What is a computer?

A computer is an electronic device that manipulates information, or data. It has the

ability to store, retrieve, and process data. You may already know that you can use
a computer to type documents, send emails, play games, and browse the Web.
You can also use it to edit or create spreadsheets, presentations, and even videos.

Hardware and Software

Before we talk about different types of computers, let's talk about two things all
computers have in common: hardware and software.

• Hardware is any part of your computer that has a physical structure,

such as the keyboard or mouse. It also includes all of the computer's
internal parts, which you can see in the image below.

• Software is any set of instructions that tells the hardware what to

do and how to do it. Examples of software include web browsers,
games, and word processors. Below, you can see an image of Microsoft
PowerPoint, which is used to create presentations.
Everything you do on your computer will rely on both hardware and software. For
example, right now you may be viewing this lesson in a web browser (software) and
using your mouse (hardware) to click from page to page. As you learn about different
types of computers, ask yourself about the differences in their hardware. As you
progress through this tutorial, you'll see that different types of computers also often
use different types of software.

Types of Computer

There are mainly four basic types of Computers and they are classified:

1. Supercomputer
2. Mainframe Computer
3. Minicomputer
4. Microcomputer

1. SUPERCOMPUTERS

Supercomputers are the fastest and the most expensive machines. They have high
processing speed compared to other computers. The speed of a supercomputer is
generally measured in FLOPS (Floating point Operations Per Second). Some of the
faster supercomputers can perform trillions of calculations per
second. Supercomputers are built by interconnecting thousands of processors
that can work in parallel.
 Supercomputers are used for highly calculation-intensive tasks, such as weather
forecasting, climate research (global warming), molecular research, biological research,
nuclear research, and aircraft design. They are also used in major universities, military
agencies, and scientific research laboratories. Some examples of supercomputers are
IBM Roadrunner, IBM Blue Gene, and Intel ASCI Red.

2. MAINFRAME COMPUTERS

There are several organizations such as banks, insurance companies, railways, etc
that
need online processing of a large number of transactions & require a computer
system
which have massive data storage & processing capabilities.
Mainframe computers are multi-user, multi-programming, and high-performance
computers. They operate at a very high speed, have a very large storage capacity, and
can handle the workload of many users. Mainframe computers are large and powerful
systems generally used in centralized databases.

3. MINICOMPUTERS

a Medium sized computer that is more powerful than microcomputers. A

minicomputer is usually designed to serve multiple users
simultaneously. Minicomputers lie between mainframe and microcomputers.

Minicomputers can support 4–200 users simultaneously. The users can access the
minicomputer through their PCs or terminals. They are used for real-time
applications in industries, research centers, etc. PDP 11, and IBM (8000 series) are
some of the widely used minicomputers.

4. MICROCOMPUTERS

It is defined as a computer that has a microprocessor as its CPU. Microcomputers

are small, low-cost, and single-user digital computers. They consist of the CPU,
input unit, output unit, storage unit, and the software. Although microcomputers are
stand-alone machines, they can be connected to create a network of computers that
can serve more than one user.
IBM PC based on Pentium microprocessor and Apple Macintosh are some examples
of microcomputers. Microcomputers include desktop computers, notebook
computers or laptops, tablet computers, handheld computers, smartphones,
and netbooks.

Desktop Computer or Personal Computer (PC) is the most common type

of microcomputer. It is a stand-alone machine that can be placed on the desk.
Externally, it consists of three units—a keyboard, a monitor, and a system unit
containing the CPU, memory, hard disk drive, etc. It is not very expensive and is
suited to the needs of a single user at home, small business units, and organizations.
Apple, Microsoft, HP, Dell, and Lenovo are some of the PC manufacturers.
Notebook Computers or laptops resemble a notebooks. They are portable and
have all the features of a desktop computer. The advantage of the laptop is that it is
small in size (can be put inside a briefcase), can be carried anywhere, has a battery
backup, and has all the functionality of the desktop. Laptops can be placed on the
lap while working (hence the name). Laptops are costlier than the desktop machines.
THE 3 FUNDAMENTAL ELEMENTS OF THE COMPUTER

SystemUnit>acts like the center or

core, processing the data and
information it receives from input
devices.

InputDevices>An input device is

any hardware device that sends
data to a computer, allowing you to
interact with and control the
computer.

OutputDevices> These are the

devices like printers. It receives the
system unit's processed information.

