Essential Computer Hardware Terms: Definitions & Explanations
Computer Hardware Terminology
Definitions of essential computer hardware terms:
Core Components
Computer Hardware: The physical parts of a computer.
Motherboard: The main printed circuit board found in computers and other expandable systems. It serves as the body or mainframe of the computer.
Central Processing Unit (CPU): A machine that can execute computer programs; often referred to as the brain of the computer.
Random Access Memory (RAM): Fast-access memory that is cleared when the computer is powered down.
Firmware: Loaded from Read-Only Memory (ROM) and run from the Basic Input-Output System (BIOS).
Power Supply: The device that supplies power to all the components in the computer.
Removable Media Devices
Removable Media Device: Any device that can be inserted into and removed from your computer. There are many different types.
CD: A common removable media device.
DVD: A popular optical disc storage media format.
Blu-ray: A newer optical disc storage media format used for high-definition video and data storage.
Flash Drive: A data storage device that includes flash memory with an integrated Universal Serial Bus (USB) interface.
Floppy Disk: A type of data storage composed of a thin, flexible magnetic storage medium encased in a square or rectangular plastic shell. Floppy disks are read and written by a floppy disk drive.
Internal Storage
Internal Storage: Hardware that keeps data inside the computer for later use and remains persistent even when the computer has no power.
Hard Disk Drive (HDD): A non-volatile storage device that stores digitally encoded data on rapidly rotating platters with magnetic surfaces.
Solid-State Drive (SSD): A data storage device that uses solid-state memory to store persistent data.
Disk Array Controller: A device that manages multiple disk drives and presents them to the computer as logical units.
RAID (Redundant Array of Independent Drives): A storage virtualization technology that combines multiple disk drives.
Peripherals and Buses
Peripheral: A piece of computer hardware that is added to a computer to expand its abilities.
Bus: A subsystem that transfers data between computer components inside a computer or between computers.
PCI: A local computer bus for attaching hardware devices in a computer.
PCI Express: A high-speed serial computer expansion bus standard designed to replace the older PCI, PCI-X, and AGP bus standards.
PCMCIA: A type of bus used for laptops.
AGP: A high-speed point-to-point channel for attaching a video card to a computer’s motherboard, primarily to assist in the acceleration of 3D computer graphics.
Expansion Cards
Video Card: An expansion card whose function is to generate and output images to a display.
Sound Card: An expansion card that facilitates the input and output of audio signals from the computer.
Network Card: An expansion card that allows computers to communicate over a network.
Ports and Interfaces
USB (Universal Serial Bus): Designed to standardize the connection of computer peripherals (including keyboards, pointing devices, digital cameras, printers, portable media players, disk drives, and network adapters) to personal computers, both to communicate and to supply electric power.
Firewire (IEEE 1394): A serial bus interface standard for high-speed communications and isochronous real-time data transfer.
PS/2: Used for connecting some keyboards and mice to PCs and is compatible with computer systems.
Input/Output Devices
Keyboard: A typewriter-style device that uses an arrangement of buttons or keys to input text into the computer.
Mouse: A pointing device that detects two-dimensional motion relative to a surface, used to select documents, folders, etc.
Microphone: Used to speak with other people or to record audio.
Webcam: A video camera that feeds or streams its image in real time to or through a computer network.
Monitor: An electronic visual display for computers.
Printer: Used to print documents from your computer, such as schoolwork or information.
Speaker: A loudspeaker built into most IBM PC-compatible computers.