Computer Hardware Terms

The Central Processing Unit (CPU), also called a central processor, main processor or just processor, is the electronic circuitry that executes instructions comprising a computer program. The CPU performs basic arithmetic, logic, controlling, and input/output (I/O) operations specified by the instructions in the program.

A Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) is a specialized electronic circuit designed to rapidly manipulate and alter memory to accelerate the creation of images in a frame buffer intended for output to a display device. Their highly parallel structure makes them more efficient than general-purpose CPUs for algorithms that process large blocks of data in parallel.

Random-Access Memory (RAM) is a form of computer memory that can be read and changed in any order, typically used to store working data and machine code. RAM is a volatile memory, meaning its contents are lost when the computer is powered off.

A Solid-State Drive (SSD) is a type of non-volatile storage media that stores persistent data on solid-state flash memory. SSDs have no moving mechanical components.

A Hard Disk Drive (HDD), or hard drive, is an electro-mechanical data storage device that stores and retrieves digital data using magnetic storage and one or more rigid rapidly rotating platters coated with magnetic material.

A motherboard is the main printed circuit board (PCB) in general-purpose computers and other expandable systems. It holds and allows communication between many of the crucial electronic components of a system, such as the central processing unit (CPU) and memory, and provides connectors for other peripherals.

A Power Supply Unit (PSU) is a component that converts the AC power from a wall outlet into the regulated low-voltage DC power required by the internal components of a computer.

Clock speed is the rate at which a processor can complete a processing cycle. It is typically measured in gigahertz (GHz), or billions of cycles per second.

In the context of CPUs, a core is an individual processing unit within the main processor chip. A single physical CPU can contain multiple cores.

In computer architecture, a bus is a communication system that transfers data between components inside a computer, or between computers. This expression covers all related hardware components (wire, optical fiber, etc.) and software, including communication protocols.

A Printed Circuit Board (PCB) is a laminated sandwich structure of conductive and insulating layers. PCBs have two complementary functions. The first is to affix electronic components in designated locations on the outer layers by means of soldering. The second is to provide reliable electrical connections between the component's terminals in a controlled manner.

In a computer system, a chipset is a set of electronic components in an integrated circuit known as a "Data Flow Management System" that manages the data flow between the processor, memory and peripherals. It is usually found on the motherboard.

A heatsink is a passive heat exchanger that transfers the heat generated by an electronic or a mechanical device to a fluid medium, often air or a liquid coolant, where it is dissipated away from the device, thereby allowing regulation of the device's temperature.

In computing, the form factor is the specification of a motherboard – the dimensions, power supply type, locations of mounting holes, number of ports on the back panel, etc.

A peripheral device, or simply peripheral, is an auxiliary device used to put information into and get information out of the computer. They are not part of the core computer architecture.

An input device is any piece of computer hardware equipment which translates data and control signals from a user into a form that the computer can understand.

An output device is any piece of computer hardware equipment which converts information from the computer into a human-perceptible form or into a physical machine-readable form for use with other non-computerized equipment.

Universal Serial Bus (USB) is an industry standard that establishes specifications for cables, connectors and protocols for connection, communication and power supply between computers, peripherals and other computers.

USB-C is a 24-pin USB connector system with a rotationally symmetrical connector. It is a connector shape, not a specific protocol.

In computer hardware, a port serves as an interface between the computer and other computers or peripheral devices. Physically, a port is a specialized outlet on a piece of equipment to which a plug or cable connects.

HDMI (High-Definition Multimedia Interface) is a proprietary audio/video interface for transmitting uncompressed video data and compressed or uncompressed digital audio data from an HDMI-compliant source device, such as a display controller, to a compatible computer monitor, video projector, digital television, or digital audio device.

DisplayPort is a digital display interface developed by a consortium of chip and monitor manufacturers and standardized by the Video Electronics Standards Association (VESA). It is primarily used to connect a video source to a display device such as a computer monitor.

Ethernet is the traditional technology for connecting devices in a wired local area network (LAN) or wide area network (WAN). It enables devices to communicate with each other via a protocol — a set of rules or common network language.

Serial ATA (SATA) is a computer bus interface that connects host bus adapters to mass storage devices such as hard disk drives, optical drives, and solid-state drives.

NVM Express (NVMe) is an open, logical-device interface specification for accessing non-volatile storage media attached via a PCI Express (PCIe) bus. It is optimized for the low latency and high parallelism of modern SSDs.