InputDevices
The most commonly used or
primary input devices on a
computer are the keyboard and
mouse. However, dozens of other devices
can also be used to input data into the
computer.
OutputDevice

Is any peripheral that receives data from

A computer, usually for display, projection,
or physical reproduction.
What are the parts of a computer?
At a high level, all computers are made up of a processor (CPU), memory, and
input/output devices.
Each computer receives input from a variety of devices, processes that data with
the CPU and memory, and sends results to some form of output.
This diagram visualizes that flow:

An illustration of the components of a computer. A keyboard is labeled as "input" and

an arrow flows from the keyboard to two components labeled "CPU" and "memory".
An arrow flows from them to a monitor labeled as "output".
In the next video from Code.org, a designer and CEO will step through the process of
typing input into a computer and rendering the output on the screen.
After the video, we'll review each of the components and practice what we've learned.
PARTS OF THE COMPUTER

MOTHERBOARD
is also called the "System Board,"
it is the main printed circuit board
in an electronic device,
which contains sockets
or slots that accept additional boards.

A POWER SUPPLY UNIT

is also called a power supply or PSU.
This is the device that supplies power to your
personal computer.
The power supply then pulls
the required amount
of electricity and converts the
AC to DC
and it also regulates the voltage
to eliminate spikes and surges
common in most electrical systems .

Hard Disk Drive

(HDD) is also known as a hard drive.
This is the computer's
main storage device
used to store all
data on the computer permanently.
Commonly, hard drives
are permanently placed in an
internal drive bay at the front
of the system case and are
connected with either
ATA, SCSI, or a SATA cable and power cable.

Optical Disc Drive

The Optical Disc Drive
is used to read or
write data on a disc.
Random Access Memory ( Memory card )

also known as Random Access Memory (RAM)

is a piece of hardware that
allows stored data to be accessed randomly.
Its main function is to store the data temporarily

CPU, or the Central Processing Unit

The CPU, or the Central Processing Unit,
is the brain of the computer
and one of the most important chips in the computer.
New CPUs are small
and square and contain multiple metallic
connectors or pins on the underside.
The CPU is inserted directly
into a CPU socket, pin side down, on the motherboard.

CPU Fan and Heatsink

CPU Fan and Heatsink help
in reducing the heat from
the processor so it will
not shut down automatically.

EIDE (Enhanced Integrated Drive Electronics

The EIDE (Enhanced Integrated
Drive Electronics
data cable is used to connect
EIDE-type Hard Disk Drive
to the motherboard.

S-ATA data cable

The S-ATA data cable is used
to connect S-ATA t
type Hard Disk Drive to the motherboard.
VIDEO CARD is commonly known as
graphics accelerator card, display
adapter, or graphics card.
This is a hardware component
whose main function is to generate
and display the output images
to a computer monitor

Network Interface Card (NIC)

is used to connect computers
to a computer network.

A SOUND CARD is also called an audio card adapter.

This is a computer expansion card
used for the input and output of audio
signals from a computer using a specific
computer programs. New motherboard
comes with a built-in audio adapter

A COMPUTER CASE also known as a

computer chassis, tower, system unit, CPU
(when referring to the case
as a whole rather than the
processor), or cabinet, is the
an enclosure that contains the most
of the components of a personal
computer(usually excluding the display,
keyboard, and mouse).
What are the Different Motherboard Components and Their Functions?

PCIEXPRESS ATX12V
X1 NORTHBRIDGE CONNECTOR

PCI SLOT CPUSOCKET

PCIEXPRESS
X16

1.BackPanel Connectors and ports for connecting the computer to

Connectors & external devices such as display ports, audio ports, USB
Ports ports, Ethernet ports, PS/2 ports, etc. See image below
for a close-up
view.

Vga port
2. PCISlots PCI: Peripheral Component Interconnect

Slot for older expansion cards such as sound cards,

network cards, and connector cards. See the image
below for a close-up view.

They have been largely replaced by PCI-Expressx1

slots(see motherboard parts#3 below).
3. PCI Expressx1 Slot for modern expansion cards such as sound cards,
Slots network cards(Wi-Fi, Ethernet, Bluetooth h), connect
or cards (USB, FireWire, eSATA), and certain low-end
graphics cards. See the image below for a close-up
view.
4. PCI Expressx16 Slot for discrete graphic cards and high bandwidth
Slot devices such as top-end solid-state drives. See the
image below for a close-up view.
Also known as Memory Controller Hub (MCH).
5. Northbridge

The chipset allows the CPU to communicate with the

RAM and graphics card.

Beginning from Intel Sandy Bridge in 2011, this

motherboard component is no longer present as it has
been integrated within the CPU itself.
6. CPU Socket Insert CPU here. To learn how to install a CPU,
7.ATX12VPower Connects to the 4-pin power cable of a power
Connector supply unit which supplies power to the CPU.
8. Front Panel Connects to USB 2.0 port at the front or top of a
USB2.0 Connectors computer case. See the image above for a close-up
view.
9. Front Panel Connects to the power switch, reset switch, power
Connectors LED, hard drive LED, and front audio ports of a
computer case. See the image above for a close-up
view.
10. IDE Connector Connects to older hard drive disks and optical drives
for data transfer. See the image above for a close-up
view.

