Computer Hardware

Dell Lab Computer without case

What is all this stuff???

• Power Supply • Motherboard• Processor• Video Card• RAM (Random Access Memory)• Hard Drive• Cooling • I/O devices (Input/Output)

The Power Supply•Turns AC power from the outlet into DC voltage

•110v AC converted to 3.3v, 5v, and 12v DC

•This process generates heat

Why is the power supply designed with all of the slots in it?

The Motherboard

The motherboard is what ties all of the parts of a computer together

Power Supply, Processor, RAM, Hard Drive, Video Card, Fans, I/O devices all are plugged into the motherboard.

Motherboard controls all of the systems that make a computer work

The Processor

•The Processor is what calculates code incoming from the motherboard•All calculations are done in binary code. •Binary Code only consists of 2 digits 0s and 1s •Generates a lot of heat

Video Card

The video card is responsible for getting the image to the monitor.

I do not see this in our Dell computer. Why?

Video Card

•Some motherboards are designed with a video card integrated into it.

•Achieves a cost savings but loss in performance

Random Access MemoryRAM is a place for the motherboard to store data that will be used by the processor for calculations

RAM has a very fast data transfer rate

Hard Drive

The hard drive is another place the computer uses to store data.

Different than RAM

Much slower transfer speeds

New technology uses RAM in harddrives instead of platters

Operating System/Software stored here

Cooling a Computer

Computers generate heat and that heat must dealt with to avoid damage

Fans are the most common ways to dissipate heat.

Heat Sinks are another way to deal with the heat problem.

Processors and Power supplies generate so much heat a combination of fan and heat sink are used

Heat Sink without fan

Heat Sink with fan

Fan in back of power supply

Input and Output Devices

• Keyboard• Mouse• Speakers• Scanner• Bar Code Reader• Monitor• Can you name more?