Hardware is one of the most important components in a PC. Without it, a computer machine would not work. In fact, a working PC would be completely useless without the presence of the various hardware components. The term hardware actually encompasses a wide range of things which are used in the machines. Some of these include the following:
Computer hardware comprises all the essential parts of a computer system, including the main body, central processing unit (CPU), hard disk, random-access memory (RAM), processor, optical drive, motherboard, audio hardware, and interconnect hardware. The computer system could also contain external hardware, which is soldered to the mother board and is then incorporated within the system. These pieces of hardware together form the computer hardware.
The typical personal computer today comes with eight to ten different types of hardware components. The most expensive ones are the integrated motherboards. Earlier, the most commonly used type of hardware was the circuit board, which was incorporated into the CPU. Over time, the development of microchips saw the introduction of more efficient and power-efficient circuit boards. This made the use of circuits and chips smaller in size, which then enabled computers to be run without a hard drive or other hardware components.
Today, nearly all the computers that we see today have both a hard drive and a motherboard. The latter allows the user to add on external hardware components, such as a mouse, keyboard or monitor, without having to purchase separate hardware. External hard drives can be plugged into any USB port on a computer. A mouse can be connected to the motherboard using a serial cable and then used to control the computer via the mouse. Audio devices such as speakers can also be hooked up to the motherboard, although speakers require an external amplifier in order to work properly.
The most important piece of hardware that a PC must have is the central processing unit or the CPU. The CPU of a desktop computer operates the various systems and programs of the PC by translating instructions that come from the central processing unit into actual computer code that makes the PC run. One of the most popular types of CPU is the Intel microprocessor, which operates efficiently in the majority of PCs. However, other microprocessors exist, such as the AMD Opteron processor, which has proven to be very efficient in desktops.
Before purchasing a computer or before upgrading the hardware of the current PC, it is important to perform extensive research. Many companies manufacture PCs, but they do not always produce them with optimal specifications. It is therefore important to perform a thorough hardware comparison between different brands before choosing a specific chipset. There are many websites that allow users to compare different types of hardware. In addition, many PC users prefer to buy PCs that have the latest, most advanced technology inside them, which means that purchasing a new central processing unit is a good way to keep the operating system up to date.
