots), support all of the components that you are running, and able to serve your future needs.

Source from http://www.computerknowledgeforyou.com

Power Supply (PSU)

A Computer Power Supply (PSU) is vital to the operation of a computer. The Power Supply converts AC current to DC current and then sends power to all of the internal components in the computer system so they can function. A Computer Power Supply is a metal box usually located inside the top backside of the computer case. The power supply is visible from the back of the computer. It is easily identified by the presence of a port for the power cable. There are three typical voltages used in a power supply: 3.3 volts, 5 volts, and 12 volts. The 3.3 and 5 volt supplies are usually used by digital circuits, while the 12 volt supplies are more typically used to supply power to fans, motors, and disk drives. The main specification of a power supply is in watts. Most PC’s today use a push button switch on the front of the computer case to power up the computer. This push button sends a 5 volt signal to the power supply letting it know it is time to send power to all of the internal computer components. To shut the computer down most computers have a “shut down” option located in a menu bar. When this is used the operating system sends a signal to shut the computer down. The Power supply also has a 5 volt circuit of “standby voltage”, known as VSB. This circuit is used so even when the computer is turned off, the push button to start up the computer will still work (enabling the computer to turn on). There are different types and styles of power supplies on the market today. Three of the basic types of desktop PC power supplies are AT, ATX and ATX-2

AT Power Supply - Typically used in older PC’s

ATX Power Supply - Commonly used in PC’s today

ATX-2 Power Supply - New standard for power supplies today

Power supplies are easily changed and are generally cost effective. If you are going to change a power supply make sure you get one with room for expansion so you are prepared for the future.

Source from http://www.computerknowledgeforyou.com

Video Card

There are two types of systems used to create video on your computer; one type is integrated video and the other is a video card. A video card is the part of your computer that is responsible for converting binary code from the CPU into a picture so you can view it on your monitor. Video Cards can also be called Computer Graphics Cards. Computer Video cards plug directly into an expansion slot on the motherboard of a computer using various slots like PCI, AGP, and PCI Express. Integrated video is a chip built into the motherboard used to run the video. Most older systems have integrated video because it is a less expensive alternative to a video card. This usually this gives poor picture quality and slows down the computer because it relies on the systems CPU and memory to run it. Newer video cards come with their own memory, cooling, and a graphics processing unit (GPU). There are four main components to a Video Card; the memory, a processor, a connector to the motherboard and a connector to the monitor. These components are responsible for making a 3-D image out of the binary data, filling in the remaining pixels, and adding light, texture and color. If you were using integrated video and tried to play the most up- to-date video games the load on the computers CPU and Memory would become to much for the computer to handle. If you like good graphics, watch DVD’s, or play computer games a Video Card is definitely the way to go. Some video cards only have one port used for connecting a standard monitor; while some more advanced video cards may have multiple ports for additional monitors or TV’s. There are a variety of video ports offered for video cards; some are VGA (video graphics array), VIVO (video in/video out), and DVI (digital video interface). VGA ports are more commonly used with CRT monitors, while DVI ports are usually used for LCD monitors.

Source from http://www.computerknowledgeforyou.com

Sound Card

A Computer Sound Card is an internal component in your computer that processes audio files to provide high-quality playback through the computer speakers. It can process and play most computer file formats, including MIDI, .wav, and .mp3. This means it can play both voice and music. Some PC Sound Cards are built into the computer’s motherboard (Integrated sound), but most people looking for surround sound or 3-D sound usually buy a separate sound card. This means that the initial sound card can be disabled to install a higher quality card. Most game designers use 3-D sound to provide dynamic sound that changes based on a players position in the game. 3-D sound provides sound from several directions and makes the gamer feel like they are in a more realistic environment. Surround sound is similar to 3-D sound and also has sound coming from several directions, but the sound does not change based on the listeners actions. Both the quality of a computer's speakers and the sound card affect the overall sound quality. Computer Sound cards come with a variety of ports (jacks). These ports are used to plug in things such as computer speakers, headphones, microphones, MIDI (Musical Instrumental Digital Interface) keyboards and joysticks. Depending on the type of sound card you buy the microphone, headphones, digital, and speaker connectors will usually be color coded and labeled in the sound cards instruction manual for easy hookup. The digital sound jacks for computer sound cards can come in a single RCA, DIN, or special type of connector depending on what sound card you purchase. The midi port is available on some sound cards and is used for connecting a midi keyboard and some gaming accessories such as paddles, or a joystick. There are two different types of computer sound cards; ISA sound cards, and PCI sound cards. ISA sound cards are relatively cheaper in price and are more common in older computers. PCI computer sound cards, being newer and more technologically up to date, have a lot of advantages over ISA. These advantages include compatibility with SoundBlaster, a low load on the CPU, a high quality audio out, a high quality microphone in, direct sound 3-D hardware support, MIDI synthesis hardware support, and a line out connection to home Hi-Fi equipment. Installing a new computer sound card is a great way to improve the overall sound experience while using your computer.

Source from http://www.computerknowledgeforyou.com

Hard Drive (HDD)

A Computer Hard Drive is a form of Computer memory used to permanently store files and programs. Computer Hard Drives can also be referred to as; Hard Disk Drive. When using Microsoft windows a hard disk drive is often referred to as the c-drive. Most PC Hard Drives are stored in a internal drive bay at the front of the computer. Hard drives are connected inside the computer using a ATA, SATA or SCSI cable and a power cord.

Source from http://www.computerknowledgeforyou.com

Ram

Computer RAM is the best known form of memory your computer uses to temporarily store and access data. From the time you turn on your computer, your CPU is constantly using memory (RAM). Every time something is opened or loaded, it gets placed into RAM. This means it is put into a temporary storage area so the CPU can more easily access the information. From there it becomes a continuous cycle where the CPU requests data from RAM, processes it and then writes new data back to RAM. In most computers, this transfer of data between CPU and RAM happens millions of times every second. When an application is closed, the application itself, along with all its accompanying files is deleted from RAM. This is to make sure there is room for new data, so unless the changed files are saved to a permanent storage device, they will be lost.

Source from http://www.computerknowledgeforyou.com