Processing

Motherboard

The main printed circuit board that holds together crucial components of a computer, including the CPU, memory, and buses

PCIE

Spot on the motherboard that expansion cards slot into.

Expansion Cards

GPU (Video), Sound, NIC- increase functionality of the computer

GPU/Video Card

Process visual information - standalone or integrated - To convert data sent by the CPU into pixels for display

Sound Card

responsible for converting computer signals into sound

NIC (Network Interface Card)

necessary for connecting devices to internet- wired or wireless

Central Processing Unit (CPU)

The brain of the computer that executes a program, processing instructions stored in memory.

What is the primary characteristic that a CPU must have in relation to the motherboard?

Compatibility

The two primary producers of CPUs

Intel & AMD

What are the CPU form factors?

LGA, PGA, DIP, ARM

Buses

Electrical pathways that facilitate communication between the CPU, memory, and other hardware components.

Data Bus

Transports actual data between the components.

Address Bus

Carries information about where data should be sent or retrieved from.

Control Bus

Sends control signals to manage the operations of the CPU and other components.

ATX

A common motherboard form factor, which includes variants like EATX, ATX, Micro ATX, and Mini ATX.

ITX

Smaller motherboard form factor option, replacing the ATX, including variants like the Mini-ITX, Nano-ITX, Pico-ITX, Mobile-ITX

Power Supply Unit (PSU)

Converts AC power from a wall socket into DC power for the computer components.

What should one ensure before attempting to add additional hard drives to a computer?

PSU should have free connectors and be capable of powering the additional components

32 bit system

Also known as x86, can run on both 32 bit and 64 bit CPUs.

64 bit system

Also known as x64, can only run on 64 bit CPUs.

Overclocking

A technique used to make a processor work at a faster speed than its original specification.

Throttling

A technique used to decrease the speed of the processor.

CPU Speed

Measured in cycles per second, typically in megahertz (MHz) or gigahertz (GHz).

Advanced RISC Machines Architectures (ARM)

CPUs commonly used in mobile phones and tablets.

PGA

Pin Grid Array, a form factor for CPUs with fragile pins.

LGA

Land Grid Array, a form factor for CPUs.

Bits

The smallest unit of storage used in computing.

What device can help correct power sags?

UPS

What is a basic feature of a power strip?

Provides multiple outlets for power

What is the reason for different color wires on a power supply?

Each wire color represents a different voltage