COMPUTER HARDWARE: External & Internal
There are two types of computer hardware: external and internal. External hardware devices includes input/output devices like monitors, keyboards, printers, and scanners , whereas internal hardware devices include motherboards, hard drives, and RAM.
EXTERNAL HARDWARE
Input Devices
There are the different input devices which enables users to interact and provide information to computer, devices and software. These devices play a crucial role in facilitating communication between humans and machines. For example Keyboard, Mouse, Trackball, Bar Code Reader, Joystick, Touchpad, MICR(Magnetic Ink Character Recognition), Scanner, OCR(Optical Character Recognition).
Output Devices
Output devices are essential components of computing and digital systems because they serve the critical function of presenting information, data, or results generated by computers and digital devices in a human-readable or perceptible format. For example, monitor, printer, multimedia projector, Plotter and micro films.
INTERNAL HARDWARE
MOTHERBOARD: The motherboard is the backbone that ties the computer’s components together at one spot and allows them to talk to each other
USB Ports (Universal Serial Bus):
USB Type-A: The rectangular-shaped USB-A ports are used for connecting a wide range of peripherals like keyboards, mice, external hard drives, and USB flash drives.
USB Type-C: These reversible, compact ports support faster data transfer speeds and can also carry power, making them versatile for devices like laptops, smartphones, and external monitors
Audio Ports:
3.5mm Audio Jacks: These ports are commonly used for connecting headphones, microphones, and external speakers. There are separate jacks for audio output (headphones/speakers) and audio input (microphone).
HDMI (High-Definition Multimedia Interface):
HDMI ports are used for connecting computers to external displays like monitors, TVs, or projectors. They transmit both video and audio signals.
Display Port:
Display Port connectors are used for high-resolution displays and can carry audio signals as well. They are commonly found on modern monitors and graphics cards.
Ethernet Port (RJ-45):
The Ethernet port is used for wired network connections, providing high-speed internet access and local network connectivity.
VGA Port (Video Graphics Array):
Although less common in modern systems, VGA ports are used for connecting older monitors and projectors that do not support digital connections like HDMI or Display Port.
DVI Port (Digital Visual Interface):
DVI ports are used for connecting digital displays, including monitors and projectors. There are different types of DVI connectors, including DVI-D (digital only) and DVI-I (digital and analog).
Thunderbolt:
Thunderbolt ports are similar to USB Type-C ports but offer even higher data transfer speeds and support for various peripherals like external hard drives, monitors, and docking stations.
Serial and Parallel Ports:
These legacy ports were commonly used for connecting older peripherals such as serial mice, printers, and scanners. They are rarely found on modern systems.
PS/2 Ports:
PS/2 ports are used for connecting older PS/2-style keyboards and mice. They are also less common on modern computers.
eSATA (External SATA):
eSATA ports are used for connecting external SATA hard drives and other storage devices, providing a fast data transfer interface.
Card Slots (Expansion Slots):
These slots on the motherboard allow you to connect various expansion cards, including graphics cards (PCI Express), sound cards, network cards, and more.
FireWire (IEEE 1394):
FireWire ports were used for connecting high-speed devices like camcorders and external hard drives. They have become less common in recent years.
Micro SD/SD Card Slot:
Some laptops and desktops feature built-in card readers for SD (Secure Digital) and microSD memory cards used in cameras and other devices.
Power Connectors:
Power ports are used to connect the computer to a power source. Common types include the standard AC power cord and laptop-specific power connectors.
M.2 Slots:
M.2 slots on the motherboard are used for connecting M.2 solid-state drives (SSDs) and Wi-Fi/Bluetooth cards.
Random Access Memory (RAM):
· RAM is the computer’s primary or main memory.
· It is volatile memory, meaning it loses its data when the computer is powered off or restarted.
· RAM is used to store data and program instructions that the CPU is currently working with.
· It provides fast and temporary storage for data that can be read from and written to quickly.
Internal Storage
Internal storage is hardware that keeps data inside the computer for later use and remains persistent even when the computer has no power. There are a few different types of internal storage. Hard disks are the most popular type of internal storage. Solid-state drives have grown in popularity slowly. A disk array controller is popular when you need more storage then a single hard disk can hold.
Hard Disk Drive (HDD):
· HDDs are traditional mechanical storage devices.
· They consist of spinning disks (platters) coated with magnetic material.
· Data is stored on these platters, and a read/write head accesses the data by moving over the spinning disks.
· HDDs offer large storage capacities and are commonly used for mass data storage in desktop and laptop computers.
· A hard disk drive (HDD) is a non-volatile storage device which stores digitally encoded data on rapidly rotating platters with magnetic surfaces
Solid-State Drive (SSD):
· SSDs use NAND flash memory to store data.
· It is a data storage device that uses solid-state memory to store persistent data.
· They have no moving parts, making them faster and more durable than HDDs.
· SSDs offer faster data access speeds, improved reliability, and energy efficiency.
· They are commonly used in laptops, desktops, and many modern devices, including smart phones and tablets.
Disk Array Controller
· A disk array controller device manages the physical disk drives.
· It presents physical devices to the computer as logical units.
· A disk array controller also provides additional disk cache.
