Types Of Computer Hardware
What are the Types Of Computer Hardware? Computer hardware is made up of mechanical and electronic elements of the computer. They include peripherals that are used for storage of data, input, and output. The hardware also include components of the system unit such as RAM, hard, disk, chipset, CPU, motherboard, sound card, and video card.
The CPU is regarded as the brain of the computer as it processes all input data in the computer and transforms them to output data. It is the most important of all types of computer hardware. There is the PCI bus that connects the computer to the hardware devices. There is also the internal bus that links the motherboard to the sound tracks and video. The southbridge and the northbridge are the core chipsets that manage the flow of information between the computer and the hard disk. The southbridge is connected to the computer by the northbridge and their strengths determine how fast the memory of the computer can run. The function of the chipset is to enhance communication between the memory and the CPU, while the PCI bus or the southbridge controls the external bus.
Among all types of computer hardware, the RAM is the main hardware responsible for storing the information the user is working with. Unlike the hard disk, the RAM stores information on a temporary basis and when there is no power, all information on the RAM is lost. We have basically two types of RAM – the DRAM and the SRAM.
The hard disk stores data that are not processed. It is made up of materials with magnetic surfaces. The information stored on the hard disk remains permanent and cannot be lost when power is switched off, unlike the RAM. The SATA and the IDE are the two types of hard drives. The removable drives consist of a BD-ROM, a DVD-ROM, and a CD-ROM. There is also a port for USB flask drive- a pocket sized device that can be used to store information. There are some computers that still support a floppy disk drive, though these computers are now technologically rendered obsolete.
The monitor displays the videos and images in the computer through the manipulation of the color of the pixels. The sound card is the main device that enables the input and output of sounds through microphones and speakers. Computer headphones are used to listen to sounds that are meant for only the individual. Peripherals such as mouse and keyboard are input devices of the computer. These devices receive user inputs and transform them into digital data that is viable on the monitor screen.
The mouse allows the user to move, drag and click on items on the monitor. The pointer, also called the cursor is a small arrow-like object that moves when the mouse is moved on a mouse pad. Other types of computer hardware are gamepad and joystick, basically used in playing games in the computer.
There are also other types of computer hardware like the webcam and scanners. A webcam produces video inputs while a scanner is an input device that analyzes and inputs images into the computer. A printer is an output device that produces pictures or text on a paper. Modems are used to send and receive data over a network through telephone cables.
The speed and effectiveness of computers have been greatly enhanced since the introduction of the first generation of computers decades ago. As technology improves, it is expected that more sophisticated types of computer hardware will also be produced that will further revolutionize the computer world.
