LESSON 4: THE INTERNAL HARDWARE

Information Sheet 1.1-4

Motherboard is the main circuit board within a typical desktop computer, laptop or server. Its main
functions are as follows:
• To serve as a central backbone to which all other modular parts such as CPU, RAM, and hard
drives can be attached as required to create a computer.
• To accept (on many motherboards) different components (in particular CPU and expansion
cards) for the purposes of customization.
• To distribute power to PC components.
• To electronically co-ordinate and interface the operation of the components.
Form factor is the specification of a
motherboard – the dimensions, power
supply type, location of mounting holes,
number of ports on the back panel, etc.

Image 1.18 Motherboard form factors

Image 1.19 Different Form Factors

CENTRAL PROCESSING UNIT (CPU)

The PC processor also called the central processing unit. It is the hardware within a computer that
carries out the instructions of a computer program by performing the basic arithmetical, logical, and
input/output operations of the system.
Clock Speed is a processor’s rating that measure a certain number of information processed per
second.
FSB Front Side Bus serves as the processors connection to the system memory. FSB transfer speed
allows better processor performance.
L2 Cache enables the processor to speedily access recently used information. Currently a processor
operates on Level2 (L2) which provides faster data transfer between processor and main system
memory.
32-bit (x86) CPU vs. 64-bit (x64)
There are two different types of CPUs. There is a 32-bit CPU and there is a 64- bit CPU. The main
difference between these two processors is the structure. The older processor which is the 32-bit
processor has a structure that can process instructions less efficiently than a 64-bit processor.
APU Accelerated Processing Unit is a processing system that includes
additional processing capability designed to accelerate one or more types of
computations outside of a CPU. Is a term AMD gave their CPU that also has a
graphics core inside the CPU chip. Is a simply a processor that combines CPU
and GPU elements into a single architecture.
Multicore Processor enables the system to handle more than one thread at a
time by switching the threads between the core to provide faster information
processing. Integrates multiple physical processors on a single chip
dividing the application between the processors to allow the system Image 1.20 Intel Core i7
function faster by running multiple threads. Software is like a rope Extreme Processor
made up of individual threads. It uses one thread at a time, and other use many thread called multi-
thread.
Overclocking is the term used in pushing a processor to operate higher than what is officially rated by
its vendor. It enables the system to extend its capabilities by almost or more than 25%, definitely a
high boost to computer performance.
Heatsink is a heat absorber, a piece of hardware that absorbs heat from processor. Active heatsink it
regulates the temperature of the processor.

Two types of memory

• ROM (Read Only Memory) is non-volatile, meaning it holds data even when the power is ON
or OFF.
• RAM (Random Access Memory) is volatile, meaning it holds data only when the power in on.
When the power is off, RAM’s contents are lost.

RANDOM ACCESS MEMORY (RAM)

Although manufacturers have created many types of memory over the years, all of the memory looks
pretty much the same: A fiberglass strip about four inches long and an inch tall, with little notches in
its sides and edges. Different types of memory fit into different types of socket little slots that hold
the strip’s bottom and sides. The notches on the memory module must mesh with the dividers and
holders on their sockets. If they don’t line up, you’re inserting the wrong type of memory into the
socket.
• The Main Types Of Memory
SIMMs come in two main sizes, as shown in figure below, so both sizes require a different-size socket.
Ancient, pre-Pentium computers use the smaller size (3 1⁄2 inches long), which has 30 pins and usually
holds less than 20MB of memory. Early Pentium computers used a larger size (4 1⁄4 inches long), which
has 72 pins and usually holds no more than 64MB of memory. Both types simply push into a socket,
held in place by friction.

Image 1.21 30 pin SIMM (left), 72 pin SIMM (right)

SDRAM DIMM (Synchronous Dynamic Random Access Memory

Dual In-line Memory Modules). To meet the increased memory demands of newer and more
powerful Pentium and AMD CPUs, designers created the speedier SDRAM DIMMs. With 168 pins, the
5 1⁄4-inch DIMMs look much
like longer SIMMs. They slide
into newly designed slots with
little clips holding them in place.
RDRAM (Rambus Dynamic Random Access Memory) or RIMM. Rambus, Inc., created a super-fast,
super-expensive memory in the late 1990s and covered the chips with a cool-looking heat shield. The
speedy 5 1⁄4-inch-long memory modules, shown in the figure below, enchanted Intel so much that
the CPU maker designed its Pentium 4 CPUs and motherboards around them. The rest of the computer
industry ignored RDRAM because of its high price and licensing fees. Intel’s main competitor, AMD,
stuck with standard motherboards and SDRAM, the existing industry standard. RDRAM and SDRAM
use different slots, so stick with the type of memory your computer is built around.

Image 1.23 RDRAM

184 pins

(Rambus Dynamic
Random Access
Memory)

DDR SDRAM (Double Data Rate SDRAM). The biggest competitor to RDRAM, this stuff does some
tricky piggybacking on the memory bus to speed things up dramatically. The catch? Because your
motherboard must be designed to support it, these 5 1⁄4-inch memory modules use slots with
different notches than those designed for

184 pins
traditional SDRAM. That means that DDR
SDRAM modules, like the one in the figure
shown, don’t fit into a regular SDRAM slot
or an RDRAM slot.
Image 1.24 DDR SDRAM
DDR2 SDRAM (Double Data Rate 2
SDRAM). DDR2 SDRAM is simply a

240 pins
newer, faster version of DDR SDRAM.
Yet again, your motherboard must be
designed to support it, as these
modules use yet another system of
slots and notches. Image 1.25 DDR2 SDRAM

DDR3 SDRAM (Double Data Rate 3 SDRAM)

240 pins

Image 1.26 DDR3 (Double Data

Rate 3)

DDR4 SDRAM (Double Data Rate 4 SDRAM)

An abbreviation for double data rate fourth-generation synchronous dynamic random-access
memory, is a type of synchronous dynamic random-access memory (SDRAM) with a high bandwidth
("double data rate") interface.
288 pins

Image 1.27 DDR4 SDRAM

DDR5 SDRAM is the official abbreviation for Double Data Rate 5 Synchronous Dynamic Random-
Access Memory. Compared to its predecessor DDR4 SDRAM, DDR5 is planned to reduce power
consumption, while doubling bandwidth. The standard, originally targeted for 2018, was released on
14 July 2020.
Image 1.28
DDR5 SDRAM
64 GB