Hardware is the physical parts of a computer system, including the devices you can see and touch. It includes the CPU, motherboard, RAM, hard drive, power supply, and monitor.
Software is a set of programs that tells the hardware what tasks to do and how to perform them. Without software, a computer is not functioning properly.
Processor
The processor is an important component of a computer and can make a big impact on the performance of your computer. It interprets and executes commands from your operating system and other software.
Processors are made up of four parts, including an arithmetic logic unit (ALU), floating point unit (FPU), registers and cache memory. They perform arithmetic and logic operations on whole numbers, or integers, as well as numbers with a decimal fraction in them.
In addition, the processor also uses a program counter to keep track of which instruction to fetch next. This counter is incremented after each fetch, indicating which instruction should be executed next.
Memory
Memory, or random access memory (RAM), is a component of your PC that stores data while your computer runs. This can include documents, websites, files and other data you need to use.
RAM, like all of the other computer hardware components, needs to be properly managed in order for it to work correctly. Failure to do so can result in slow or unreliable performance, bugs or malware takeover.
In contrast to storage devices such as hard disk drives, RAM is non-volatile, meaning that it stays stored even after the computer is turned off. This makes it an ideal option for quickly retrieving information while the computer is in use.
There are many different types of memory available for computers, though they all share common characteristics. Two of the most important are DRAM and SRAM. DRAM is less expensive and has higher density, making it the most common type of memory used in modern PCs and other electronic devices.
Graphics Card
The graphics card, also known as a video card, is a circuit board in your pc that contains specialized hardware optimized for displaying high-quality graphics. It includes a dedicated graphical processing unit (GPU), and a RAM chip that helps it process the data needed to display visual media.
It is a key component in modern gaming PCs because it provides a high-resolution output for playing games. Today’s GPUs also have technology that allows them to use upscaling to improve the quality of images rendered from lower-resolution sources.
There are two main types of GPU: integrated and discrete. Integrated cards are embedded alongside the CPU on the motherboard, and discrete cards are standalone chips that are placed in the system’s expansion slot.
Hard Drive
The hard drive is a large, heavy storage device that can store a significant amount of data. Its size can range from 2 TB to 20 TB, and is suitable for users who need to store high-resolution data or for backup and redundancy purposes.
It contains several magnetic disks (platters) that spin at a high rate to store and retrieve information. The platters are divided into sectors, each of which can accept an electric charge and be read by a read/write head.
A controller board in the drive instructs the heads how and when to move across the platters. The controller also watches the error rate and performs internal tasks, such as bad sector remapping. This is important for keeping the drive functioning properly.
Motherboard
A motherboard is a large circuit board that connects all of your PC hardware together. It’s like the nervous system of your computer, keeping all of the parts talking to each other and running in perfect harmony.
Motherboards are made up of many layers of copper that provide the traces that electrically connect your components. The board also provides the power and ground connections that provide the current necessary for your systems to work.
The motherboard boosts the capabilities of your computer. Its integrated chipsets allow you to add more devices and expand your system.
Most modern motherboards support several slots and ports that accommodate additional peripheral devices such as RAM (Random Access Memory), Peripheral Component Interconnect or PCIe (where e is for Express), SATA or M.2, depending on your needs. These are often referred to as expansion slots and may help increase your system’s speed or allow you to install more graphics cards, for example.