Creating and designing your own computer is all the rage these days. And even if building your own computer is not on your to do list, it is a good idea to know the component of what goes into them. After all, we use them every day, and they do not always work flawlessly. So here is a quick, user-friendly list of the major components that go into a computer (using an IBM desktop as an example) and a basic summary of what each of these components do.
The Motherboard
This is the thing you usually think of when you think of a computer’s innards. It is that large metal plate, usually green. It houses everything from the CPU to the memory of your computer. It is the most important part because it controls everything in your computer, mostly directly, but also indirectly. IBM uses a 43C0060 motherboard, or the like.
The Processor
Think of the processor as the brain of the computer. Its job is to do what you tell it. Whenever you press a key and see a letter appear on your screen that is the processor doing its job. The Processor is also called the CPU, it is about two inches, square, and usually made out of ceramic. You will find it integrated into your motherboard. IBM usually uses and Intel Core Processor. AMD is another brand option.
The Power Supply
In a laptop this is easy to see, a battery and a charger. But in a desktop computer, power supply requires more than just some cord that plugs into the wall. Computers require a specific kind of power, and you can’t just trust your wall supply to give you the right kind. The wrong power hooked up to the wrong machine can be disastrous. So desktop computers come with a built in power supply converters to ensure that the computer gets the right kind of power and doesn’t explode. All in all, a very important feature.
The Hard Drive
The hard drive is the long-term storage of your computer. It is where all the software you want to keep installed goes, and stays. Hard drives are measured by how much they can store and how fast they can store it and how fast you can access it. The IBM Lenovo desktop uses a 40y9035 hard drive. Though this particular model also has variances on how much and how fast it can store data.
The Motherboard
This is the thing you usually think of when you think of a computer’s innards. It is that large metal plate, usually green. It houses everything from the CPU to the memory of your computer. It is the most important part because it controls everything in your computer, mostly directly, but also indirectly. IBM uses a 43C0060 motherboard, or the like.
The Processor
Think of the processor as the brain of the computer. Its job is to do what you tell it. Whenever you press a key and see a letter appear on your screen that is the processor doing its job. The Processor is also called the CPU, it is about two inches, square, and usually made out of ceramic. You will find it integrated into your motherboard. IBM usually uses and Intel Core Processor. AMD is another brand option.
The Power Supply
In a laptop this is easy to see, a battery and a charger. But in a desktop computer, power supply requires more than just some cord that plugs into the wall. Computers require a specific kind of power, and you can’t just trust your wall supply to give you the right kind. The wrong power hooked up to the wrong machine can be disastrous. So desktop computers come with a built in power supply converters to ensure that the computer gets the right kind of power and doesn’t explode. All in all, a very important feature.
The Hard Drive
The hard drive is the long-term storage of your computer. It is where all the software you want to keep installed goes, and stays. Hard drives are measured by how much they can store and how fast they can store it and how fast you can access it. The IBM Lenovo desktop uses a 40y9035 hard drive. Though this particular model also has variances on how much and how fast it can store data.