Anatomy of a PC

The anatomy of a PC – explained

Although computers can vary from machine to machine, there are a few components that they all share. How well they work depends on the manufacturer (and usually how much you’re willing to pay for them!).

Motherboards are the foundations on which  all computers are built. They allow all the separate electronic parts of the PC to communicate with each other – individual parts are plugged into the motherboard, which coordinates all the separate signals they send and makes the whole machine work as a single unit.

The components at the heart of a PC

The Central Processing Unit, or CPU, is the brain of the computer. It’s the part that actually does the computing, working out sums, running programs and carrying out all the commands you input with the mouse or keyboard. The speed of your processor will determine how quickly your computer runs, and how many programs it can run effectively at the same time.

Video and graphics cards translate the signals from the computer into visual images you can see on your PC’s monitor or screen. Obviously you need one of these so you can see what you’re doing; graphics cards are also important for playing games. The better the graphics card, the faster your PC will be when it comes to running them.

Understanding the anatomy of a PC will help choose the right one for you

Memory is vital for your computer, and comes in two forms. Random Access Memory (or RAM) holds data and program instructions and enables computers to run; however, they only store information temporarily so something else is required. That’s where the hard drive comes in, which keeps all your information stored permanently.

Add to this your monitor, speakers, keyboard, modem for connecting to the internet, CD / DVD drives and lasers, and you’re starting to get there! Computers are complex beasts, but the parts listed above are the ones that need to be in top shape for your machine to really work well.