Hardware - physically connected to the computer or something that can be physically touched.

-The tangible part of the Computer

Peripheral Devices - hardware components that connect to a computer or computing device to extend its
functionality and provide additional capabilities.

-These devices allow users to input, output, and interact with data and applications.

-Also known as External Hardware.

External Hardware - Devices which can be easily removed and plugged into a computer system.

•Input devices are hardware components that allow users to enter data, commands, and interact with a computer
or computing device.

-converting physical actions or data into digital information that the computer can process.

Keyboards - one of the most common input devices.

• Mice are pointing devices that enable users to move a cursor on the screen and interact with graphical user
interfaces.

Touchscreens are displays that can detect and respond to touch gestures.

Graphics Tablet They consist of a sensitive surface and a stylus (pen) that allows users to draw, sketch, or write
directly onto the tablet.

-offer precision and pressure sensitivity for digital art and design.

Scanners - input devices used to convert physical documents, photographs, and images into digital format.

Barcode scanners read barcodes on products, inventory, or documents.

Biometric devices use unique biological characteristics such as fingerprints, facial features, or retinal patterns for
user authentication and security.

Output devices are hardware components that present information, data, or results generated by a computer to
the user in a human-readable form.

Display Monitors or displays are visual output devices that present text, images, videos, and graphical user
interfaces.

CRT monitors were once the standard display technology for computers and televisions.

- use a large, vacuum tube containing an electron gun to shoot electron beams at a phosphorescent screen,
creating images through the emission of light.

LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) monitors use liquid crystal molecules that change orientation when an electric current
is applied.

LED monitors (Light Emitting Diode) are a type of LCD monitor that uses LED backlighting instead of traditional cold
cathode fluorescent lamps (CCFLs) to illuminate the screen.

OLED monitors (Organic Light Emitting Diode) use organic compounds that emit light when an electric current is
applied.

Printers produce physical copies of digital documents and images.

Inkjet printers are common and versatile devices that create images by precisely spraying tiny droplets of liquid ink
onto paper or other print media.

Laser printers use a laser beam to create an electrostatic image on a photosensitive drum

Dot matrix printers use a matrix of tiny pins that strike an inked ribbon to create characters and images by forming
patterns of dots.

3D printers create physical objects layer by layer using additive manufacturing processes.

-They can produce complex and customized objects, including prototypes, models, and functional parts.

Projectors display computer content on a larger screen or surface, making them suitable for presentations, home
theaters, classrooms, and large-scale events.

Speakers are audio output devices that convert electrical signals into sound waves, allowing users to listen to
music, watch videos, and communicate through audio content.

Headphones provide a personal and immersive listening experience by directing sound directly into the ears.

Over-Ear Headphones These headphones have large ear cups that fully enclose the ears, offering excellent sound
isolation and comfort.

On-Ear Headphones Smaller than over-ear headphones, on-ear headphones rest on the ears without fully
enclosing them.

In-Ear Headphones (Earbuds) These compact headphones fit inside the ear canal.

External storage devices are hardware components designed to provide additional storage capacity and portable
data solutions for computers and other electronic devices.

-allow users to store, transfer, and back up data such as documents,

USB Flash Drive Also known as thumb drives, memory sticks or flash drive.

External hard drives are larger storage devices that connect to a computer via USB, Thunderbolt, SATA, or other
interfaces.

Compact Disk Also called optical disc is a nonmagnetic, polished metal disk used to store digital information.

Security Digital (SD) card is a device that will store additional amounts of information.

-is a small, portable storage device that is commonly used to store and transfer digital data.

A floppy disk, also known as a floppy or diskette, is a magnetic storage medium that was widely used for data
storage and transfer in the late 20th century.

- 1970s and 1980s -as the symbol for saving a file or document within software applications.

Memory refers to the various types of storage that a computer uses to temporarily or permanently store data

•RAM (Random Access Memory) is volatile memory used to store data and program instructions that the CPU
actively uses.

•ROM (Read-Only Memory) is non-volatile memory that stores firmware and permanent instructions for hardware
components.
-It contains the BIOS (Basic Input/Output System) firmware, which initializes the hardware during the boot-up
process.

