Technology in Action

Eighteenth Edition

Lecture 5

Understanding and
Assessing Hardware:
Evaluating Your System

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Learning Objectives (1 of 2)

6.1 Describe the changes in CPU performance over the

past several decades.
6.2 Compare and contrast a variety of computing devices.
6.3 Describe how a CPU is designed and how it operates.
6.4 Describe tools used to measure and evaluate CPU
performance.
6.5 Discuss how RAM is used in a computer system.
6.6 Evaluate whether adding RAM to a system is desirable.

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Learning Objectives (2 of 2)

6.7 Classify and describe the major types of nonvolatile

storage drives.
6.8 Evaluate the amount and type of storage needed for a
system.
6.9 Describe the features of video cards.
6.10 Describe the features of sound cards.
6.11 Describe steps you can take to optimize your system’s
reliability.
6.12 Discuss how to recycle, donate, or dispose of an older
computer.
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Your Ideal Computing Device
Moore’s Law (Objective 6.1)

• New technologies
emerge quickly
• Things to consider
– Speed
– Moore’s Law
– System
components
▪ DRAM
▪ Hard drive

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Your Ideal Computing Device
Selecting a Computing Device (Objective 6.2)

• Large number of choices

– Smartphones
– Tablets
– Ultrabooks
– 2-in-1s
– Laptops
– Desktops

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Evaluating the CPU Subsystem (1 of 6)
How the CPU Works (Objective 6.3)

• The CPU
– Located on
motherboard
– Processes instructions
– Performs calculations
– Manages the flow of
information
– Intel and AMD
processors

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Evaluating the CPU Subsystem (2 of 6)
How the CPU Works (Objective 6.3)

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Evaluating the CPU Subsystem (3 of 6)
How the CPU Works (Objective 6.3)

• Machine cycle
– Fetch
– Decode
– Execute
– Store
• Two units
– Control unit
– Arithmetic logic
unit (ALU)

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Evaluating the CPU Subsystem (4 of 6)
How the CPU Works (Objective 6.3)

• CPU’s processing power

– Clock speed
– Overclocking
– Cores
– Parallel processing
– Cache memory

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Evaluating the CPU Subsystem (5 of 6)
How the CPU Works (Objective 6.3)

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Evaluating the CPU Subsystem (6 of 6)
How the CPU Works (Objective 6.3)

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Evaluating the CPU Subsystem
Measuring CPU Performance (Objective 6.4)

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Evaluating the Memory Subsystem (1 of 4)
Random Access Memory (Objective 6.5)

• Random access memory (RAM)

– Short-term memory storage
– Volatile storage
• Read-only memory (ROM)
– Critical startup instructions
– Nonvolatile storage

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Evaluating the Memory Subsystem (2 of 4)
Random Access Memory (Objective 6.5)

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Evaluating the Memory Subsystem (3 of 4)
Random Access Memory (Objective 6.5)

• RAM
– On motherboard
– 8 GB
– Dual inline memory
modules (DIMMs)

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Evaluating the Memory Subsystem (4 of 4)
Random Access Memory (Objective 6.5)

• SuperFetch
– Preloads often used
programs into system
memory
• Resource monitor
– Displays how
computer resources
are being used

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Evaluating the Memory Subsystem
Adding RAM (Objective 6.6)

• Limited to motherboard’s capacity

• Easy to install

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Evaluating the Storage Subsystem (1 of 2)
Types of Storage Drives (Objective 6.7)

• Mechanical hard drives

– Coated platters
stacked on a spindle
– Data saved as pattern
of magnetized spots
of 1s and 0s
– Access time is the
time it takes to find
the data and make it
available

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Evaluating the Storage Subsystem (2 of 2)
Types of Storage Drives (Objective 6.7)

• Solid state drives

– Fast access times
– Generate little heat
– Run with no noise
– Require little power
• Solid state hybrid drives

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Evaluating the Storage Subsystem (1 of 3)
Storage Needs (Objective 6.8)

Application/Data Hard Drive Space Required Heavy Cloud Storage User

Windows 11 64 G B 64 GB

Microsoft 365 4 GB 4 GB

Adobe Photoshop Elements 2020 4 GB 4 GB

Adobe Premiere Pro CI 10 GB 10 GB

Video library of movie 80 GB (about 40 HD movies) Streamed through online service

Music library 50 GB (about 7,000 songs) Stored in cloud (iCloud or Amazon

Cloud Drive)
Photographs 5 GB Stored in iCloud or Dropbox

Total storage in use 223 GB 88 GB

Full backup 223 GB Stored in cloud using Carbonite

Total required 446 GB 88 GB

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Evaluating the Storage Subsystem (2 of 3)
Storage Needs (Objective 6.8)

• Redundant array of
independent disks (RAID)
– R AID 0
– R AID 1

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Evaluating the Storage Subsystem (3 of 3)
Storage Needs (Objective 6.8)

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Evaluating the Media Subsystems (1 of 2)
Video Cards (Objective 6.9)

• Video display depends on

two components
– Video card
– Monitor
• Ports
– HDMI
– DVI
– DisplayPort adapter

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Evaluating the Media Subsystems (2 of 2)
Video Cards (Objective 6.9)

• Video memory
• Screen Resolution
– Found in Advanced Display Settings
• Graphics Processing Unit (GPU)

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Evaluating the Media Subsystems (1 of 2)
Sound Cards (Objective 6.10)

• Speakers and a sound

card
• 3D sound technology
• Surround sound
• Dolby Digital 7.1

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Evaluating the Media Subsystems (2 of 2)
Sound Cards (Objective 6.10)

• MIDI—allows
communication between
– Different kinds of
electronic instruments
– And computers

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Evaluating System Reliability and Moving on
Maintaining (1 of 2)
Maintaining System Reliability (Objective 6.11)

• Reliability
– Install antivirus program
– Install spyware and adware
– Clear out unnecessary files
– Run Disk Defragmenter
– Automate key utilities

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Evaluating System Reliability and Moving on
Maintaining (2 of 2)
Maintaining System Reliability (Objective 6.11)

• System crashes
– Try System Restore
– Check amount of RAM
– Investigate any error codes
– Search with Google
– Consider Windows Reset

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Evaluating System Reliability and Moving on
Getting (1 of 2)
Getting Rid of Your Old Computer (Objective 6.12)

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Evaluating System Reliability and Moving on
Getting (2 of 2)
Getting Rid of Your Old Computer (Objective 6.12)

• Benefits of maintaining
two systems
• Environmental impact
– Mercury
– Cadmium
• Donate
– Remove all data
before donating

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