Computer Hardware

A computer system is made up of many components or parts where each will perform a
specific task. All the components will work together.

Computer Hardware – physical devices of a computer system that can be touch or feel.
There are 3 categories.
1. Input devices
2. Output devices
3. Components inside the CPU box
Input Devices
Data and instructions must be entered into a computer system in order
to carry out tasks. Data entry will be done by using input devices.

 Joystick – used to change the position of the cursor or any other

object on the screen. Used for playing video games.

 Light pen – shaped like a pen. It allows user to draw or point to

objects on the computer screen or monitor. Light pen is connected
to VDU (Visual Display Unit).

 Microphone – used to input sound into a computer. Can record

voice or other sounds.
 Graphic tablet – used to draw images and pictures on the computer
screen. This consists of a flat surface and a pen like device called
stylus. Used for capturing handwritten signatures

 Barcode Reader – used to read barcodes. Barcode is a pattern

printed in lines of different thickness that can be seen on many
products. Barcode reader interpret these lines into the computer.

 Touch screen – touch sensitive display screen which act as an input

device. This can identify the presence and position of the touched
location.
Eg: ATM’s, Ticket collection terminals, airports, smart phones.
 MICR (Magnetic Ink Character Recognition) – used to process
cheques in banks. Special numbers at the bottom of the cheque are
written using a special ink called magnetic ink. MICR is used to read
these characters.
Output Devices
Produce the output in user readable form.
 Monitor – a piece of computer hardware that display text, sound, video and
animations. It is similar to TV. Can be called as VDU(Visual Display Unit) or
screen.

 Speaker – it gives out sound output from the computer which we can hear.

 Printer – used to print text and pictures that you see on a monitor onto papers. It
gives hard copy outputs which is permanent.
printers can be classified into two categories
1. Impact printers
2. Non impact printers
 Printers

Impact Printer Non Impact printer

• Makes a mark on the paper by • Do not strike the print head
striking a print head on the ink against the ink ribbon
ribbon.

• Slow • Fast
• Noisy • Less noise
• Less quality • High quality
Eg: Dot matrix printer Eg: Laser printer, Ink jet printer

 Plotter – special type of printer used to produce high quality graphs and diagrams. This is used
by engineers, architects and map makers.
Eg: Plans of buildings, Diagrams of machines, large scale maps
Components inside a CPU box
There are number of components found inside CPU Box.
 SMPS (Switched Mode Power Supply) – It converts the incoming
electricity into proper voltage which will be supplied to other
components inside the CPU box

 Motherboard – mainboard which contain number of components of

the computer system. It holds processor, memory chips, sound card
(allows computer to play sound and music) and video card (allows
computer to play videos, graphics and animations).
 Processor or CPU – brain of the computer. Processor process data and
instructions given through input devices and pass the results to the output
devices.

 Memory chips – there are 2 types of memory chips

RAM
• Random Access Memory
• Read/ Write
• Volatile memory (if power
is off, all data will be
deleted)
• Can contain programs,
data, operating system
ROM
• Read Only Memory
• Read Only
• Non Volatile memory
• Used to store BIOS (Basic Input/Output
System)/ start-up program
 Ports – inlets on the CPU box to plug other devices such as
mouse, keyboard, printer. Nowadays devices are connected
using USB (Universal Serial Bus) ports.

Hard disk

 Disk drives – devices that let you store and retrieve data
and applications on the storage devices.
1. Hard disk – main storage device inside the computer. It stores
large amount of data.
2. CD (Compact Disk) – Circular in shape. Can store 700 – 750
Megabytes of data.
3. DVD (Digital Video Disk) – can store more data than a CD.
CD and DVD are portable and can read/write