Cache memory is a small, high-speed memory located between the CPU and RAM.

Storage in computing refers to the long-term retention of digital data.

-It is the place where files, documents, software, and other digital assets are saved and can be retrieved for later
use.

•HDDs (Hard Disk Drive) use spinning magnetic disks to store data. They offer high capacity but are relatively

slower than SSDs.

SSDs (Solid-State Drive) use flash memory to store data, resulting in much faster data access times compared to
HDDs.

• They are more energy-efficient and shock- resistant.

A system unit is the part of a computer that houses the primary devices that perform operations and produce
results for complex calculations.

PC Chassis (CHasē) also commonly referred to as a computer case or tower case, is the enclosure that houses
various computer components, including the motherboard, CPU, GPU, storage drives, power supply, and cooling
systems.

Full-tower cases are the largest and roomiest among PC chassis, typically measuring around 18 to 24 inches (45 to
61 cm) in height.

• They offer extensive space for multiple GPUs, storage drives, and cooling solutions.

•Mid-tower cases are more compact than full- tower cases and measure around 14 to 18 inches (36 to 45 cm) in
height.

-are versatile and suit a wide range of configurations.

•Mini-tower cases are smaller than mid-tower cases, with heights ranging from 12 to 14 inches (30 to 36 cm).

• These cases are more compact and often have limited space for components.

Small Form Factor refers to a type of system unit or computer case that is compact and designed to take up less
space than traditional desktop computer cases.

Motherboard often referred to as the mainboard or system board, is the central printed circuit board (PCB) in a
computer.

•It serves as the foundation for connecting and integrating various hardware components.

Northbridge was traditionally a chipset located on the motherboard near the CPU.

• Memory Controller

• Graphics Interface

The Northbridge controls the communication between the CPU and system memory (RAM).

interface for the integrated graphics controller and the CPU.

The Southbridge, located further away from the CPU on the motherboard, was responsible for a broader range of
functions, including:

• These include USB, IDE, SATA, LAN and Audio devices. • It controls the PCI slots and the onboard graphics chip.

•In Intel-based systems, it's often referred to as the Platform Controller Hub (PCH).

•In AMD-based systems, it's known as the Fusion Controller Hub (FCH).

The BIOS (Basic Input/Output System) is a critical component of a computer's hardware, associated with the
motherboard.

There are two main types of BIOS in use today:

• Legacy BIOS Older computers and motherboards often use a legacy BIOS.

•It relies on the Master Boot Record (MBR) partitioning scheme and the BIOS interrupt 13h for disk access.

• UEFI (Unified Extensible Firmware Interface) is a more modern and feature-rich firmware interface.

•It supports the GUID Partition Table (GPT) and offers a graphical interface for BIOS setup.

A bus is a set of wires through which data can be sent to the different parts of the computer system.

Front side bus

• Connects the processor to the northbridge.

Memory bus

• Connects the northbridge to the main memory.

Graphics bus

• Connects the northbridge to the PCI-Express or AGP graphics slot.

Internal bus

• Connects the northbridge to the southbridge

PCI bus

• Connects the PCI slots and the onboard graphics to the southbridge

LPC bus (Low Pin Count Bus)

• Connects low bandwidth devices to the southbridge.

ATX (Advanced Technology eXtended) motherboards are among the most common and widely used, measuring
approximately 12 x 9.6 inches (30.5 x 24.4 cm).

•Micro ATX motherboards are smaller than ATX, typically measuring around 9.6 x 9.6 inches (24.4 x 24.4 cm).

•Mini ITX motherboards are compact, measuring approximately 6.7 x 6.7 inches (17 x 17 cm).

• These motherboards are designed for small form factor (SFF) PCs and have limited expansion slots and
connectors.
eXtended ATX This motherboard is 13x12 inches or less dimensions, these dimensions can vary with different
manufacturer.

• This motherboard is designed for both dual CPU and single configuration and has up to 8 ram slots and has more
PCIe and PCI slots for adding PCI cards for different purposes.