What Is Computer Hardware?

Computer hardware: These are the hardware parts of a computer that allows the computer to run important tasks, such as processing and memory.

An internal computer consists of hardware components like CPU (Central Processing Unit), RAM, hard disk and monitor. These all come connected via a motherboard.

CPU
Computers’ CPU is their brain. It does all the data processing, from mathematical and logical computations to interface with input/output machines.

Instructions are executed in 3 phases by a CPU, fetch, decode and execute. The fetch is simply a function that takes a set of numbers and computes an instruction for it – that could be as simple as moving numbers around, or as complex as doing complicated maths.

Encoding portion of CPU interprets commands, execution portion does calculations which save output into memory or registers. Calculations done, program counter updated and CPU proceeds to the next instruction. And of course, it’s not just that part here (nothing is really in this image).

RAM
RAM (random access memory) is uncontrolled computer storage that stores data only until the machine dies — such as integrated circuits soldered directly onto the motherboard or memory modules wired into sockets on logic boards.

RAM (RAM) is the memory that’s crucial to your computer. If you have running applications that take more memory than available in RAM, then your computer must distribute tasks from memory to hard drive – which takes time and reduces overall performance.

RAM stores the instructions and data that CPU need to do things, for example, run apps and games. That data is typically cached into L1 cache or L2 cache so that they are available quickly.

Hard Disk
Disk drives are hard drives, non-volatile storage media that hold digital data when the computer’s battery dies, and accesses data from platters with the help of electromagnetic techniques located inside the case.

Consumer hard drives typically have platters spinning between 4200 and 7200 rpm; they are all equipped with concentric circles that divide information into tracks and sectors, and an actuator assembly moves arms around these platters to write and read information at breakneck speed and precision.

PCBs have parts that provide power in the right places to all areas of a hard drive and handle functions like controlling the movement of actuator arms or transferring memory random access used to handle operations on HDD.

Graphics Card
A graphics card is a component installed on a motherboard and is used to produce graphics onto a monitor, for instance, so that gaming or other graphic intensive applications like video editing, CAD design, and HPC work seamlessly.

GPU is graphics processing unit and is much like the CPU in terms of form factor, however it comes with its own 3D graphic memory (called VRAM).

The GPU has access to VRAM to remember every pixel and color, and to store finished images until the screen time. VRAM generally has very fast read and write rates via double ported design.

Motherboard
motherboard (also known as main printed circuit board): motherboard is where the functional components of a computer all meet and communicate. You can almost always find one in a tower computer on the right or left side.

The motherboard draws power from it, converts it into current that can be harnessed by every part of the system, and then accredits optimal current through all of them.

Motherboard: The motherboard is where the CPU, random-access memory (RAM), hard drives, optical drives and expansion cards are anchored. The small board is also where basic input/output system (BIOS) or its more contemporary cousin UEFI is found. With all this hardware linked together and in one place, your motherboard can support the loading of operating systems, controlling flow of data and the interactions between hardware and software.