PCI Express (Peripheral Component Interconnect Express) is a high-speed serial computer expansion bus standard. It is the primary interface for connecting high-speed components like graphics cards, NVMe SSDs, and network cards to the motherboard.

RAID (Redundant Array of Independent Disks) is a data storage technology that combines multiple physical disk drives into a single logical unit for the purposes of data redundancy, performance improvement, or both.

Network-Attached Storage (NAS) is a dedicated file storage server that connects to a network, providing data access to a diverse group of clients. A NAS is essentially a self-contained computer specialized for serving files.

A Storage Area Network (SAN) is a specialized, high-speed network that provides block-level network access to storage. SANs are typically composed of hosts, switches, storage elements, and storage devices that are interconnected using a variety of technologies, topologies, and protocols.

Fibre Channel (FC) is a high-speed data transfer protocol providing in-order, lossless delivery of raw block data. Fibre Channel is primarily used to connect computer data storage to servers in storage area networks (SAN) in commercial data centers.

iSCSI (Internet Small Computer Systems Interface) is an IP-based storage networking standard for linking data storage facilities. It allows clients to send SCSI commands over TCP/IP networks, making it possible for servers to access block-level storage as if it were a local device.

Small Computer System Interface (SCSI) is a set of standards for physically connecting and transferring data between computers and peripheral devices. The SCSI standards define commands, protocols, electrical, optical and logical interfaces.

A computer case, also known as a computer chassis, tower, system unit, or cabinet, is the enclosure that contains most of the components of a personal computer (usually excluding the display, keyboard, and mouse).

A computer monitor is an output device that displays information in pictorial or text form. A monitor usually comprises the visual display, circuitry, casing, and power supply.

Display resolution is the number of distinct pixels in each dimension that can be displayed. It is usually quoted as width × height, with the units in pixels: for example, "1920 × 1080".

A pixel is the smallest controllable element of a picture represented on the screen. It is a single point in a raster image, or a "picture element".

Refresh rate is the number of times per second that a display hardware updates its buffer. This is distinct from the measure of frame rate. Refresh rate is measured in hertz (Hz).

Frame rate (or frames per second, FPS) is the frequency at which consecutive images (frames) are captured or displayed. The term applies equally to film and video cameras, computer graphics, and motion capture systems.

A floppy disk or floppy diskette is a type of disk storage composed of a disk of thin and flexible magnetic storage medium, sealed in a rectangular plastic enclosure lined with fabric that removes dust particles.

An optical drive is a type of computer disk drive that reads and writes data from optical discs through laser beaming technology. This allows you to play CDs, DVDs, and Blu-ray discs.

A sound card (also known as an audio card) is an internal expansion card that provides a computer with the ability to produce sound that can be heard by the user through speakers or headphones.

A network interface controller (NIC), also known as a network card, is a computer hardware component that connects a computer to a computer network.

A host bus adapter (HBA) is a circuit board and/or integrated circuit adapter that provides a physical connection and input/output (I/O) processing between a host computer and a storage or network device.

An organic light-emitting diode (OLED) is a light-emitting diode (LED) in which the emissive electroluminescent layer is a film of organic compound that emits light in response to an electric current.

A liquid-crystal display (LCD) is a flat-panel display or other electronically modulated optical device that uses the light-modulating properties of liquid crystals combined with polarizers. Liquid crystals do not emit light directly, but instead use a backlight or reflector to produce images in color or monochrome.

A computer keyboard is a peripheral input device modeled after the typewriter keyboard which uses an arrangement of buttons or keys to act as mechanical levers or electronic switches.

In computing, a mouse is a hand-held pointing device that detects two-dimensional motion relative to a surface. This motion is typically translated into the motion of a pointer on a display, which allows for fine control of a graphical user interface.

A touchpad or trackpad is a pointing device featuring a tactile sensor, a specialized surface that can translate the motion and position of a user's fingers to a relative position on the operating system's screen.

A touchscreen is an input and output device normally layered on the top of an electronic visual display of an information processing system. A user can give input or control the information processing system through simple or multi-touch gestures by touching the screen with a special stylus or one or more fingers.

Biometrics are body measurements and calculations related to human characteristics. Biometric authentication is used in computer science as a form of identification and access control. It uses unique, measurable, biological characteristics to identify a person.

High Dynamic Range (HDR) is a technology that improves the range of colors and contrast in an image. It allows for brighter whites, darker blacks, and a wider array of colors between them, creating a more realistic and vivid picture.