They have been replaced by SATA connectors

11. CMOS Battery (see motherboard component#13 below).
Supplies power to store BIOS settings and keep the
real-time clock running. See the image above for a
close-up view.
Complementary Metal Oxide Semi-Conductor (CMOS)

The CMOS battery found on most motherboards

is the CR2032 lithium coin cell.
12. Southbridge Also known as the Input/Output Controller Hub(ICH).

The chipset that allows the CPU to communicate with

PCI slots, PCI-Expressx1 slots(expansion cards), SATA
connectors (hard drives, optical drives), USB
ports(USB devices), Ethernet ports, and on-board
13. SATA connectors audio.
Connects to modern hard disk drives, solid-state
drives, and optical drives for data transfer. See the
14. Fan Headers image above for a close-up view.
Supplies power to the CPU heatsink fan and computer
15.RAM Slots case fans. See the image above for a close-up view.
16. ATX Power Insert RAM here. To learn how to install RAM,
Connector Connects to the 24-pin ATX power cable of a power
supply unit which supplies power to the
motherboard.
17.m SATA Connector

Connects to a mSATA solid-state drive. In most cases,

this SSD is used as a cache to speed up hard disk
18. Front Panel USB
drives, but it's possible to re-purpose it as a regular
3.0 Connector
hard drive.
19.Power&ResetButton
Connects to USB 3.0 ports at the front or top of the
computer case.
On board button to turn on, turn off, and reboot the
computer.

Computer Cable Connections- How to Connect Computer Cables

Learn how to identify computer cable connections and hook up your computer
in minutes today...with our computer cable guide(with pictures).
Let's begin with display cables. There are four types of computer cable
connections to a monitor: VGA, DVI, HDMI, and Display Port.
If your monitor accepts two or more cable types (e.g.VGA and DVI), you should just
connect a single display cable to it. For this example, you can hook up your monitor
to either a VGA cable or DVI cable (but not both).
If your CPU has integrated graphics and you install a discrete graphics card, you'll
end up with two sets of display ports. In this case, ALWAYS connect your display
cable to your graphics card and not the motherboard.
1.VGACable
Also known as D-sub cable, analog video cable

Connect one end to the

computer monitor, and
television (PC input port)
Connect the other end to the
VGA port on the computer

2. DVI Cable

Connect one end to the

computer monitor
Connect the other end to the
DVI port on the computer
(see the image below)

3. HDMI Cable

Connect one end to a

computer monitor,
television
Connect the other end to the
HDMI port on the
computer(see the image
below) Note: If you're hooking
up a television to your
computer, then
we would recommend that you use a HDMI cable as your
PC

cable connection since it can transmit both display and sound you can not only use
your TV screen as a monitor but also make use of your TV speakers to play PC
audio.

4.PS/2 Cable
Connect one end to PS/2 keyboard,
PS/2 mouse
Connect the other end to PS/2 ports on
the computer (see image below)
Purple PS/2 port:
keyboard Green
PS/2port: mouse
5.EthernetCable
Also known as RJ-45 cable

Connect one end to the

router, network switch
Connect the other end to the
Ethernet port on the
computer (see the image
below)
LAN port– Local Area Network

6.3.5mmAudio Cable–Audio Port

Also known as phone connector (since 3.5mmjacksare
often found on mobile phones too)

Connect one end to computer

speakers, 3.5mmheadphones,
and 3.5mmmicrophone
Connect the other end to audio
ports on the computer (see
image below)
Green audio port computer
speakers or headphones
Pink audio port microphone
Blue audio port: MP3 player, CD player, DVD player, turn table, electric guitar,
etc(line-in port to play and record sounds from the above devices)

7.USBCable
For USB computer
cable connections,
there are two
popular formats:
USB2.0 and the
newerUSB3.0How
to tell USB2.0 and
3.0
cables apart:
USB3.0 cables have
a blue tip, and
sometimes you can
find an SS
"Super Speed" label on it. See image below:
Since USB was intended to be the one
computer cable connection to replace the mall,
it's no surprise that the possible uses for a USB
port are quite mind-blowing. For this computer
cable guide, we have listed its more common
uses below:
Connect one end to a USB device
Storage devices USB flash drive, external
hard drive, external optical drive
Input devices: USB keyboard (wired and wireless), USB

mouse(wired and wireless), webcam, scanner, and

game pad Output devices: printer, all-in-one office
machine, USB speaker.

8.PowerCable-Connect one end to AC power

socket Connect the other end to power supply
unit(see image below), computer monitor
Note: Always turn off your power supply unit(with
the 1-0 switch at the back)before connecting a power
cord to it.