Having knowledge about computers and how they work can bring you incredible advantages. For example, being able to maintain and improve the performance of your machine, as well as being able to make the best choice when buying a computer.
Its best known parts are actually composed of peripherals such as mouse, keyboard, headsets and also the famous monitor, in addition to other components that you can use, such as microphones and speakers. However, it is in the case, the structure that holds the body with all the main parts of the computer .
Were you curious to know what are the parts of a computer? Today we’re going to meet the main ones and what the function of each one of them is! Let’s go!
PROCESSOR
Also known as CPU, which means Central Processing Unit, is considered as the brain of the computer . This component is one of the machine’s processing units, however, it is the most important of them, being responsible for running software, performing calculations and other actions. Commonly, the processor has a quadrangular format, and is composed of a small but powerful chip that interacts with other components of the computer and considerably affects the machine’s performance .
Computers work through instructions , such as cake recipes, which are captured, interpreted and executed by the processor. The first processors had only one core, that is, it could only execute one instruction at a time.
However, this slowed down the machine significantly, so manufacturers started adding more cores to the processor, and now multiple instructions can be executed . Metaphorically speaking, instead of cleaning the house alone, four people can work together and thus do the job better and faster.
Thus, for architects, engineers, photographers, video editors and designers or people who need a powerful computer, it is very important that the processor is fast and powerful .
The main point to pay attention to about processors is their capacity , which is measured in Hertz. Therefore, a 1 GHz processor is capable of doing 1 billion operation cycles per second, and thus processing all the information necessary to practice the command given by the computer user.
Thus, this attention to the processing capacity in GHz of your processor will indicate its efficiency, considering its lower or higher data processing capacity per second.
MOTHERBOARD
The Motherboard has this name due to the fact that it is the component through which all other items on the computer come together and interconnect. In that sense, it is like a central computer , where information is collected and disseminated through this union of all parts of its operating system.
Your computer ‘s Motherboard connects with the video card, the memory sticks, the processor, the HD, the network cards, in addition to being responsible for the USB and video inputs if you don’t have a video card. Therefore, its function is to enable the exchange of information between all these components and enable the general functioning of the computer.
Many people need or choose to change their computer’s motherboard , either out of necessity or because they want their machine to perform better. One of the main aspects to observe when purchasing a Motherboard is the so-called chipset, which indicates which processors are compatible with it , because if you buy an incompatible CPU, your computer will not work and you will run the risk of causing damage to its components. .
In addition, the chipset indicates what type of motherboard socket is, which is decisive for identifying several other aspects related to your computer, such as which types of memory are compatible with that motherboard , how many USB ports it can process and other technical details that must be observed.
Also, cell phones, tablets and other small devices have motherboards, however they are commonly called logic boards. Unlike boards in computers, their components are often soldered directly onto the board, meaning there’s no way to upgrade your device.
VIDEO CARD
Video card , or “Video Board” in English, is what makes it possible for the computer to send graphic information to the monitor , so it is thanks to this card that we can see images with more quality, programs, videos and everything else that we run. by the computer. As with processors, it is necessary to find a model among the many existing ones to best suit your professional needs.
There are currently very powerful cards on the market , for video editing, for example, as well as simpler ones for routine user tasks. In addition, they have their own memory , which determines the amount of graphic elements that will appear on the screen.
Also like computers, cell phones, laptops and tablets have video cards, with the difference in size and, for the most part, they cannot be replaced.
RAM MEMORY
RAM memory is different from that memory stored on the Hard Disk (HD) . Because, while the computer is executing the command, it needs a “workstation”, a place where to keep the information that it is processing at that moment, and this place is the RAM Memory .
In this way, it is as if the processor received information from the hard disk to execute a command, and the processor keeps this information in RAM memory so it does not need to request the same information from the HD all the time, making the process faster and much less complicated. for the machine.
Therefore, RAM memory is a temporary memory of your computer. And, the greater its capacity, the greater the speed of your computer in processing simultaneous information during a command.
HARD DRIVE
Popularly known as HD (Hard Disk), it is an important part of the computer, as it has the function of storing information , files, programs, operating system and everything necessary for the computer. Also, the hard disk is non-volatile memory , which means that the data stored on it will still be there when you shut down your computer.
The name “hard disk” is given because it has one or more firm disks, made of aluminum or glass, in which all the information is stored . The component has a mechanical aluminum arm, which moves by magnetic impulses and thus writes lines of information on magnetic layers applied to the disk, called platters .
In addition, the HD influences the machine’s performance , as it maintains information that is necessary for the functioning of the machine or the CPU. Thus, to measure the performance of the hard disk, there are two calculations : the data transfer rate (how much information per second the HD can deliver to the processor) and the seek time (how long the HD takes to deliver information from her request).